Product Description
“Octopus” ring, 18K sculpted and highly textured gold set with 10 cabochon opals and a center fire opal, marked, c.1960’s
“Octopus” ring, 18K sculpted and highly textured gold set with 10 cabochon opals and a center fire opal, marked, c.1960’s
Silver hand finished and repoussed in the form of a staghorn beetle with horns encircling the round magnifying glass, gold details
Signed: L. GAILLARD (engraved) on lower right leg, head of Minerva (950/1000 pure silver)
The staghorn beetle was a favorite form for Gaillard and the inspiration for many examples of his work including jewelry, vases and this magnifying glass. A variant model in cast bronze can be seen in the collection of the Musee d’Orsay in Paris.
Enrico Serafini (1913-1968) was born in Florence, had a workshop in Piazza Santa Felicità in that city in 1947, and quickly established a successful business creating jewelry for many celebrities of that time, including John Steinbeck and Adlai Stevenson.