Necklace thumbnail 1
Necklace thumbnail 2
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This object consists of 7 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Necklace


Jewellery is often inspired by the beauty of the natural world but the approach in design and use of materials can vary substantially.

This piece was specially commissioned by the V&A. It highlights Charlotte de Syllas's skill in gemstone carving and her interest in natural forms. To develop the design, she used wooden models rather than drawings. This allowed her to anticipate how the piece would move on the body. In shaping the raw materials into the finished necklace, she applied complex techniques, including some learnt from gunmakers. De Syllas is a master of stone carving and is known for meticulous planning when making a piece. She collaborated with the British jeweller Catherine Martin, who dyed and braided the silk used in this piece.

Charlotte de Syllas was trained at the Hornsey College of Art under Gerda Flockinger. In 1966 she started working as a freelance artist jeweller.

Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 7 parts.

  • Necklace
  • Case
  • Lid
  • Model
  • Model
  • Model
  • Model
Materials and techniques
Green nephrite jade, white jadeite jade, coral, seed pearls and silk
Brief description
Necklace of carved shells and seed pearls, by Charlotte de Syllas, England 1989.
Physical description
Necklace of carved shell forms joined by strings of seed pearls strung on dyed silk. The carved shells are made of green nephrite jade, white jadeite jade and coral joined together with silver lacquer.
Dimensions
  • Length: 355mm
Credit line
Commissioned by the V&A
Summary
Jewellery is often inspired by the beauty of the natural world but the approach in design and use of materials can vary substantially.

This piece was specially commissioned by the V&A. It highlights Charlotte de Syllas's skill in gemstone carving and her interest in natural forms. To develop the design, she used wooden models rather than drawings. This allowed her to anticipate how the piece would move on the body. In shaping the raw materials into the finished necklace, she applied complex techniques, including some learnt from gunmakers. De Syllas is a master of stone carving and is known for meticulous planning when making a piece. She collaborated with the British jeweller Catherine Martin, who dyed and braided the silk used in this piece.

Charlotte de Syllas was trained at the Hornsey College of Art under Gerda Flockinger. In 1966 she started working as a freelance artist jeweller.
Bibliographic reference
Charlotte de Syllas: Jewellery in Carved Gemstones, 2016, p. 11
Collection
Accession number
M.4-1990

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Record createdMay 13, 2008
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