Georgian Chalcedony Shells Necklace
Unusual antique necklace featuring three milky-white chalcedony scallop shells mounted in 15 carat gold and strung on a chunky gold chain. The shells are beautifully carved with reeded detailing to both back and front and they date from the Georgian period, circa 1820. The chain was made a few decades later suggesting it was added to the shells at a later date.
The scallop shell is an iconic motif synonymous with love and beauty (Venus) and Christian pilgrimage (Santiago de Compostela); I guess also, in both cases by extension, ultimately synonymous with love - that miraculous, enchanted pearl sometimes found within. In the most literal sense, it represents maritime bounty: to those peoples lucky enough to have settled by the coast, the seas and oceans provided vital sustenance and the scallop represents one of its finest delicacies. However, the symbol often transcends the literal: in the Middle Ages, the scallop shell became associated with religious pilgrimages such as Granada to Santiago de Compostela in Spain - pilgrims would wear the emblem as a display of faith through hardship and dedication. And much earlier, in ancient Greece and Rome, the scallop was an icon of Venus Anadyomene (literally "Venus Rising from the Sea"), representing beauty and fertility, exquisitely revisited by Botticelli in his 1484-1486 masterpiece The Birth of Venus.
And with regards to scallop as a physical organism, the various species of the family Pectinidae, there is at least one biological feature worthy of note: Scallops have a large number of vivid, iridescent blue eyes - up to 200 of them. In place of a lens, these eyes use a concave mirror surface of guanine crystals to direct and focus the light - something of an innovation in the world of molluscs.
Era: Georgian, circa 1820
Length: 18 inches
Head size: 2.6cm by 6.1cm
Stones: Chalcedony
Marks: Shells mounted in 15ct gold, chain and clasp are 9ct
Condition: Great antique condition, the outer edge of one stone is slightly chipped
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Gemstones are tested by an accredited gemmologist (Cert GA, Gemmological Association of Great Britain)
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Condition
We offer detailed and accurate condition reports on each listing. These pieces are antique, vintage, or pre-loved, often over 100 years old so they're going to have lived a life. A healthy patina and the odd scuff/scrape are quite normal... it's part of their charm! Everything we present has been checked over by our jeweller and should be good for wear for many years to come (unless otherwise stated) but please remember to treat them with appropriate care and consideration for their age.
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