Necklace thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

Necklace

ca. 1862 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This necklace was made in Paris by the silversmith Alexandre Gueyton (1818-1862). It was shown by the maker at the International Exhibition of 1862, where it was purchased by the Museum for £3 4s.

This inexpensive necklace was made with rather poor quality lapis lazuli which led experts in the past to believe that it was an imitation of the real stone.

On the reverse of the five circular medallions of lapis lazuli are classical heads in intaglio which were probably by Gueyton's modeller Justin. Gueyton is known to have experimented with electrotyping (forming a facsimile of an object with the use of electricity ) and the heads may have been produced in this way.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Gilded and electrotyped silver, with enamel and lapis-lazuli
Brief description
Necklace, gilded silver with enamel and lapis-lazuli, the heads on the reverse possibly electrotyped, made by Alexandre Gueyton (1818-1862), Paris, about 1862
Physical description
Gilded silver necklace with five electrotyped medallion pendants hanging from a mesh chain. The fronts of the pendants are set with lapis-lazuli and the backs with intaglios of classical heads, possibly electrotyped.
Dimensions
  • Height: 19.3cm
  • Width: 12.5cm
  • Depth: 0.5cm
measured as previously displayed
Object history
Made by Alexandre Gueyton (1818-1862). This item and object 8006-1862 were shown by the maker at the International Exhibition of 1862, where they were purchased by the Museum.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This necklace was made in Paris by the silversmith Alexandre Gueyton (1818-1862). It was shown by the maker at the International Exhibition of 1862, where it was purchased by the Museum for £3 4s.

This inexpensive necklace was made with rather poor quality lapis lazuli which led experts in the past to believe that it was an imitation of the real stone.

On the reverse of the five circular medallions of lapis lazuli are classical heads in intaglio which were probably by Gueyton's modeller Justin. Gueyton is known to have experimented with electrotyping (forming a facsimile of an object with the use of electricity ) and the heads may have been produced in this way.
Collection
Accession number
8008-1862

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Record createdAugust 26, 2005
Record URL
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