Victorian Red Coral Manu Fica Amulet portraits An incredible vintage Van Cleef

An incredible vintage Van Cleef & Arpels "Chat Malicieux” winking cat brooch dating from the 1960s

which perfectly showcase their cut and character

and the aforementioned love-in-idleness (don't ask me about any of the rest

with striking blue stones complemented perfectly by yellow gold spacers

intaglio carved with the words GOOD NIGHT and hand snuffing out a candle

Victorian Red Coral Manu Fica Amulet portraits An incredible vintage Van CleefDATE: Victorian, c. 1850 An excellent antique coral manu fica amulet dating from the early Victorian period, circa 1850. It's gold topped, and the deep red coral creates a striking contrast with the yellow metal. The Manu Fica (aka figa, fig hand, mano fico) is an ancient obscene gesture, intended to figuratively represent sexual union. It was used to ward of the Evil Eye, apparently on the assumption that evil can be repelled by obscenity; that even