Introduction:
Once carved by the ancient Egyptians into scarabs, coral has been utilized as a jewelry medium for thousands of years. The ancient Romans and Etruscans held coral in high regard, wearing it extensively. During the Middle Ages much superstition was attached to the wearing of coral. It was fashioned into rosary beads or worn as a talisman against evil spells, witchcraft and the devil. If the wearer was to become seriously ill, coral was said to lose its color.
Perhaps it was due to its amuletic association that coral has been for centuries chosen for use in christening presents. A coral bead necklace would be given to a baby girl, a boy may receive a silver rattle fitted with a coral teething bar.
So where does this talisman come from, what is its history and how can it be told apart from other material?
Coral:
The coral of jewellery, unlike the organic conchiolin varities, does not form in reefs but as small branch-like structures. It is the skeletal remains of a marine animal, the polyp corallicum, and is mainly composed of calcium carbonate. The most valuable type of coral is the noble red, corallicum rubrum.
Coral comes in a variety of colours: pink to dark red, white or pink spotted, orange, blue to violet, golden brown and black, the last three being of the organic variety and rarely used in jewelry.
Located at a depth of between three and three hundred metres coral can be found along the shores of the western Mediterranean, Japan, Hawaii, Australia, Bay of Biscay, Canary Islands and Malaysian Archipelago.
The traditional center for the fashioning of coral is Torre del Greco, near Naples. It was from the King of Naples in 1870 that Robert Phillips, jeweller of Cockspur Street London, received a decoration for services to the coral trade, such was the popularity of coral jewellery in Victorian England.
It was Napoleon's Italian campaign, with its associated taste for all things Italian, that heralded the fashion for carved coral jewellery. The rose pink variety became at this time the most sought after, fashioned into flowers, particularly roses and chrysanthemums, cherubs, grotesque masks, leaves and fruit. A popular motif during the early Victorian period was the hand -- sometimes forming clasps, wearing tiny gold rings on their fingers, having decorated cuffs or grasping a loop with various carved coral charms attached.
Quite often coral is found in jewelry in naturalistic branch form, but this is far less valuable than the carved items.
During the 1860's coral beads and ovoids were set into gold brooches, much like turquoise had been. In the 1870's coral was combined in bloomed gold brooches with diamonds and emeralds.
Scuppered by its own popularity and overuse in Victorian jewellery, coral declined. It began to be considered, in those so-called proper circles, to be vulgar. Towards the end of the nineteenth it was seldom used in jewellery.
Although much Victorian coral jewellery exists today, its delicate nature has caused a high premium on finely carved pieces in good condition.
There was a resurgence in its use during the 1920's and 1930's as a complement to the geometric forms of the period, declining once again until the 1970's. Today it is often produced in cameo brooches, earrings and necklaces. The most popular type is the soft pink variety known as 'Peau d'ange' (angel's skin).
Coral and its simulants: The physical appearance of the carbonate type, i.e white, pink, red and orange, is that it displays a distinctive pattern of parallel stripes of slightly different colour and transparency.
The carbonate type will display a vigorous effervescence with dilute acids, such as hydrochloric acid. Due care should be applied when using any acid and should only be carried out by a responsible adult.
Glass simulants lack the structure of coral, have a vitreous lustre, contain bubbles and exhibit conchoidal fracture. Plastics also lack the structure and could possible show moulding lines. Shell simulants may be detected by a layered structure and display fine wavy lines on the surface.
Values (examples from the U.K.):
- Modern Bulgari fish pendant, retail: £300.00
- Modern Bulgari circular pendant, retail: £700.00
- Modern 16 inch, 6mm bead necklace, retail: £180.00
- Modern 16 inch, 8mm bead necklace, retail: £250.00
- Gold, diamond and coral sautoir by Boucheron c1974, auction: £20,000-£25,000.
- Gold, diamond and coral parure by Piaget c1970, auction: £25,000-£30,000.
- Baton type coral parure, in fitted case, c1865-70, auction: £2000-£3000.
- Neapolitan carved floral suite, mid nineteenth century, auction: £2000-£3000.
- Gilt-metal, coral bead and cameo tiara, c1810-20, auction: £2000-£3000.
The images:
- 1970's silver brooch, 38x34mm, retail: £35.00
- Victorian cameo brooch, carved depicting Psyche, retail: £425.00
- Earrings, total length 28mm, retail: £85.00
The images are courtesy of Rubinstein-Keightley Goldsmiths, 7 North Street East, Uppingham, Rutland, England.
Steven L Jordan is an independent appraiser and gemmologist working in the United Kingdom. Based in Cambridge Steven undertakes consultancy work for private clients, jewellers, auction houses and independent valuation companies.
He has over twenty years related experience, is a member of the Society of Jewellery Historians, a National Association of Goldsmiths' Registered Valuer and an associate member of the National Association of Valuers and Auctioneers and you can see his website at: www.insurancevaluer.co.uk
Click here to email this article to a friend.
