Manin gold chain
A Manin chain (Italian: catena manin or catena d'oro Manin) is a type of Venetian jewellery made of tiny gold links. The name comes from the Italian word manina (tiny hand) because of the painstaking work required to form the links; it has also been proposed that the name refers to the Manin family, including Ludovico Manin, the last Doge of Venice.[1][2] The chain is formed of special links made of tiny rings with a concave cross-section welded together.[1] The rings were so small that 15 centimetres (5.9 in) of chain could be made from 1 gram of gold, with about 20 rings per centimeter.
Historically, chains could be several meters long. They were worn wrapped as opulent chokers; women would divide the length of the necklace among their daughters, which is one reason that examples of very long Manin chains are quite rare.
History
[edit]The technique used to make Manin chains is believed to have been learned by Venetians from Byzantine jewelers in Constantinople in the 6th century. It involved using a glass bottle filled with water as a magnifying glass to see the links.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Gregorin, Cristina; Heyl, Norbert; Scarabello, Giovanni (2003). Venice Master Artisans. Grafiche Vianello srl. p. 67. ISBN 978-88-7200-116-5.
- ^ a b Azzarito, Amy. "Chains". Erica Weiner. Retrieved 2024-07-26.