Antique Three Row “Corallo Sciacca” Bracelet, c. 1890

This bracelet, dating from around 1890, is made of hand-cut Mediterranean coral arranged in three parallel rows. The beads have a wonderfully warm salmon hue, characteristic of what is known as Sciacca coral. This special coral owes its name to the Sicilian port city of Sciacca. Starting in 1875, vast deposits were discovered off its coast at a depth of about 150 to 200 meters. Unlike freshly harvested Mediterranean coral, this material did not come from living colonies. Rather, it consisted of subfossil coral banks on the seafloor. Scientific studies have determined that individual corals from these deposits are several millennia old. The discovery sparked a veritable coral craze. Between 1875 and 1914, enormous quantities of the material were recovered off the coast of Sciacca and, for the most part, transported to Torre del Greco, the most important center of Italian coral processing. Sciacca coral is characterized by its warm, often slightly lighter shades, ranging from delicate pink and salmon to peach and orange. The three strands of our bracelet are held together by the original clasp, which is set with three round coral cabochons.

Estimate:£415.08

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