I am currently making over all my jewelry for my Cleves ensemble so these are the references I am using.
One of the accessories Anne of Cleves wears is a striking collar like necklace made from wide stylised flowers set with large round gold beads between.
This last version is most interesting as it matches so very closely to several other halsbander worn in cologne. Here are similar examples in chronological order.
Of these most use a floral centre of some sort (passionflower maybe?) in a rounded/squared open worked gold with round gold beads/balls, at the points that the sections connect to.
Of the extant collars and gurdeln in the Nordrhein several use a hinge join between sections.
While others, usually the more open worked pieces, use a loop and ring.
One final example uses loop and ring but further stabilises the pieces with stitches to a fabric base.
I can’t seem to find the same kind of fastening between sections as used in the portraits but I hope also that these images help illustrate how very fine gold and silverwork was in this region and it was especially on display in these halsbander whether for personal or religious use. I also believe this kind of work was used on other accessories and my next post will deal with this.
Also of note, in this region a long kette (chain necklace) was worn but was usually of a single chain, occasionally of the latribbon type seen elsewhere but more often a simple solid oval ring, or ring with a slight twist to lay flat.