#1708 Chain for Heracles, 30 Inches

I made this chain for Heracles, so it came out massive. A little over a whole pound of silver went into this one, each link .999 fine silver, terminating in two lions holding onto two snakes whom are intertwined in a Heracles knot and themselves. Each end cap contains a scene from two of Heracles 12 labors: The clasp side, Heracles assisted by his cousin, Iolaus slaying the Hydra, and a crab sent by Hera to distract him. The opposite, his last labor, Capturing and bringing Cerberus to king Eurystheus, Who jumped into a clay jar to hide from the beast begging Heracles to leave. These scenes are based on vase paintings from ancient Greece. The Lions inspired by a bracelet from the same ancient times. The chain was hand fabricated, woven of links made from hand pulled 2.3mm .999 silver wire, the lions sand cast from an original mold I made via lost wax, the snakes also lost wax. the end caps are made from sheet and entirely hand engraved, and the whole entire chain is hand stippled for th