Antique "Collier Yvetot" Paste Necklace in Silver, France, Late 19th Century

Saint Esprit

Antique "Collier Yvetot" Paste Necklace in Silver, France, Late 19th Century

€ 1,490.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

This necklace from Paris reveals a great deal about the fashions of days gone by. It is made of silver and richly set with faceted rhinestones. A chain featuring alternating single and clusters of seven sparkling white stones is centered around an elegant bow held by a small dove. The necklace ends in two large loops and is worn with a velvet cord. This type of necklace—a “Y” shape with a pendant in the form of a cross or the dove of the Holy Spirit, the “Saint Esprit”—is called a “Collier Yvetot.” It is named after a town in Normandy and designed in the style of traditional northern French folk costumes. Necklaces and brooches featuring the Saint Esprit were already a typical form of jewellery among the rural population as early as the 18th century, and the elegant lightness with which the bow is tied is reminiscent of the jewelry craftsmanship of the Ancien Régime In the 19th century, however, these necklaces were worn almost exclusively in Paris. This was because, in the late 19th century, it was popular in Paris to wear traditional jewellery from rural France (much like Scottish jewellery in Great Britain or the dirndl in Munich, for that matter). And so, naturally, the capital’s jewelers also produced traditional-style jewellery—though the necklace’s appearance is certainly influenced by the high jewellery of the Belle Époque. Its cool, elegant, white look also reflects the diamond jewellery trends of the time. We discovered this necklace in Paris. It is very good in preservation and was most likely made in France. For more on this type of necklace, see Michael C. W. Fieggen: Traditional French Jewellery, Vol. 1. Regional Jewellery, n.p. 2021, pp. 137ff.

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This necklace sparkles with a fiery glow from 110 faceted—diamonds? No, they’re glass rhinestones. In English, they are called “paste,” and they are also known by the name of their 18th-century Parisian inventor, Georg Friedrich Strass. After an initial trend during the Rococo period, they were rediscovered in the late 19th century, when diamond jewellery became all the rage following the discovery of diamond deposits in South Africa.

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Size & Details

Saint Esprit

€ 1,490.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

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.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

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Saint Esprit

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