Silver gilt filigree long chain

A silver gilt filigree long chain.

Russian, 18th century.

Measures 91cm in overall length.

Weighs 81.9 grams.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Russian men and women of all ranks wore long chains of heavy silver filigree. Russian filigree chains are usually made from scrolls of wire soldered together side by side to make individual links, some wide chains can have as many as eight connecting links. The chains were purely decorative and many carried devotional pendants.

Two similar chains can be found in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Accession numbers; 135-1866 and 134-1866.