Mid-1800s Austro-Hungarian Design French Silver Antique Portrait Bracelet

    £995.00

    Exceptionally rare and fascinating, this bracelet was created in the mid 1800s.

    Condition Report:

    Excellent 

    For more information about this bracelet, read below...

    Quantity

    Add to favorites

    The Details...

    This bracelet is constructed from silver gilt it is stamped in 3 places with a French Poinçon or silver hallmark. In the case of this bracelet, the Poinçons are Boar's heads. The bracelet is detailed with bezel set with Turquoise cabochons and Mother of Pearl panels. It is detailed with 6 hand-painted portrait miniatures of beautiful women. The bracelet measures 19cm in length and features an invisible box clasp.

    To view a clip of this bracelet, click here: Mid-1800s Bracelet

    A Short History...

    This wonderful bracelet holds a lot of interest. Its design is very much Austro-Hungarian in style. However, it is stamped in 3 places with French silver hallmarks. This means that it was either made in Austria and imported to France or it was made in France to resemble the jewellery of the Austro-Hungarian empire. It is highly likely that the women depicted in the miniatures of this bracelet are Marie Antoinette and other women of French high society or other French queens and mistresses. This is because a fascination with life in Ancien Régime France developed in the country after the defeat of Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo and the life of Marie Antoinette was particularly romanticised. The posthumous publication of two memoirs in the mid-1800s - one by Madame Campan (Marie's First Lady of the Bedchamber) and one by Rose Bertain (the Queen's dressmaker and milliner) - meant that the women of pre-revolutionary France were often depicted in jewel form. The Austro-Hungarian style of this bracelet may have therefore been chosen in tribute to Marie Antoinette, as the ill-fated queen was Austrian herself. 

    Wear it With...

    Wear this bracelet with other 19th century jewels for a romantic look. 

    Product Details

    B571

    Data sheet

    Era
    Victorian
    Occasion
    Smart Casual
    Colour
    Turquoise

    The jewellery within the Gemma Redmond Vintage collection has survived to this day because it has been well cared for throughout its lifetime. It is important to continue to care for the jewellery that you buy from us to ensure its continued preservation. Here are some suggestions:

    - Be sure to store your jewellery within the boxes that we provide to ensure that it is protected. This is especially important when travelling with your pieces.

    - Try not to get perfume or hairspray on your items. These liquids can damage the materials that our jewellery is made from.

    - Try not to drop your jewellery or catch your jewellery against hard surfaces. If this happens over time, the findings and fixings can loosen and wear.

    - Try not to get your jewellery wet. Some costume jewellery manufacturers utilised water soluble glue in the making of their pieces. Getting your jewellery wet could cause rhinestones and other details to fall away over time.

    - If you wish to clean your jewellery, use a soft polishing cloth or a soft brush.