This beautifully executed stickpin features a precious coral sculpture of a bleating goat's head, its mouth wide open and its eyes raised to the sky.
In the 19th Century, travellers undertaking the Grand Tour often collected jewellery inspired by classical antiquity as both fashionable souvenirs and symbols of cultural refinement. This pin reflects the period's admiration for archaeological discoveries at sites such as Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Bacchic themes—including vine leaves, satyrs, maenads, and the figure of Bacchus himself— gave a sensual and oftentimes even comical representation of the myth of the God of wine and his entourage, which were known to celebrate in Bacchanalia, lavish feasts in which the participants would reach a state of ecstasy.
To enhance their appeal and ties to Italy, these neoclassical jewels were frequently carved in typical materials of the region, such as coral, found in the Mediterranean sea, and lava stone, sourced on the slopes of the Vesuvius.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Size: pin length: 75 mm
Demeter 34 x 10 x 16 mm.
Weight: 4.86 grams.
Age: 19th Century, also known as the Victorian era, circa 1830s.
Material: Precious coral, the pin has been tested as 18k gold.
Condition: This pin is in great antique condition, with only minor wear, consistent with its age.
Please note that the antique box is for display purposes. This store is based in the EU. Although antiques are exempt from taxes in most countries, buyers from outside the EU might be subject to import duties.