Adams
Lot 20
A RARE TURQUOISE, DIAMOND AND GARNET SERPENT NECKLACE, CIRCA 1865 Of ouroboros form, the highly flexible body set with graduated circular cabochon turquoises within collet-setting, the eyes set with similarly-cut cabochon garnets embellished by rose-cut diamond accents, within fitted case by 'Payne & Sons, jewellers & Goldsmiths, in ordinary to the Queen. The Queen Dowager, H.R.H. The Prince Albert & Royal family. 21, Old Bond Street. Bath.', length 41cm Snake motifs are one of the earliest historical and culturally diverse mythological symbols, and figure prominently in jewellery. These intriguing creatures make for alluring pieces of jewellery inspired by serpents through the ages, from the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to the Gods of ancient mythology. They represent a host of meanings in different countries and civilisations. To the pharaohs of Egypt, snakes represented royalty and deity and they wore them as sacred pendants around their necks. The Romans had different interpretations ranging from everlasting love to a symbol of wisdom. The Greeks also looked toward the serpent as representing this quality, and Aesculapius, their god of medicine, was always depicted with a snake wrapped around his staff - a motif that continues to remain the symbol of the medical profession. While for the Hindus, Hebrews and Native Americans the creature is endowed with various meanings within the cycle of the human life, ranging from rebirth, transformations, sexuality and desire. As it quite common with members of royal families, particular fashions adopted by specific individuals can lead to them becoming an iconic symbol of the period. In 1839, Queen Victoria did just that for the snake motif in jewellery. On her engagement to Prince Albert she was presented with a ring formed as continuous snake, signifying their everlasting love. It was set with an emerald, her birthstone, centered in its head. Queen Victoria's ring set a trend throughout England, and eventually across Europe, for a range of snake rings, coil-style flexible necklaces and bracelets with gem-set heads, as well snake brooches, cuffs, bangles, and wonderfully designed earrings that featured a snake slinking around a gemstone. Colour is of particular importance in jewellery designs which are inspired by animal motifs as they add life and character to the piece. Turquoise was plentiful during the 19th century and among the most fashionable gems for everyday wear. Victorian jewellers used round turquoise cabochons to represent the scales of their snaky creations. The stone's popularity, in fact, inspired Tiffany & Co. founder, Charles Lewis Tiffany, to choose its colour for the cover the first Blue Book, a catalogue of the house's jewels, in 1845; today, the colour is referred to simply as: Tiffany Blue. The Art Nouveau period favoured naturalistic and animal/insect motifs and the snake continued to be an inspiration in jewellery designs. In the 20th century houses such as Cartier, Bulgari and Boucheron, adopted the serpent but translated it into their own aesthetics and style.
