Rare Early Elsa Peretti Silver Snake Belt Necklace, Xavier Corberó Workshop, circa 1973

A Rare Articulated Serpent from Elsa Peretti’s Formative Pre-Tiffany Period

This exceptionally rare Elsa Peretti sterling silver snake belt necklace represents an important early chapter in the celebrated designer’s career. Dating to approximately 1973–1974, the piece originates from the formative period immediately preceding Peretti’s renowned collaboration with Tiffany and reflects the organic, tactile design language that would become her signature.

Designed during the period when Peretti was creating jewelry and accessories to complement the fluid fashions of Halston, this extraordinary piece transforms sterling silver into a remarkably lifelike articulated serpent. Its body is composed of numerous graduated, individually joined links that move fluidly and naturally around the wearer.

A substantial sculptural snake head creates the dramatic focal point, complete with contrasting dark eyes that lend the serpent an expressive presence. The snake’s ingeniously constructed jaw opens to receive and secure its articulated body at different points. This mechanical design allows the piece to be worn in multiple configurations—as a dramatic lariat-style necklace or as an adjustable belt.

The piece bears an X.C. workshop mark associated with Xavier Corberó, the renowned Catalan sculptor who was Elsa Peretti’s early artistic collaborator. Corberó introduced Peretti to metalworking and helped translate some of her earliest jewelry concepts into finished objects before her celebrated relationship with Tiffany began.

The combination of sculpture, movement and functional versatility exemplifies Peretti’s ability to transform forms found in nature into exceptionally wearable works of art. Unlike later Tiffany-signed editions, this early workshop-associated example offers a direct connection to the experimental period in which Peretti was first developing her distinctive approach to silver and the human form.

An example of this articulated sterling silver snake design, dated 1973–1974, is preserved in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.

Rare, versatile and historically significant, this snake belt necklace is both a striking piece of wearable sculpture and an exceptional acquisition for a serious collector of Elsa Peretti, artist-designed jewelry or twentieth-century fashion.

Key Features

• Designer: Elsa Peretti
• Workshop: Associated with Xavier Corberó
• Maker’s Mark: X.C.
• Period: Circa 1973–1974
• Historical Association: Created during Peretti’s early Halston period
• Material: Sterling silver
• Design: Fully articulated snake or serpent
• Details: Sculptural head with contrasting dark eyes
• Construction: Numerous graduated, individually joined links
• Closure: Opening jaw designed to receive and secure the articulated body
• Wearability: Convertible lariat-style necklace and adjustable belt
• Style: Organic modernist / wearable sculpture
• Condition: Excellent vintage condition, with light surface wear and natural patina consistent with age
• Museum Connection: The articulated snake design is represented in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute collection

Historical Significance

Elsa Peretti’s early creative relationship with Xavier Corberó helped establish the sculptural and organic vocabulary that would later define her career. This X.C.-marked example comes from the period immediately before Peretti’s association with Tiffany and offers an unusually direct connection to the beginnings of one of the most influential careers in modern jewelry design.

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