Archaeological-revival gold and enamel 'Melos' necklace, Carlo Giuliano, 1860-63

Estimate

50,000 - 70,000 USD

bidding is closed

Description

Carlo Giuliano

The flexible band of woven gold supporting two tiers of amphora-shaped pendants, the larger decorated with filigree and granulation, all suspended from chain swags, further decorated with rosettes and with small discs and heart-shaped leaves enameled in blue and green respectively, length approximately 14¾ inches, signed with entwined C.G. in a cartouche and C.G. in an oval.

Provenance

Christie's London, June 20, 1990, lot 3.

Exhibited

Castellani and Italian Archaeological Jewelry, The Bard Graduate Center, New York, November 2004-February 2005, p. 324, fig. 12-14. Also exhibited at Somerset House, London, May -September 2005 and Villa Giulia, Rome, November 2005-February 2006.

Catalogue Note

This necklace was made by Giuliano shortly after his arrival in London at a time when he was still very much influenced by his master Castellani. It is an exact replica of an original Hellenistic necklace dating from 330-300 B.C. and discovered at Melos. The British Museum purchased the original from Alessandro Castellani in 1872. The 'Melos' necklace was well known before it arrived at the museum and served as the prototype for several other versions of this design made by Revivalist jewelers including Castellani, Giuliano and Melillo. See Munn, Castellani and Giuliano, Revivalist Jewellers of the 19th Century, pp. 105-115, pl. 115, 116, 119 and 126. The "Melos' necklace offered here bears two signatures, the entwined initials C.G. in a cartouche, which is strikingly similar to the mark of Castellani, and the simpler C.G. in an oval which was registered in February of 1863.

Other examples of necklaces from the Greek Classical period that served as inspiration for many archaeological revival necklaces of the 19th century are illustrated by Daniela Mascetti and Amanda Triossi, Necklaces, From Antiquity to the Present, pp. 12-13. For Classical revival examples by different makers, see pp. 112-113.