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Lot 13

24 April 2013, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £18,750 inc. premium

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A late 19th century archaeological revival gold and carnelian scarab necklace and earring suite

The woven gold chain suspending five carnelian scarab pendants in high relief, with engravings on reverse, graduating in size from the centre, the pair of earrings of matching design, necklace length 41.5cm (2)

Footnotes

Provenance
Princess Anna Maria Borghese (1874-1924)
Princess Santa Borghese Hercolani (1897-1997)
Direct descent to the current owner

By family tradition, this parure was purchased from Castellani's workshop and was a gift from Princess Anna Maria Borghese to her daughter Princess Santa Borghese Hercolani.

Princess Anna Maria Borghese was the daughter of Duke Gaetano de Ferrari and Archduchess Annenkov, adopted daughter of the Russian Tsar. In 1895 she married Prince Scipione Borghese, a traveller, explorer, politician and diplomat. She was known as the "Princess of Photography" and took thousands of photographs during her travels with her husband to Russia, Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt, China, Japan and Afghanistan. She also took photographs during her time as a front-line nurse for the Red Cross during the First World War and the 1915 Avezzano earthquake.

Her daughter, Princess Santa Borghese, married Prince Astorre Hercolani in 1925.

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