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Couture Fruit HandPainted WoodCherries RedGreenCharms ChainLink Vintage Necklace

About the Item

This vintage cherry-fruit charm necklace featuring red hand-painted wood is constructed of silver chain links and its clasp extension-chain is decorated with a single red bead. The green leaves that trim the berry beads are a surprising two-tone plastic, indicating that they were also handcrafted. Notably, the fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli is famous for including custom plastic elements in her mostly unsigned jewelry that accompanied her couture collections in the late 1930s. Please see TheMet online archive to view Schiaparelli's most well-known couture necklace structured from plastic supporting metal insects for her Fall 1938 "Pagan" collection, along with an evening dress whose neckline is decorated with plastic leaves in multiple green tones. Schiaparelli frequently revisited leaves as a design motif in her jewelry. Further, according to research published by London's V&A Museum involving Schiaparelli, she is: "well known for her enthusiastic use of plastics to make jewelry, and as buttons and trimmings for her garments."
  • Metal:
  • Weight:
    59 g
  • Dimensions:
    Width: 1.5 in (38.1 mm)Diameter: 7 in (177.8 mm)Length: 21 in (533.4 mm)
  • Style:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1900-1999
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Chicago, IL
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU3244219124352

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