**First Time At Auction**

Central Asia, India, Mughal, ca. 19th century CE. A beautiful necklace of a wearable form constructed with of six antique 93% (equivalent to 22K+) gold beads and dozens of modern emerald beads of brilliant green hues. The gold beads are exquisite; composed of two hemispherical halves fused together with a broad equator composed of granulations as well as narrower bands of granulations at the poles. These hollow spheres highlight the incredible skill and delicacy of Mughal artisans. Modern golden-hued seed beads flank either side and compliment the gold beads. The rest of the necklace is strung with over 100 modern emerald beads of drop-form and faceted spheres that alternate in cool hues of dark and light green. The necklace is symmetrically strung in modern times with a pleasingly balanced arrangement and capped with a lobster clasp. This is an elegant and wearable piece of antique artistry with splendid additions! Size of necklace: 21" L (53.3 cm); largest gold beads: 0.35" W (0.9 cm); quality of gold: 93% (equivalent to 22K+); total weight: 16.8 grams

Mughal elites adored precious stones, not just for their beauty, but also for protective and magical properties that they believed each stone had. Their incredible jewelry is part of a long tradition that came to its height with the Mughals. When they conquered India from Central Asia, they brought the technical skills to set gems with them. In order to enforce their high social status, the Mughals passed Sumptuary Laws that decreed only members of the upper class could wear jewelry like this necklace.

Provenance: private Louisville, Colorado, USA collection, beads are ex-Davis collection, Houston, Texas, USA, acquired 2013

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#164460

Slight indentations to gold spheres. Losses to granulation on several, but hard to discern and does not affect bead structures. Emerald beads are modern. Wearable and strung in modern times with modern wire.