Byzantine-Style Mosaic Necklace with Christ and Twelve Apostles

The age and origin of this necklace are unknown, but many signs point to creation in Italy in the late nineteenth century. Its medallions loosely represent Christ and the twelve apostles, with each face a small mosaic construction of cut shapes in mother of pearl and Venetian glass. These resemble portraits of saints decorating Byzantine-era boxes, book covers, and chalices in the Treasury of St. Mark's Basilica and other museums. However, jewelry was not a standard element of the attire of priests and religious officials in the tenth century, suggesting that this necklace is a revival piece made in the 1800s that evokes an earlier context. Some of the glass and shell may be repurposed from broken antique objects to increase the appearance of age and authenticity. Was this initially marketed as a studious tribute to the middle ages, or is it a finely crafted fake? Collector John Gellatly left behind no records of its purchase, and these questions remain under investigation.