First Lady

Antique Akoya Pearl "Chute" Necklace With Opal Clasp, c. 1955


€ 398.00 *
Content 1 piece
Incl. VAT, Shipping
Antique Akoya Pearl "Chute" Necklace With Opal Clasp, c. 1955
Antique Akoya Pearl "Chute" Necklace With Opal Clasp, c. 1955
Description
This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!
It was a great sensation when the Japanese entrepreneur Mikimoto succeeded in cultivating saltwater pearls on a large scale and making them marketable in the early 1920s. Until then, pearl necklaces had to be made from naturally grown pearls, which were about as expensive as diamonds of the same size. It was the invention of the cultured pearl that made pearl jewelry affordable for a wider audience and triggered a great fashion that has lasted to this day. This necklace is made from saltwater cultured pearls developed by Mikimoto, the so-called Akoya pearls. It is designed in the classic form of the "chute necklace". This type is characterized by its length, here approx. 41.0 cm, and the typical gradient shape. The largest pearl is located at the bottom in the middle and from there the pearls become smaller and smaller on both sides and towards the top. This is also alluded to by their name, which is derived from the French "chuter" = to fall off, fall away. Short graduated pearl necklaces were the typical necklace shape in the first half of the 20th century and remained fashionable for several years after the Second World War. Probably the most famous wearer of such a necklace was Jacqueline Bouvier, better known by her nickname Jackie. She wore such a necklace at her wedding to John F. Kennedy in September 1953. The necklace was a family heirloom. This necklace is held by a clasp made of white gold, yellow gold and a shining opal. It features the typical design language of Art Déco with small millegrains. The lustre of the pearls is soft and velvety, the color white with warm undertones. We had the pearls restrung and knotted so that the necklace can now be worn without any worries. The necklace came to us here in Berlin.
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The photograph shown is by Toni Frissell: Jackie Kennedy, September 12, 1953, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., Inv. No. LOT 10499-2.
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Size & Details
Antique Akoya Pearl "Chute" Necklace With Opal Clasp, c. 1955
First Lady
€ 398.00 *
Content 1 piece
Incl. VAT, Shipping
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Our Promise
Our Promise

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You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

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