Gold Necklace
date: label: date made
content: 1850-1870
notes: label: Description
content: James Marshall’s discovery of gold at Sutter’s mill in California in 1848 transformed the wealth and reach of the nation. Farmers abandoned their homesteads, sailors their ships, and adventurers from China and elsewhere sailed across oceans to seek their fortunes in California’s mines and streams. Extracting gold often left these lands devastated, but these expeditions also financed the growth and statehood of California. Those who didn’t strike out west still participated in gold fever by trading in gold coins and purchasing gold jewelry. During the early 1800s, Englishman Thomas Lowe introduced new gold plating techniques to the American jewelry industry. These innovations were put to good use during the gold rush, and produced delicate pieces like this gold necklace from the mid-to-late 1800s.
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Costume
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content: Clothing & Accessories
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content: American Enterprise
label: Exhibition
content: American Enterprise
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Lucinda de Leftwich Templin, Ph.D., in memory of Ella Rice Templin
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: CS.202946.174
label: catalog number
content: 202946.174
label: accession number
content: 202946
objectType: label: Object Name
content: necklace
label: Other Terms
content: necklace; Jewelry; Accessories Worn on the Body; Female
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: with pendant (overall style)