Henkel And Grosse Collar
Vintage 1960s Choker Necklaces
Vintage 1960s More Jewelry
Vintage 1980s German Choker Necklaces
Gold Plate
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20th Century Clip-on Earrings
Vintage 1970s Clip-on Earrings
Early 2000s French Belle Époque Choker Necklaces
Silver Plate
Vintage 1980s French Art Deco Dangle Earrings
Gold Plate
Late 20th Century Modernist Choker Necklaces
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1970s German Link Necklaces
Amethyst, Agate, Gilt Metal
Vintage 1980s Unknown Modern Choker Necklaces
Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary French Chain Necklaces
Gilt Metal
20th Century French Choker Necklaces
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1940s French Art Deco Choker Necklaces
Pearl, Gold Plate, Brass, Gilt Metal
21st Century and Contemporary French Choker Necklaces
1990s French Clip-on Earrings
Vintage 1970s Clip-on Earrings
Vintage 1950s French Regency Brooches
Base Metal, Bronze, Silver Plate
Vintage 1980s French Clip-on Earrings
Gold
20th Century German Brooches
Recent Sales
Vintage 1980s Choker Necklaces
Vintage 1950s Choker Necklaces
Crystal
Vintage 1960s Choker Necklaces
Vintage 1950s German Choker Necklaces
Gold Plate
Finding the Right choker-necklaces for You
Vintage choker necklaces are elegant, alluring and stylish. Cameos, pearls, diamonds and other stones can decorate these necklaces, which come in single or multiple strands. Whether it is a statement piece or a delicate chain, these short necklaces always stand out and turn heads.
The history of the choker can be traced back thousands of years, with Sumerian examples discovered from 2600–2500 B.C. They endured as a popular form of adornment through the centuries, and during the French Revolution they took on a symbolic significance. Women wore ribbons around their throats to mark the passing of those killed by the guillotine. Soon, the plain ribbons were adorned with small cameos and other ornamentation.
European choker necklaces gained a salacious reputation in the 19th century when prostitutes were associated with black ribbons tied around the neck, such as the model in Édouard Manet’s Olympia (1863). Queen Alexandra, Princess of Wales, reversed the trend in the late 19th century by wearing a large pearl and diamond choker, reputedly to hide a scar.
Fashioned from gold, pearls and other precious stones and metals, chokers continued to be worn into the 20th century, alternately statements of wealth and rebellion. They experienced periods of revival in the 1920s, ’40s, ’70s and ’90s for both men and women.
Vintage chokers make a statement with an unmistakable air of femininity. On 1stDibs, find an alluring collection of vintage chokers today, including gold, sapphire and emerald chokers.