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Sterling Silver Fine Cable Nickel Free Chain Necklace for Child Italy 14 Inch

For girls. Italian jewelry manufacturers are well-renowned for their exquisite design and fine craftsmanship. The delicate links of the elegant cable chain are perfect to show off a gemstone solitaire or solid sterling silver charm pendant. Round wire links work well with a small pendant or cascade of dangling pearls. Approx 1.3mm wide. Made to our specifications, we imported this beautiful, new sterling silver chain directly from the leading Italian manufacturer. The solid sterling silver chain is marked with 925 and ITALY and the clasp is marked 925 so you know that they are of the top quality. Single strand, length is from loop end to clasp. Nickel free.

2nd century B.C., L. 28 cm.

Composed of settings with beaded edging and colored inlays, this necklace’s elaborate centerpiece is linked on both sides to two cordlike, loop-in-loop chains; these terminate in finely molded lynx-head finials that hold small loops in their open mouths. The broad, gold frames of the seven box settings contrast with their colored inlays. A large garnet occupies the center; this oval cabochon is flanked by two slightly smaller emerald ones, which are themselves framed by oval garnets, and finally by a circular setting at each end containing a garnet. All of these are joined by tiny hinges. Below, an elaborate arrangement in the shape of a butterfly is supported by short chains attached to the animal’s naturally rendered wings.

Necklaces such as this one reflect the taste for color and splendor prevalent in the late Hellenistic period. The use of hinges to connect even small elements illustrates period goldsmiths’ particular interest in arriving at technical solutions that were previously unknown.

The butterfly is by no means simply a decorative motif, but a symbol of eternal love. It represents Psyche, the personification of the soul, with whose beauty Eros himself fell in love. Psyche is usually represented as a young girl with small butterfly wings. This subject is known in late Hellenistic jewelry, and there are several necklaces that refer to it. The closest parallel is a butterfly necklace from the Olbia Treasure, now in the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. There are also other butterfly necklaces, one in the Kofler-Truninger Collection, allegedly from southern Russia; another from Chersonesus, in southern Russia; and a third in the British Museum, London, reportedly from Italy. Similar in composition and style are a necklace from Palaiocastro, Thessaly, in the National Museum, Athens and another from the Artjukhov Barrow in southern Russia.

Bibliography

For the necklace in the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore, see A. Oliver, “The Olbia Treasure,” in A. Garside, ed., Jewelry, Ancient to Modern (1979), pp. 94ff., no. 281. For that in the Kofler-Truninger Collection, see H. Hoffmann and P. Davidson, Greek Gold: Jewelry from the Age of Alexander (1965) p. 142, no. 51. For the necklace from Chersonesus, see E. H. Minns, Scythians and Greeks (1971), p. 407, fig. 295. For the necklace in the British Museum, London, see F. H. Marshall, Catalogue of the Jewellery, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman, in the Departments of Antiquities, British Museum (1911), no. 2746; and R. A. Higgins, Greek and Roman Jewellery, 2d ed. (1980), pl. 56. For the necklace from the Palaiocastro Treasure, see B. Pfeiler-Lippitz, “Spathellenistische Goldschmiedearbeiten,” Antike Kunst 15, 2 (1972), p. 108, pl. 30,1. The necklace from the Artjukhov Barrow appears in Minns, fig. 321.

The Ponte Vecchio (old bridge) in Florence has shops on both sides of the bridge, mostly gold and jewelry shops. I had never seen such artistry with gold as I saw in this window. I'm not sure how one wears such a delicate thing without crushing it. I did buy some gold at one of the shops of the bridge, but sadly, not this set - just a simple gold chain.