Handmade sterling silver and brass statement necklace. A hand-sawed hand pours a potion bottle hand-fabricated from silver. The potion pours into a hand-sawed, hand-textured brass goblet. The imagery sits in a hand-sawed ornate frame. A stunning moonstone, with gorgeous blue flash, set in scallop bezel setting, dangles from the bottom of the frame. A beautiful antiqued, matte finish complete this piece. Pendant measures approximately 1.25 x 3 inches and includes a sterling silver chain in your choice of length from 16 to 30 inches.
This necklace is inspired by Giulia Tofana, the Italian cosmetics maker and poisoner from the 17th century. Giulia was credited to have created Aqua Tofana, a notorious potion made from arsenic, lead, and other substances, that was used to poison hundreds of husbands. Aqua Tofana became popular among women seeking to escape their oppressive or abusive husbands. The poison was clear, tasteless, and odorless, and was easily dissolved into drinks, making it near impossible to detect. It was also caused a slow, gradual death when ingested over time, making it less suspicious. Giulia made cosmetics and had several shops, which served to cover up her underground business. She sold it in vials that mimicked cosmetics, so it could be easily hid in plain sight. Despite her infamy, this morally grey character in history has been reclaimed by modern era women in response to the "Your Body, My Choice" movement. Aqua Tofana represents the extremes to which people will go to escape a situation where their autonomy and safety is in danger.
