This diminutive pendant of a carved coral 'Mano' or hand, which is wearing a tiny golden bracelet and ring, each set with a cabochon-cut turquoise. Tiny carved coral hands have been popular talismans in Italy for millennia. The most famous examples are the 'Mano Fica' and the 'Mano Cornuto', which both use hand signals to ward off evil.
This tiny hand originally was a mano corno, but at some point it lost its pinky, which has been carefully filed off, leaving the hand to point downwards. It is fitted in an engraved 18k yellow gold cuff and hangs from a tiny split ring, which you can also use to display other charms.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Size: 32 mm long including the split ring, which has a diameter of 8 mm.
Weight: 1.00 grams
Age: 19th Century, Victorian era, circa 1860s.
Material: The gold elements are acid tested as 18k gold.
Condition: In great antique condition with only minor wear, consistent with its age.
Please note that the antique box is for display purposes.