Tiffany & Co Elsa Peretti silver necklace

This incredible and rare Vintage (circa 1980s) serpentine snake necklace from Tiffany & Co. is one of Elsa Peretti’s iconic snake designs! The necklace was originally designed by Peretti in the 1970’s to accessorize the designs of Halston. Crafted with sterling silver, this statement piece is 20 inches long and is comprised of flexible scale-shaped links that form the body and tail of a long, articulated snake. According to Peretti, who found snakes to be attractive creatures and was fascinated by their mechanics, the inspiration for the design came from a rattlesnake tail that was given to her for good luck. At one end of the piece is a smooth silver snake head, which also serves as the clasp. It has a hinged jaw that opens at a push button under the neck, allowing the end of the tail to be threaded through the middle, fastening the necklace shut. The unique and flexible design of the piece makes it adjustable, allowing it to hang at a desired length while the tail simply dangles down. The clasp is stamped with several hallmarks, including TIFFANY & CO., PERETTI, and 925 for Sterling Silver. It’s perfect for any snake lover or Tiffany or Peretti collector! Born in Florence, Elsa Peretti’s first introduction with her collection began at Tiffany & Co. in 1974. During that time her collection debuted to high acclaim. Her inspiration in jewelry came from nature with elements such as bones, beans, hearts, scorpions, snakes, teardrops and sea-shells. Peretti’s designs are translated in a wide variety of materials, however her most popular designs are her works in silver. When fully extended, the snake measures 20 inches long from end to end. The head is 9mm wide. The body is 7mm wide. The necklace weighs 48 grams. The necklace comes with the Tiffany & Co. Necklace Case. This item can was limited edition and can be sourced through Tiffany for $6,500. So I won’t be considering low offers.