Sale 7898
London, South Kensington
|
24 February 1998
Price realised
GBP 3,450
Estimate
A late 19th Century gold and gem set frontlet, in the classical revival style, the band formed as an engraved and bloomed gold laurel wreath set with diamond, ruby and sapphire berries, with loops for ribbon attachment, in original fitted case with retailer's address G. Roccheggiani, Rue Condotti 13, Rome.
Provenance
The owner's great grandmother. According to family tradition the necklace is copied from the wreath on a Greek statue excavated from the Bay of Naples. Few copies were made, one of which was given to Queen Victoria. Cf. H Tait (ed), "The Art of the Jewellery", The Hull Grundy Gift to the British Museum (1984) no.966 for a cased mosaic necklace in the antique style with similar retailer's address transcribed in French suggesting these jewels may have been sold in France. The footnote also mentions Murray's 1888 Handbook to Rome where Roccheggiani is mentioned as selling "gold ornaments from antique patterns".
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