Rare Necklace Made From Large Antique Amber Stones, ca. 1880/2022

In the 19th century, traditional costume jewellery was a cherished possession that was worn with pride and passed down from generation to generation. In some regions of Germany, heavy necklaces made of faceted amber were part of the typical wedding costume. The Schaumburg region at the foot of the Weserbergland to the west of Hanover was particularly well known for such pieces of jewellery, the so-called "Bückeburg wedding necklaces". However, similar necklaces were also worn in other regions, which can only be precisely localized by their magnificent clasps. This impressive necklace is a piece of jewellery made of faceted amber, which was once part of a Bückeburg costume necklace. Forty-four amber beads, some of which are faceted, measuring up to 2.9 centimetres in diameter and weighing more than 190 grams in total, came to us loose and now form a shimmering strand. The antique amber stones have a slightly irregular shape, which still gives an idea of the natural shape of the stones, but they are also polished all around. A modern magnetic clasp makes the necklace easy to wear. These amber stones are most likely the treasured possessions of a wealthy family from the Schaumburg region; they actually came to us from the region. We had them re-mounted and added the intermediate elements and the clasp. Comparative examples that allow us to date the ambers can be found in the standard work by Gislind Ritz: Alter bäuerlicher Schmuck, Munich 1978, pp. 73-79.

Estimate:$2,226.59

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