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15ct yellow gold and silver articulated snake set with a body and head of Turquoise with facial features of garnet and diamond circa 1850’s.
Complete with original fitted box. Independent Valuation for $19,000 supplied
20267803/19000
History of snakes in jewellery: The Victorian era incited the popularity of snake jewellery. Prince Albert proposed to Queen Victoria with an engagement ring, which was in the image of a snake with an emerald-set head. For Victoria, the snake was an emblem of eternal love, making her betrothal ring the ultimate token of happily-ever-after. Snakes featured heavily in the myths of ancient Greece and Rome. They were reviled for their ability shed their skin, meaning that they were seen as a symbol of regeneration and rebirth. This association with regeneration and fertility suggests links to the Victorian connotations between snakes and eternal love. Furthermore, the common representation of the snake being the pourboires – meaning a circular depiction of a snake swallowing its own tail- acts as a symbol of eternity
