Antique Bangle with Mediterranean Corals, c. 1890

This bangle transports us back to a summer over 100 years ago. Over the Bay of Naples, the sun is already low on the horizon. A light breeze blows in from the sea; the lemon trees are in bloom; and in the shade of the unfurled sails, the weary travelers from the north gaze far out across the smooth water. How far away is their rain-soaked homeland, with its obligations, work, and hardships. How beautiful and carefree life is here! The bangle consists of two rows of salmon-coloured Mediterranean coral. The design widens in the center, featuring eleven additional, larger corals that have come together to form a blossom. The distinctive colour of the corals indicates that they are so-called “Sciacca corals.” These subfossil corals had died over the course of millennia due to the effects of undersea volcanic eruptions off the coast of Sicily and had accumulated into a large deposit. In 1875, these deposits—which by then had faded to a delicate salmon colour—were discovered and used to craft jewellery for only a few decades. By around 1915, the deposits on the seabed had been exhausted. The colour of the corals thus attests to the bracelet’s period of origin. The corals are set in lightly gold-plated tombac. A perfect piece of jewellery for anyone who dreams of Italian summers all year round—a true “vacation” bangle!

Estimate:$549.9

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