Romantic antique necklace with rose garlands and orient seed pearls

Antique jewelry object group: necklace

Condition: excellent condition
  -  (more info on our condition scale)

Country of origin: Although it does not carry any legible control marks we believe this to be of Belgian origin.

Style: Between Victorian and Art Nouveau - Victorian decorative arts refers to the style of decorative arts during the Victorian era. The Victorian era is known for its eclectic revival and interpretation of historic styles and the introduction of cross-cultural influences from the middle east and Asia in furniture, fittings, and Interior decoration. Victorian design is widely viewed as having indulged in a regrettable excess of ornament.

The Arts and Crafts movement, the aesthetic movement, Anglo-Japanese style, and Art Nouveau style have their beginnings in the late Victorian era. Art Nouveau (French for New Style) is an international movement and style of art, architecture and applied ar - especially the decorative arts - that peaked in popularity at the turn of the 20th century (1890–1905).

The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art". It is also known as “Jugendstil”, German for "youth style", named after the magazine Jugend, which promoted it, and in Italy, Stile Liberty from the department store in London, Liberty & Co., which popularised the style. A reaction to academic art of the 19th century, it is characterized by organic, especially floral and other plant-inspired motifs, as well as highly stylized, flowing curvilinear forms.

Art Nouveau is an approach to design according to which artists should work on everything from architecture to furniture, making art part of everyday life.
  -  See also: late-Victorian, early Art Nouveau, eclecticism or more info on styles

Style specifics: The Late or Aesthetic Victorian Period - Experts divide the reign of Queen Victoria, also called The Victorian era (1837-1901) into three periods of about twenty years each; The Romantic Victorian Period (1837 - 1860), The Grand Victorian Period (1860 - 1880), and the Late or Aesthetic Victorian Period (1880 - 1901).

We consider this to be of The Late or Aesthetic Victorian Period.

Jewelry of this period is changing back from heavy to more smaller, romantic pieces with often whimsical motifs. Jewelers using diamonds and bright gemstones in elaborated and fine feminine pieces.

Period: ca. 1890
  -  (events & facts of this era, poetry of this era, fashion of this era)

Source of inspiration: Romanticism and Mother Nature (see also: flower symbolism)

Theme: The Rose - First of all a symbol of love but there are many prophecies, legends and fairy tales made about this beautiful flower.

A rose that blooms in autumn can mean a marriage. And you must remember the fairy tail of Sleeping Beauty. The bad queen pricked the beautiful, young princess with a thorn from a rose. She slept 100 years and a beautiful, young prince woke her up with a kiss. They married and they lived happily ever after. There exists a legend about how the rose got her thorns. The rose grew originally in the Garden of Eden and had no thorns. After the fall the rose got her thorns to remind people of their sin. Her beauty might been kept as memory of Paradise.

In the antiquity Eros, the Greek God of Love, was represented as a fresh and rosy (color of roses), lively and cheerful boy with goldish hair (like the stamens). The arrows were like the thorns and his wings were like the petals of the rose. In beauty, shape and scent, the rose is outstanding and hence has become the most commonly used floral symbol in the West. Roses have symbolical meanings in classic and Christian art. For example Venus was associated with roses, symbolizing love and beauty, whereas Virgin Mary sometimes was called a « rose without thorns » because of her purity.

Material: 18K yellow gold
  -  (more info on precious metals)

Precious stones: 18 seed pearls

Birthstones: Pearl is the birthstone (or month stone) for June.
  -  (more info on birthstones)

Hallmarks: No trace.
  -  (more info on hallmarks)

Dimensions: total length 43,00 cm (16,93 inch), but the safety chain in the neck can be used to enlarge it till 49,50 cm (19,49 inch)

Weight: 12,40 gram (7,97 dwt)

Reference Nº: 17132-0017

Copyright photography: Adin, fine antique jewelry

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