Pendant thumbnail 1

Pendant

ca. 1890 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Ancient beads, scarabs and engraved gemstones from excavations were an essential element of jewellery made in the archaeological style. Mounted in gold, they were widely set in necklaces, bracelets, brooches, earrings or rings.

However not all the scarabs and carved gems used in nineteenth-century jewellery were genuine ancient finds. The Roman jeweller Augusto Castellani commented in 1862 that the high price of ancient scarabs ‘impelled the moderns to counterfeit them. And they so perfected this trade that the most experienced eye can barely discover the deception’.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Gold, carnelian
Brief description
Gold pendant with carnelian scarab, Tiffany, New York, about 1890
Physical description
Pendant with carnelian scarab
Dimensions
  • Height: 43mm
  • Width: 38mm
Style
Credit line
Given by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of Patricia V. Goldstein
Summary
Ancient beads, scarabs and engraved gemstones from excavations were an essential element of jewellery made in the archaeological style. Mounted in gold, they were widely set in necklaces, bracelets, brooches, earrings or rings.

However not all the scarabs and carved gems used in nineteenth-century jewellery were genuine ancient finds. The Roman jeweller Augusto Castellani commented in 1862 that the high price of ancient scarabs ‘impelled the moderns to counterfeit them. And they so perfected this trade that the most experienced eye can barely discover the deception’.
Other numbers
  • LOAN:AMERICANFRIENDS.248-2003 - Previous loan number
  • 204 - Goldstein Collection number
Collection
Accession number
M.175:1-2007

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Record createdApril 29, 2008
Record URL
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