Berlin iron cameo necklace

During the first half of the 19th century, fer de Berlin, cast iron jewellery, achieved world renown. Thanks to superb designs and a perfected method of production, small works of art were created in a base metal that had formerly only been used for architectural and industrial  applications. This is a fine quality Berlin iron necklace, circa 1820, comprised of Berlin plaques with mythological subjects. The individual narrative elements are encircled by frames that were cast separately and later joined, creating a silhouette effect. The subjects on the plaques, largely after Thorvaldsen, are as follows starting from the clasp : Cupid sailing, the marriage of Cupid and Psyche, the goddess Night cradling her two children Sleep and Death, Cupid and Psyche, the goddess Day with the Genius of Light, Cupid and Psyche and Cupid and Apollo. The clasp is in the form of a maenad’s head. The necklace is 17.5 inches long and the central plaque measures 1 and 3/4 inches by 1.5 inches. In immaculate, rust free condition. For a very similar necklace see Plate 147 in Cast Iron from Central Europe, 1800 -1850.

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