Gold brooch with pearls, Perla Di Sanremo 1955 prize, owned by Countess Paola Della Chiesa

18k yellow gold in the shape of a shell, embellished with precious stones, diamonds and a central pearl.
Pearls diameter 2.5 - 4 mm.
Hallmarked "750 - PREMIO PERLA DI SANREMO 1955". Dimensions 5.3 x 4.5 cm. Weight 26.8 g.
Item condition grading: **** good.

The brooch is the prize from one of the automobile competitions in which the owner, Countess Paola Della Chiesa, participated, namely the "Pearl of San Remo."
Countess Paola Della Chiesa, the wife of Count Luigi Della Chiesa, was one of the first women to drive a car in numerous motor races and also the only woman to win three consecutive editions of the 'Perla di Sanremo', in 1952, 1953 and 1954. The 1950s and 1960s saw her driving Fiat 8Vs, the Cisitalia 202 and her favourite Lancia Aurelia B20.