Antonino De Simone (1931 – 2010) dedicated his life to the discovery of the “coral routes”.Thanks to his knowledge of international markets, his passion for research, his far-sighted intuition, 6 biennial exhibitions and 6 scientific catalogues, dedicated to as many itineraries of the Routes of coral, were realized at the headquarters of the Banca di Credito Popolare in Torre del Greco, but the strongest tangible evidence of his passionate research is the Antonino De Simone private museum, which collects more than 300 ancient ethnic jewels, with coral harvested and processed mainly in the Countries of the Mediterranean area and then mounted elsewhere, according to the local customs. The museum includes ethnic jewels from all the countries crossed by the Silk Roads, the Spice Routes and also the exquisite coral, silver and turquoise jewelry of the American Indians who lived in the places crossed by the “Camino real de tierra adentro”, symbolic and evocative jewels, precious and refined pieces of art brought together with very precise criteria, by the romantic dreamer behind the entrepreneur, Antonino De Simone, who wanted in this way to promote the knowledge of the history of coral, of its incredible dissemination and of his city, Torre del Greco, which he was deeply attached to.
It can be visited from Monday to Friday, from 8.30 to 1.00 pm and from 3.00 pm to 6.30. Saturday morning from 9.00 to 1.00 pm. Advance reservation is required.
Antonino De Simone with his wife Maria Luisa in Paris in 1977
Just a few steps from the workshop you can experience the charm of distant places and lost ages. The idea of creating this collection came about after Dr Antonino De Simone had a stroke of luck, in 2005 in Paris as he himself declared : “More than thirty years ago, while I was in Paris with my wife, I glanced at the window of an ethnic jewellery shop and I immediately recognized some antique coral necklaces, with a particular and familiar cut.
That was the exact oblong shape that my ancestors used to produce solely for the North African market. In that moment it became clear to me what direction I should take, and decided that I would dedicate part of my time to collecting of ethnic coral jewellery from all over the world.
Once started on this mission, I found myself in a more and more exciting field full of unexpected discoveries.I realized that the silk route, which connected the far East with the West as far back as two thousand years ago, from China passing through the unbounded steppe of Central Asia, reaching western Europe and the spice route, which led the caravans from Southern Arabia to our coasts, had been crossed in reverse by the brave merchants that from the Mediterranen countries arrived at the borders of the world, the far East, using coral as exchange goods, so that it was smoothly assimilated into local traditions.
Through the centuries and the countries, coral has been a source of fascination due to its singular, inscrutable origins; it is not a mineral, even though it is petrified, nor a plant, even though it has branches, and not properly an animal, even though it is the colour of the blood.
Coral has travelled and gone very far, intertwining with local customs and becoming the protagonist of myths and legends and a distinctive element of peoples, but sometimes it has also returned to Italy, making a curious round trip.
Sometimes it happens to witness real phenomena of “commercial courses and recourses”, as in the case of Ukraine, where coral was introduced by Polish Jewish traders and immediately became the favorite ornament of Ukrainian women.
A trace of the above can be found in J. Roth’s storybook, “The Coral Merchant”, which tells the story of a Jewish merchant, who sold his precious corals to Ukrainian peasants, but was ruined by the competition that started selling fake coral at much lower prices than its own.
Well, there was a curious circular flow of necklaces worked in Torre del Greco at the beginning of the last century, exported to Ukraine and returned to Campania after many years.
When young Jews obtained permission to emigrate in the 1980s, they bought back all the coral of the Ukrainian peasants to resell it in Western Europe.
Coral has gone through civilizations and centuries and continues to please, because, as the merchant Nissen Piczenick, J. Roth’s alter ego, said, corals are worn by anybody, the rich and rhe poor, they elevate those who are below and adorn those who are above.
They can be worn in the morning, at noon, in the evening and at night, (…) when you work and when you rest, in happy and sad times”
The Antonino De Simone Museum houses numerous objects and precious jewels collected all over the world by Antonino De Simone during his travels. We have created a small virtual museum, to share some of the most beautiful pieces, coming from different regions of the world. Browse the galleries and discover the wonderful artifacts of our collection.
