A rare early 19th century gold-mounted Berlin ironwork necklace commemorating the Duke of...

A rare early 19th century gold-mounted Berlin ironwork necklace commemorating the Duke of Wellington's victories in the Peninsular War, the Battle of Waterloo, 1815, and other allied victories, the central oval gold-mounted blackened iron oval cameo depicting the head of Lord Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, in profile facing left, within a gold border of chased victory laurels, to a Silesian style iron meshwork ribbon design necklace, interspaced with four circular gold mounted blackened iron medallions each engraved with the name of a battle honour, ' Vittoria,' 'Waterloo,' 'Leipzig' (a victory for the Prussians and their allies) and 'Paris' (signifying the capture of Paris), to a matching gold clasp with iron cameo depicting the classical figure of Nike (Victory) c. 1815, length 45.5cm

Berlin ironwork was first produced around 1804 in the Royal Berlin factory which made many varieties of iron goods. most examples were produced between 1813-1815 when owing to the scarcity of gold and silver as a result of the Napoleonic wars a request was made to the Prussian population to donate gold and gold jewellery to help the war effort, some articles were engraved with inscriptions such as 'Gold gab ich fur Eisen' (I gave gold for iron) this also inspired the introduction in 1813 of the Prussian iron cross an award for bravery in battle. The crucial participation of the Prussians in the battle of Waterloo was a major game changer that culminated in the allied victory. At the end of the battle Marshal Blucher the Prussian commander met with Wellington and Wellington's thoughts were expressed in his dispatch written on the 17th June 1815, ' I shall not do justice to my feelings or to Marshal Blücher and the Prussian army, if I do not attribute the successful result of this arduous day, to the cordial and timely assistance I received from them.' It is believed also that Blucher had great respect for the Duke. The necklace is clearly representative of the close relationship at the time between Prussia and Great Britain