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Bracelet clasps

Bracelet clasps

  • Place of origin:

    France (made)

  • Date:

    ca. 1770 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Gold with brilliant cut diamonds, central plaques of blue paste (glass)

  • Credit Line:

    Given by Dame Joan Evans

  • Museum number:

    M.51&A-1962

  • Gallery location:

    Jewellery, room 91, case 13, shelf D, box 3

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Bracelets at this date were usually worn in pairs. These clasps would have been worn one on each wrist, providing an elaborate fastening for the bracelets, which probably consisted of several strings of large pearls. The clasps are traditionally linked with Queen Marie Antoinette (1755-1793), consort of Louis XVI of France. One bears her initials and the other a trophy of love with doves, a quiver of arrows and a hymeneal torch (named after Hymen, the Greek god of marriage).

Physical description

Pair of ornaments, possibly bracelet clasps, gold with central plaques of blue paste (glass) ornamented with brilliant-cut diamonds. Later converted into brooches.

Place of Origin

France (made)

Date

ca. 1770 (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Gold with brilliant cut diamonds, central plaques of blue paste (glass)

Dimensions

[Bracelet clasp] Height: 3.9 cm, Width: 2.9 cm, Depth: 1.4 cm
[Bracelet clasp] Height: 3.9 cm, Width: 3 cm, Depth: 1.1 cm

Object history note

The monogram was once read as being that of Marie Antoinette, but this reading is no longer accepted.

Descriptive line

Pair of ornaments, possibly bracelet clasps, gold with central plaques of blue paste (glass) decorated with brilliant-cut diamonds, made in France, about 1770

Materials

Gold; Diamond; Paste (glass)

Subjects depicted

Love; Doves; Rings; Initials; Torches

Categories

Metalwork; Royalty; Jewellery; Marriage; Accessories

Collection code

MET

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Qr_O74112
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