The French spa town of Digne-les-Bains rose to fame in the 19th century for its health-restoring waters as well as its pentacrine jewelry. Pentacrines are the star-shaped fossils of an extinct sea creature that looked something like a sea anemone - are unique to the area around Digne-les-Bains. In the 1850s, a jeweler named Anotine Colomb began to create silver jewelry set with pentacrines. These baubles became sought after as souvenirs by tourists who visited the town. This wonderful, rare bracelet modeled in silver and set with seven pentacrines is one such souvenir.
MATERIALS: silver, pentacrine fossil, new sterling silver chain
AGE: c. 1880
CONDITION: Very good
SIZE: 3/4" length including in the bale, 5/8" width, 18" chain