Pendant thumbnail 1
Pendant thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91 to 93 mezzanine, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

Pendant

1830-1867 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Italy (made)
Lucera (worn)

The traditional jewellery of the south of Italy is quite different from that of the north. Pendants like this are the most typical example. They are made of very fine yellow gold filigree, overlaid with shapes cut out of red sheet gold, and are sometimes decorated with a small plaque of enamel. This pendant has hearts and a key inside a stylised star, but other motifs, such as suns and crescent moons, are also common. It was probably intended as a wedding gift.

The same distinctive technique was also used for earrings and finger rings. Similar pieces are still being made today in the same region.

It was bought as part of the Castellani collection of Italian Peasant Jewellery at the International Exhibition, Paris, 1867.


Object details

Categories
Jewellery
Metalwork
Object type
Pendant
Materials and techniques
Red and yellow gold and filigree
Gold
Filigree
Brief description
Yellow gold filigree pendant with red gold overlay, Italy, 1830-1867.
Physical description
Flat circular pendant of fine yellow gold filigree, with a star-shaped red gold applique partly covering the front, with appliques of two hearts and a key in the space at its centre.
Dimensions
  • Height: 6.2cm
  • Width: 5.4cm
  • Depth: 0.2cm
Marks and inscriptions
Illegible mark. (On back of suspension ring.)
Object history
Castellani Jewellery Exhibition RF.2003/302
Subjects depicted
Key
Heart
Summary
The traditional jewellery of the south of Italy is quite different from that of the north. Pendants like this are the most typical example. They are made of very fine yellow gold filigree, overlaid with shapes cut out of red sheet gold, and are sometimes decorated with a small plaque of enamel. This pendant has hearts and a key inside a stylised star, but other motifs, such as suns and crescent moons, are also common. It was probably intended as a wedding gift.

The same distinctive technique was also used for earrings and finger rings. Similar pieces are still being made today in the same region.

It was bought as part of the Castellani collection of Italian Peasant Jewellery at the International Exhibition, Paris, 1867.
Bibliographic references
  • 'Italian Jewellery as worn by the Peasants of Italy', Arundel Society, London, 1868, Plate 10 Percival, MacIver, 'Chats on old jewellery and trinkets', T. Fisher Unwin, London, 1912, p.197, fig. 7
  • For similar examples, see: Catalogue, ‘l'Ornamento Prezioso’, Rome/Milan, 1986, Tab. 58, fig. 288, Tab. 59, fig. 292, Tab.61, fig. 299
  • For similar examples, see Gandolfi, Adriana, 'La Presentosa', Poligrafica Mancini, Sambuceto, 2015, pp.11-12,26
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
249-1868

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Record createdMay 17, 2006
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O123984/pendant-unknown/
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