alternating graduated pharoah's heads with lotus flowers, each head with a carved face in turquoise, cornelian, bloodstone, lapis lazuli and brown jasper, wearing the nemes headdress of the pharoah in gold and with variously coloured enamelled stripes, the enamelling in light and dark blue, red, white and green, with gold beading and ropetwist delineation, the stylised lotus flowers similarly decorated in various colours, above each pharoah a target dot and foliate motif, all on a gold rope chain with reeded and wirework tubular links, together with a contemporary case signed 'C ROCCHEGIANI // JEWELLERY // 12 RUE CONDOTTI 15 // ROME'.
Better known for his mosaic work Cesare Roccheggiani had worked at the Vatican Mosaic Workshop from 1856 until 1864. Like many of his contemporaries he sought to supplement his meagre income by establishing his own workshop making mosaics for dealers and tourists. His private atelier is recorded firstly at Via Babuino and then, by 1874, at Via Condotti (J. Gabriel, The Gilbert Collection Micromosaics, London, 2000, p. 289). Cesare was presumably related to Lorenzo and Nicola Roccheggiani, mosaicists of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, and Antonio Roccheggiani, who gained medals at the London exhibition of 1851 and the Paris exhibition of 1855.Length 38cm / 15''Weight: 57g
Mid-20th century turquoise bead and seed pearl three-row necklace by Cartier, c.1960, possibly New York, converting to a shorter necklace and bracelet,