Delicate Victorian Agate Cameo Necklace, c. 1880

The 19th century was infatuated with the past. Society was changing rapidly, industry had long since transformed the once tranquil towns into large metropolises, and new technologies such as the telegraph were bringing the world closer together. In this situation, citizens longed for stability and reliability - and looked back to history to find role models for their own time. Naturally, this also applied to jewellery. A true pluralism of styles prevailed, using set pieces from older styles to create new, independent creations. In an issue of the ladies' journal "Der Bazar" from 1881, for example, we see illustrations of the latest jewellery (see last illustration): A necklace with scarabs and pharaoh cameos evokes ancient Egypt, a brooch in the shape of a Germanic fibula the Migration Period. A cloak lock made of tendrils is reminiscent of the medieval Gothic period, and a magnificent necklace in the so-called "Holbein style" shows the portrait of a man in Renaissance costume on its central cameo. The present necklace, whose showpieces are nine layered stone cameos, also originates from this context. We see busts of elegant ladies from different eras. The centerpiece is a Renaissance lady in a magnificent gown with a ruff. We also see portraits of women with dresses from Greco-Roman antiquity, the Middle Ages and the Baroque period. All the cameos are cut from hardstone and stand out in white against a black background. The cutting is routine, and yet it is impressive how well the stone cutter was able to separate the depiction in the light layer from the dark background from one stone. The oval stone cuts are held by simple gold-plated settings and hang staggered in size from a fine gold anchor chain. The result is a magnificent garland on the neck that pays homage to the beauties of the past. The necklace, made around 1880, came to us from London.

Estimation:€1,290

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