A Victorian Archaeological Revival gold coral stickpin, depicting a beautifully carved corallium rubrum ram’s head, with curving horns encircling the animals ears, suspending from it’s mouth a golden bead. The coral is very well carved, sufficient that the piece may have been part of the work sold by the Phillips Brothers, jewellers par excellence in London in the late Victorian period who focused on coral revivalist wares or another good jeweller of the period such as Hancocks who sold the Egyptian Revival necklace with similar coral Ram’s heads as worn in ‘The Devil Wears Prada (2006)’.
The Ram’s head is one with a battery of allusions—religious, divine, heroic, mythic and magical, one of the first domesticated animals it features with strength and courage in Greek myth as symbols of potent fertility and power.
The Ram of course is also the zodiac sign for Aries babies.
Coral was thought to arise from the petrified seaweed covered in the blood from Medusa’s head and as such could cure snake bites or poison, warding off the evil eye. Coral also cures madness and gives wisdom.
Interesting different choice as a 35th wedding anniversary gift.
Coral untested for natural colour origin.
Marks:
Apparently unmarked with regard metal or maker.
Electronically tests as approximately 9ct gold.
Date:
Circa 1860-1880.
Length:
Length of stickpin head 2.1cms.
Length of pin 7.2cms.
Condition:
Glue visible to the reverse of the coral panel.
Gold shows slight discolourations and small marks.
Pin shows small dents.
By clicking to ‘Purchase’ you agree to having read the Important Information for Purchasers.
Our primary concern is that you are pleased with your purchase. Please feel free to ask as many questions as you like about a product before clicking purchase. We appreciate patina and the ‘age’ that older pieces acquire, because of this we do not polish pieces to strip away the age (though your local jeweller may be willing to do this for you for a small fee). Secondhand, vintage and antique pieces will naturally show scratches and small marks, these will often appear more noticeable in the enlarged images that we have made available for you. Our images are as realistic as they can be. Although any appreciable defects/damages will be mentioned please do inspect the images as they do form a part of the condition report.
Antique items may longer not be suitable for everyday wear or may benefit from thoughtful consideration when worn with care.
A Victorian Archaeological Revival gold coral stickpin, depicting a beautifully carved corallium rubrum ram’s head, with curving horns encircling the animals ears, suspending from it’s mouth a golden bead. The coral is very well carved, sufficient that the piece may have been part of the work sold by the Phillips Brothers, jewellers par excellence in London in the late Victorian period who focused on coral revivalist wares or another good jeweller of the period such as Hancocks who sold the Egyptian Revival necklace with similar coral Ram’s heads as worn in ‘The Devil Wears Prada (2006)’.
The Ram’s head is one with a battery of allusions—religious, divine, heroic, mythic and magical, one of the first domesticated animals it features with strength and courage in Greek myth as symbols of potent fertility and power.
The Ram of course is also the zodiac sign for Aries babies.
Coral was thought to arise from the petrified seaweed covered in the blood from Medusa’s head and as such could cure snake bites or poison, warding off the evil eye. Coral also cures madness and gives wisdom.
Interesting different choice as a 35th wedding anniversary gift.
Coral untested for natural colour origin.
Marks:
Apparently unmarked with regard metal or maker.
Electronically tests as approximately 9ct gold.
Date:
Circa 1860-1880.
Length:
Length of stickpin head 2.1cms.
Length of pin 7.2cms.
Condition:
Glue visible to the reverse of the coral panel.
Gold shows slight discolourations and small marks.
Pin shows small dents.
By clicking to ‘Purchase’ you agree to having read the Important Information for Purchasers.
Our primary concern is that you are pleased with your purchase. Please feel free to ask as many questions as you like about a product before clicking purchase. We appreciate patina and the ‘age’ that older pieces acquire, because of this we do not polish pieces to strip away the age (though your local jeweller may be willing to do this for you for a small fee). Secondhand, vintage and antique pieces will naturally show scratches and small marks, these will often appear more noticeable in the enlarged images that we have made available for you. Our images are as realistic as they can be. Although any appreciable defects/damages will be mentioned please do inspect the images as they do form a part of the condition report.
Antique items may longer not be suitable for everyday wear or may benefit from thoughtful consideration when worn with care.