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18K Snake Necklace with Enamelwork and Amethyst Paste Eyes, circa 1830

About the Item

This intricately woven gold ouroboros necklace with enameled serpent biting its tail is Georgian, circa 1830. The polychromed enamel clasp was a later mid Victorian addition. Woven gold necklaces were labor intensive, requiring painstaking precision and attention to detail. Our ouroboros snake necklace, with blue and green enameling and gold paint to denote the snake's scales and amethyst paste eyes, is a treasure to behold. The ouroboros is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent eating its own tail. The ouroboros is one of the earliest historical symbols, ancient Egyptian in origin, and becoming known to the Western world through Greek mythology. The snake motif is well known in antique jewelry and represents many different things to many different civilizations. The ouroboros measures 22 inches long and can be worn as a necklace or wrapped several times around the wrist as a bracelet (shown).
  • Metal:
  • Stone:
  • Stone Cut:
  • Dimensions:
    Width: 0.38 in (9.66 mm)Length: 22 in (558.8 mm)
  • Style:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1830
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Baltimore, MD
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU25111092122

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