Antique Necklace with Stars Made of Bohemian Garnets, c. 1890

“That’s all Greek to me!”—This idiom, which is still sometimes used today when something seems incomprehensible, originally comes from the Habsburg Monarchy. Since 1526, the Kingdom of Bohemia—that is, the lands of the Bohemian Crown—had also been part of this monarchy: Bohemia, Moravia, the County of Glatz, and Silesia. In the outlying regions of Bohemia—known as German Bohemia, later called the Sudetenland—German was spoken. In the heartland, however, the language was predominantly Czech (at that time usually called “Bohemian”). For German-speaking travelers, therefore, both the place names and the language of the inhabitants were often completely incomprehensible. On the other hand, the enthusiasm that arose in the mid-19th century for Bohemian garnets is entirely understandable and relatable. Even Sisi, Empress Elisabeth of Austria and Hungary, had a soft spot for these dark-red garnets from her crown land and helped popularize Bohemian gemstones among Viennese society. This magnificent necklace from around 1890 is richly set with Bohemian garnets. The piece of jewellery consists of uniform small stars made of beautifully faceted garnets, strung together like a precious festoon. In the center, seven stars of varying sizes form the focal point of the composition. Movable pendants complete the look and lend the necklace a playful touch. The garnets in the necklace are set in tombac, which is crafted so subtly that from the front, one sees almost nothing but the sparkling stones. A glance at the 1889 catalog of the firm L. J. Flowers from Salem, Massachusetts—the Busiest House of America—reveals that Bohemian garnets were traded worldwide; the catalog features a similar necklace. See here.

Estimación:€980

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