Artistic Art Nouveau Necklace with Baroque Pearl & Sapphires, Munich, c. 1910

"Karl Johann Bauer, goldsmith and engraver, has recently made a resounding name for himself through his artistic achievements and endeavors," reported the Deutsche Goldschmiedezeitung in 1912 on the occasion of the Bavarian Trade Show. "The pieces he brought to the exhibition, jewellery and silverware, all show a strong artistic will and remarkable uniformity in execution." At the beginning of the 20th century, the question of a new style for the new age was more topical than ever. However, as a French import, the floral Art Nouveau style, with its symbolist motifs, seemed only suitable to a limited extent for showcasing the creative originality of German goldsmiths. German artist goldsmiths, who executed their own designs, therefore soon focused on abstract designs with unusual stones and pearls, which set their skills and creativity apart from factory work in a particularly impressive way. One of these goldsmiths was Karl Johann Bauer, who had received aesthetic impulses not least through his temporary employment with Karl Rothmüller - Rothmüller had already been regarded as the German answer to Lalique at the Paris World Exhibition in 1900. Bauer's artistic aspirations, who worked independently from 1904, can also be seen in this unusual necklace, whose showpiece is designed around a cloud-like baroque pearl. The use of this pearl with its peculiar shape immediately distinguishes the piece as unique. Sapphire cabochons and golden filigree nestle around the pearl like a Klimtian sky in golden settings. Garlands of gold link the pendant to the simple chain, which is held at the neck by a clasp also adorned with filigree - the necklace is composed in every detail. The piece of jewellery has been very well preserved in its original case and is a wonderful example of the artistic gold jewelry that emerged around 1910, particularly in southern Germany. The quotation from R. Rücklin, 'Die 'Bayerische Gewerbeschau 1912 in München', Deutsche Goldschmiede-Zeitung, 15 (1912), 165-69 (p. 166).

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