Wonderful antique coral necklace with cameo in a gold clasp, circa 1890

A summer in Naples

Wonderful antique coral necklace with cameo in a gold clasp, circa 1890

€ 1,190.00 ^*

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 takes us back to a summer about 130 years ago. The sun is already low on the horizon over the Bay of Naples. A light breeze blows off the sea, the lemons are in bloom and in the shade of the stretched canvas, the weary travelers from the north gaze out over the smooth water. How far away is the rain-soaked homeland with its obligations, work and toil. How beautiful and carefree life is here! The great journey to the south, to Italy with its art treasures from antiquity to modern times, was the quintessence of bourgeois and aristocratic education in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Grand Tour took the young cavalier as far as Naples, after stops in Venice and Rome, perhaps also in Florence. And of course he also had to bring home souvenirs from his stay. From Naples, these were mainly corals and cameos carved in shell or lava stone, for the production of which this region had always been famous. This necklace was probably originally acquired on such a trip to the south and is made from two typically Italian materials. The double-row necklace is composed of hand-cut coral beads that are sorted in a graduated pattern. This is so-called Schiacca coral, which was mined off the coast of Sicily. The two strands are held together by a gold clasp, into which a cameo made of mussel shell is set. A Bacchante, a companion of the god of wine Bacchus, is depicted. This beautiful piece of jewellery came to us here in Berlin.

Learn more

Coral has been considered a lucky charm since ancient times. From the 17th century in Venice, for example, it is said that the coral "Portati dovunque l'huomo sia, ò in casa, ò in nave, scaccia le cattive ombre de gli spiriti, sogni, fulmini, venti, e tempeste e gli diffende da ogni assalto di fiere." - "Wherever man goes, whether he is at home or traveling by ship, coral drives away the evil shadows of spirits, bad dreams, lightning, winds and thunderstorms and protects against all adversity." (Isabella Palumbo Fossati Casa: Intérieurs vénitiens à la Renaissance. Maisons, société et culture, Paris 2012, p. 276). In Naples, amulets made of coral are still used today to protect against misfortune.

Learn more

Size & Details

A summer in Naples

€ 1,190.00 ^*

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.

Learn more

A summer in Naples

Chains & Necklaces

Privacy settings