Antique Double Row Necklace of Precious Coral With Silver Clasp, Italy c. 1900

"Behold this lovely structure, which I consecrate as a gift to you; Red branches from the depths of the sea Gave the fabric to the row of pearls That, to the jewellery of joyful youth, Where the mermaid's song was heard, The diver wrested From a mighty coral tree!" For centuries, coral jewellery was not only a decorative treasure, but also associated with numerous legends. Mined from the depths of the Mediterranean, this material has always carried mysterious associations. It is said that coral originated from the blood of Medusa when Perseus cut off her head on the seashore: Her blood dripped onto seaweed and turned it into a red coral tree - just as her gaze had previously turned people into stone. For a long time reserved for the art chambers of princes, this gift of the sea also reached wide circles of the middle classes as the 19th century progressed. Coral, mined on the coasts of Italy, was considered a distinct summer ornament, exotic and colourful at the same time. Since it did not sparkle as festively as diamonds and was not as heavy as gold, its impression was lighter, more cheerful, and it became accepted as daytime jewellery. In the present necklace we see real corals arranged in two rows. The beads from around 1900 with the characteristic salmon tone, where the colour palette ranges from deep to softer tones. The strands are arranged in graduated order, that is, they become thicker towards the center. The necklace, which we have had rewound, is held by a renewed clasp made of silver. A magnificent piece of jewelry with a history all its own! The poem quoted from Jeanette Bramer: Begleitgedichte zu Gegenständen aus des Goldschmieds edler Werkstatt, in: Deutsche Goldschmiede-Zeitung No. 15, 1910, p. 136.

Estimation:€890

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