JEWELED MENAGERIE, THE

In the nineteenth century, with the growth of a middle class eager to show off their recently acquired wealth, a new group of designers and manufacturers sought to satisfy the appetite for jewels of all types made of precious metals, precious or semi-precious stones, and enamel. There was a revival of Egyptian and Etruscan styles, in which animals of all sorts were incorporated. The discovery of Japanese crafts also had an effect on the jewels that were created. Prominent jewelry houses produced a spectacular array of animal jewels, which are much prized today. This book examines for the first time in detail the denizens of this jeweled menagerie.