The Engineer’s Snake

Magnificent Gold Necklace with Emeralds & Diamonds, Vienna 1922

€ 12,980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Magnificent Gold Necklace with Emeralds & Diamonds, Vienna 1922

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

Pieces of jewelry with snake motifs enjoyed great popularity throughout the 19th century, but it was not until the Art Deco era that snake fashion reached its zenith, as this extravagant piece impressively demonstrates. In this turbulent and decadent era, the exotic motif was just the thing to cause a sensation at exuberant evening events. This necklace is a particularly splendid representative of this fashion. Goldsmithing and the art of engineering form a successful symbiosis in the design of this pretty reptile, making it a particularly exciting piece of jewelry history: the body of the snake consists of a golden "gas pipe chain", which owes its name to an invention. Around 1900, it was possible for the first time to build particularly durable and stable gas pipes made of metal that were also flexible and pliable. This invention was eagerly taken up by jewelers, as the flexible and decorative tube was particularly suitable for making necklaces or bracelets. Soon after, the "gas pipe necklace" made of gold or silver was created and spread throughout Europe. In English-speaking countries, it is also known as a "gas tube" or "tubogas" and was a style-defining element in the Art Deco era. These were always round, slightly flattened and flexible tubes constructed from a single, interlocking metal profile that could be placed flexibly yet firmly around the neck, wrist or, in this case, the neck. The gas tube chain from which our snake is formed is made of high-carat yellow gold. The head and tail of the snake form its end points. Nine green emeralds and eight old-cut diamonds make these areas sparkle. A particularly attractive feature is that the gas tube chain is flexible and can be adjusted to different positions using an engraved slider. The hallmark on the necklace proves that it was made in Vienna. But the hallmark also reveals other interesting details: the snake was made in the goldsmith's store of Anna Escher, who continued to run the business independently after the death of her husband Leopold in 1919. She handed over the reins to her son Franz in 1922. Her maker's mark, together with the Viennese elephant's head hallmark, which was added in the same year, therefore dates the snake unequivocally to 1922. The snake has spent the last one hundred years in the Austrian capital. It is perfectly preserved and lends its wearer a mysterious aura - an all-round seductive piece of jewelry!

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In terms of its dazzling ambiguity, the snake surpasses every other animal in mythology. On the one hand, it was considered dangerous and unpredictable and was feared because of its poisonous nature. On the other hand, it was admired for its mysterious beauty and its shedding of its skin symbolized renewal and rebirth. Its supposed magic and power made the reptile ideal for protecting the gods and kings, and in this function it adorned the pharaohs' headscarves. But the serpent also stands at the end of ancient Egyptian history: In the year 30 BC, Cleopatra committed suicide in front of the advancing Romans with the bite of a snake, thus ending the 3000-year history of the pharaonic empire.

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Size & Details

The Engineer’s Snake

€ 12,980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

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.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

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The Engineer’s Snake

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