Curl and Song

Antique Garnet and Gold Bangle with Secret Compartment, Germany, c. 1840


€ 1,790.00 *
Content 1 piece
Incl. VAT, Shipping
Antique Garnet and Gold Bangle with Secret Compartment, Germany, c. 1840
Antique Garnet and Gold Bangle with Secret Compartment, Germany, c. 1840
Description
This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!
"I sent you my songs, My heart's flowing springs, Your curl you sent me, Your head's rippling waves [...]." Anette von Droste-Hülshoff, Locke und Lied, 1841/42. Anette von Droste Hülshoff wrote the above verses between 1841 and 1842. "Locke und Lied" describes the way in which lovers at that time coped with physical separation from one another: the lyrical narrator sends poems to the loved one, who responds with a lock of their own hair. Our bracelet was also created at exactly the same time - and is dedicated to the same theme: under the centerpiece made of glowing red garnets and shimmering natural pearls, there is a generous secret compartment for a lock of hair or a love letter. The hinge is well concealed and the bracelet's design reveals nothing of its secret cargo. Two voluminous volutes, also richly adorned with garnets, lead to the cushion-shaped compartment. Hand-engraved acanthus tendrils lend the shimmering gold a subtle play of light and shadow. We were able to acquire the bracelet from a Count's estate. In fact, the quality of the piece of jewellery also corresponds to its noble provenance: it is of a much higher quality than many other pieces of German jewellery from the late Biedermeier period. Its origin in Germany in the 1840s is revealed by the style, workmanship and materials of the piece. See, for example, Brigitte Marquardt: Schmuck. Classicism and Biedermeier, 1780-1850, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Munich 1983, cat. No. 195 on the type of bracelet with clasp, or Cat. No. 339 on the combination of materials.
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Size & Details
Antique Garnet and Gold Bangle with Secret Compartment, Germany, c. 1840
Curl and Song
€ 1,790.00 *
Content 1 piece
Incl. VAT, Shipping
Our Promise
Our Promise
Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

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