Antique Georgian Period Carved Coral Bead Necklace with Mano Cornuto & Charms

  

I believe the clasp is rose gold, however, I have not tested it. Clasp is in good working order. I found one rolling pin bead with a rough end, the rest appear in good condition. The tips of the extended fingers of the mano cornuto amulet have broken off and one charm has a chipped end.

I wasn't able to identify all the charms, identified charms are a bugle, tooth, comb, fish, figa hand, slipper and lamp. This is an extremely rare piece of antique jewelry. Please examine the pictures carefully, the photos are a part of the description.

For many thousands of years, Western societies have believed coral to be a magical gem with all sorts of protective powers. Supposedly, if coral jewelry retained its vibrant red hue it meant the wearer was happy and healthy. If the wearer was in bad health or in danger of becoming sick, the coral would turn pale. In the Georgian era, it became an especially popular adornment for children and young women, who were thought to be the most vulnerable to illness and thus in need of extra protection! The mano cornuto is an Italian amulet of ancient origin. Mano means "hand" and corno means horn. The charm represents a hand gesture in which the index and little fingers are extended while the middle and ring fingers are curled into the palm.

The reference is to the horned head of an animal. Whether made as an apotropaic gesture or worn as an amulet, the mano cornuto is used for magical protection against the evil eye. In this it resembles other hand gestures and hand images that ward off evil, including the hamsa hand, the eye-in-hand, the mano fico (figa hand), and the interlocked thumb gesture.

A regionally popular amulet, it is primarily found in Italy and in America among descendents of Italian immigrants. Older Neapolitan mano cornuto charms were also carved of blood coral. Take a moment to review our other wonderful estate finds. The item "Antique Georgian Period Carved Coral Bead Necklace with Mano Cornuto & Charms" is in sale since Wednesday, August 28, 2019. This item is in the category "Jewelry & Watches\Vintage & Antique Jewelry\Fine\Georgian, Pre-1837".

The seller is "andrewsvintage" and is located in Graham, North Carolina. This item can be shipped to North, South, or Latin America, all countries in Europe, all countries in continental Asia, Australia.

• Type: Beads
• Style: Beaded
• lot: No
• Modified Item: No
• Country/Region of Manufacture: Italy
• Material: Coral
• Signed?: Unsigned
• Main Stone: Coral
• Brand: Antique
• Metal: Rose Gold