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Barnebys HQ
Brahegatan 10
BOX 5038
114 37 Stockholm
All auctions / Jewellery & Gems / Antique Demi-Parure of Necklace and Bracelet in Mediterranean Coral
Jewellery made of carved coral is still one of the most spectacular souvenirs of a trip to Naples. Simple necklaces made of coral carved into spheres are still found in large numbers today. Necklaces, brooches and entire parures made of coral carved by hand into cameos, flowers or leaves, on the other hand, are exceptionally rare and always a great pleasure, because they invite us to travel in thought and at the same time elicit admiration for the craftsmanship of the masters. Both cameos and coral are combined in this demi-parure. It consists of a necklace and a matching bracelet made from the smallest elements strung together and large cameos set in gold. At first glance, the individual, small pieces of coral, which have been strung in many rows, look like unworked coral. But a closer look with a magnifying glass reveals that each of the small elements was carved by hand! The corals are shaped like small clubs, and there are also pineapple-shaped balls carved into the sides of the clasp of the bracelet. Carving the corals individually was particularly common in the first half of the 19th century; later on, smooth spheres that were quicker to produce were used. The highlight of the set, however, are the large cameos made of cut coral. We see five depictions of ancient gods. Jupiter, the father of the gods, occupies the center of the necklace. His mighty beard and curly hair are carved in great detail from an impressively large piece of coral. Above his head we see a laurel wreath and above it a basket, the kalathos. This Greek harvest basket was originally the attribute of the Egyptian Serapis, who was later equated with Jupiter. Seeing it here emphasizes the fertility-giving power of the father of the gods. Jupiter is accompanied by two goddesses. On the left is Artemis, the goddess of hunting and virginity, with a crescent moon in her hair and arrows in her quiver. On the right is Hera, the goddess of marriage, birth and family. She is wearing her typical headdress, the stephane, as well as a veil. Finally, Antinous can be seen on the clasp of the necklace, as well as another female deity with leaves in her hair on the clasp of the bracelet. We think that a fertility goddess such as Demeter or Abundantia is meant here. All in all, this results in a circle of gods whose members were apparently specifically chosen to adorn and honor a wife and mother. Necklaces like this one, with many rows of chains between large cameos, were popular in the first decades of the 19th century. This period also saw the fashion for finely carved coral beads, so we can date the necklace and bracelet to around 1825. Details such as the color of the gold alloy and the shape of the clasps suggest that the bracelet and necklace were probably not originally created in the same workshop and were only combined at a later date. However, the two pieces go together wonderfully. We discovered the set in Vienna, in the pictured case from a Roman jeweller specializing in antique jewellery. Comparative examples can be found, for example, in the collection of the V&A in London, including various necklaces with carved corals,see here and see here.
Estimate:£7,130.22
To the auctionView all items fromHofer AntikschmuckorJewellery & Gems
Estimate:
£7,130.22
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