Precious headdresses
Rare silver tiara with dragons
Germany 1870-1880
Silver, diamonds (22 stones), garnet and 470 small pearls
One of the most sought-after pieces of jewelry at the end of the 19th century were tiaras. This was the period of the “belle epoque”, the period of the “Belle Epoque” that lasted from 1874 until the outbreak of the First World War. Initially, a tiara was an expensive piece of jewelry made of gold and precious stones. The tiara was worn in the evening to balls, the opera, and festive ceremonies and receptions. The cost of the decoration was high and only very wealthy people could afford it. Expensive tiaras emphasized the status of their owner, and they began to be made more and more multifunctional – a tiara could be disassembled into hair decorations, brooches or necklaces.
The appearance of silver tiaras at the end of the 19th century is a unique case. Silver is a kind of budget option, cheaper and more widespread. Silver tiaras were not perceived as status jewelry, which is probably why silver tiaras of the 19th century can be seen extremely rarely, there are few of them.
