On 1stDibs, you can find the most appropriate snake choker for your needs in our varied inventory. Each design created in this style — which was crafted with great care and often made from
Gold,
18k Gold and
Yellow Gold — can elevate any look. In our selection of items, you can find a vintage example as well as a contemporary version. If you’re looking for a snake choker from a specific time period, our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and you’ll find at least one that dates back to the 19th Century while another version may have been produced as recently as the 21st Century. Creating a snake choker has been a part of the legacy of many jewelers, but those produced by
J DAUPHIN,
Ilias Lalaounis and
Tiffany & Co. are consistently popular. While most can agree that any snake choker from our collection can easily elevate most outfits, but the choice of a
Diamond version from the 25 available is guaranteed to add a special touch to your ensemble. A
round cut version of this piece has appeal, but there are also
brilliant cut and
marquise cut versions for sale. Most of our snake choker for sale are for
women, but there are 12 pieces available to browse for
men.
Prices for a snake choker can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, these accessories begin at $177 and can go as high as $220,000, while this accessory, on average, fetches $2,973.
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.