Antique Art Nouveau Necklace with Pearls & Ruby in Gold, c. 1900

As the 19th century drew to a close, the contemporaries were filled with a spirit of optimism: The turn of the century was not only supposed to bring something new in calendar terms, but in many respects people saw themselves as part of a modern age. Stylistically, too, people wanted to break with the old: The widely received and copied ornaments of past centuries were passé; instead, one wanted to take an aesthetic risk. One looked to nature, whose floral forms and asymmetries were also intended to revitalize the arts and crafts - at the same time, one gave free rein to the imagination and tried to restrict the creative spirit as little as possible. The present necklace is an excellent illustration of this creative tension, for on the one hand it is composed of floral forms: Leaves, blossoms and three-leaved clover form the centerpiece. On the other hand, none of these elements is naturalistically executed, but rather imaginatively stylized. At the centre of the necklace is a red ruby in a prong setting, surrounded by ribbons or leaves of gold richly set with natural pearls. Further leaf elements swing up along the neckline before the necklace runs into a simple link chain. We discovered this beautiful necklace in London, where, judging by its design and materials, it was probably made. It is in excellent condition and very wearable.

Estimate:£2,794.62

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