Antique Double-Row Necklace Made of "Corallo Sciacca", Italy c. 1900

"Behold this lovely structure, which I dedicate to you as a gift; Red branches from the depths of the sea, Gave the fabric to the row of pearls The jewellery of joyful youth, Where mermaid's song rang, the diver has wrested From the mighty coral tree!" For centuries, coral jewellery was not only an ornamental treasure, but was also associated with numerous legends. Mined from the depths of the Mediterranean, this material has always carried with it mysterious associations. It was 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. In this necklace, we see salmon-colored corals arranged in two rows. These are pearls from the c. 1900s with the characteristic shade of "Corallo Sciacca". The strands are arranged in a graduated pattern, meaning that they become thicker towards the middle and the coral colors vary slightly from light to dark. We have had the necklace restrung. It is held in place by a gold-plated silver clasp. The corals are of natural origin and have not been artificially colored or treated. The poem is quoted from Jeanette Bramer: Begleitgedichte zu Gegenständen aus des Goldschmieds edler Werkstatt, in: Deutsche Goldschmiede-Zeitung 15 (1910), p. 136.

Estimate:£671.04

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