The Romantic Period, in the German-speaking lands also called Biedermeier (c. 1815–1848), represents an important phase in European art and cultural history. Society was changing fast under the influence of the Industrial Revolution. Political upheavals including the Napoleonic Wars had massively disrupted life, travel and trade in Europe. A retreat into personal, bourgeois domestic family life and nature resulted from the monumental events and art mirrored these shifts in changes away from the somewhat ascetic neoclassical designs to generous décor and warm, homely styles. One material that gained prominence during this time was foam gold, or "Schaumgold" in German.
Foam gold jewellery is made by pressing thin sheets of gilt metal into decorative moulds. A filler material, resin or wax, is added before the piece is joined to a metal back piece that holds a
brooch pin or eyelet for a necklace. This gave these pieces a voluminous appearance without using large amounts of gold, creating the illusion of larger, more expensive solid gold items, while in
reality, only a minimal amount of gold was used.
The advantage of this method was that it allowed for the production of relatively affordable jewellery that still conveyed the appearance of wealth and luxury. Industrial manufacturing of fabric allowed the growing trend of changing several times a day, already popular in the early years of the 1800s among the middle and upper classes. A whole range of wardrobe articles for different daily tasks and times was on offer, from the morning dress via the visiting costume, to the afternoon and promenade dresses and finally the dinner dress, evening or ball gown. Most ladies of means changed at least for the afternoon and for dinner. Each outfit demanded a different set of jewellery. The gold price had risen dramatically during the Napoleonic Wars and remained high in the years after. The industrial manufacturing of foam gold together with its splendid appearance while only little gold was used made it the perfect affordable type of jewel to grace these looks with a bit of glam. Foam gold is therefore a sign of changing social structures and technological advances in the economy. Essentially, it created a wider, more democratic, access to jewellery than was possible before. Many families could no longer afford the investment into solid gold items, but they could buy foam gold. Foam gold lowered aesthetic barriers in jewellery.
Foam gold often comes as brooches and pendants, often crafted in delicate, intricate designs of floral motifs and swirl decors. Some are inlaid with onyx (to use the quality of the contrast of black stone and warm gold to great effect) or studded with tiny seed pearls. There are still a fair number of pieces surviving and accessible online and in shops specialising in antique jewellery.
I usually stock a couple of foam gold pieces in my Etsy-Shop at any given time.