Magnificent Necklace With Lapis Lazuli, Diamonds & Pearls, c. 1875

Victorian Splendour

Magnificent Necklace With Lapis Lazuli, Diamonds & Pearls, c. 1875

€ 14,890.00 ^*

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!

People of the 19th century frequently looked back to the past and its rich treasury of forms. Thus, jewellery was created in the styles of Gothic, Rococo, Renaissance, and Antiquity. Yet as early as 1895, the art historian Julius Lessing observed: “A strict reproduction of the existing models occurs only in the rarest cases. They are altered and adapted according to our needs. [Here] the element of life is revealed, that which later periods will recognise as the true style of our time.” Lessing demonstrated remarkable foresight, for pieces such as the present necklace draw inspiration from the past – yet could have been created in no other era than their own. The magnificent necklace is designed as a garland of softly flowing, golden snake chains, which bear sculpturally modelled snake heads at their ends. Between them hang small stars, each centred with a halved natural pearl, surrounded by sparkling diamond rosettes. The principal focus, however, lies on three intricately crafted amphorae, made of deep blue carved lapis lazuli and set in gold mounts adorned with diamond rosettes. The central amphora has a medallion compartment on its reverse. These amphorae were one of the hallmarks of the archaeological style of the period – intended to recall Roman antiquity. The idea of hanging them as fringe-like pendants from necklaces originated in the jewellery of the Etruscans, an ancient culture that had merged with that of the Romans. Amphora and fringe necklaces soon became characteristic pieces of the 1870s. The necklace bears no hallmarks, but it was probably made in England. We discovered it in Munich. It is in excellent condition and represents a textbook example of the rich formal vocabulary of Historicism.

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Eclecticism, this word is often used in the context of historicism, whose diverse manifestations stylistically dominated the second half of the 19th century: for past styles were not only revived or copied in those years, but after some time, from different stylistic elements, very own designs were composed, which are precisely for this reason quite typical of their time of origin - and could not have been created in any other era.

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Size & Details

Victorian Splendour

€ 14,890.00 ^*

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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Victorian Splendour

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