Antique Art Nouveau brooch / enhancer pendant. 14k yellow gold, amethyst and emeralds. Made Newark, New Jersey circa 1895-1905 by Carter, Gough & Co.
Measurements:
Approximately 1 1/4 inches from side to side. Weighs 3.7 grams.
Description :
Brooch or hanging enhancer / pendant that can be attached to a chain or necklace by a twisted long loop. Small but beautiful brooch with many features of the late 19th century / Art Nouveau and Etruscan Revival jewelry. A pair of peacocks face away from each other. They are superimposed by a pair of long wings and their bodies morph into rings of gold, much like mermaids in Art Nouveau jewelry. A lotus flower forms the terminal at the bottom of the brooch. The pair of wings is separated by an oval amethyst of a deep purple that contrasts strongly with the bright yellow of the gold metal. The eyes of the peacocks appear to be emeralds, but are too small to test.
Bodies of peacocks naturalistically engraved. Wings with granulation, stippling and filigree wire work, typical of late 19th century Revivalist jewelry.
Marks:
Catch of clasp with 14k and maker's mark for Carter, Gough & Co. We must thank a very observant and knowledgeable customer for identifying the mark, which wraps around the c of the clasp. She recognised that it is in fact an arrow for the company that
Condition:
Good with negligible wear commensurate with age. The pin is somewhat bent through use, but this does not impact the wonderful appearance of the brooch. Please see enlarged pictures and don't hesitate to ask questions which we will do our best to answer.
Maker: We found a double peacock brooch identical to this one with the exception that it does not have the amethyst in the center. All other details appear identical. It was part of lot 378 of Sothebys Dec 6 and 7 2000 auction of Important Jewels, in New York. Their brooch was attributed to Theberath & Co., Newark. We looked up the maker's mark for Theberath & Co in American Jewelry Manufacturers by Dorothy Rainwater and it is clearly not the same as our brooch.
As our informed source explained: Carter, Gough & Company was founded in 1841. They did a lot of art nouveau brooches and stickpins, and have a pretty distinctive style. Their jewelry is considered very collectible, on par with Krementz (early years), Taylor, Sloan, Riker and other Newark jewelry firms of the time. They had a retail storefront in NY like several other successful Newark jewelers of the time.
Thank you Cheryl for your generous sharing of information.
More about the Story: During the late 19th century America was coming into it's own. Often known as the Gilded Age (a quote from Mark Twain), Americans gained confidence financially, socially and commercially. There was a growing market for the newly monied. Overseas fashions were keenly copied. In particular, in the field of jewelry, the Art Nouveau period was a hive of industry on the East coast of America. A slightly toned-down version of French Art Nouveau was copiously produced with the best products able to compete with the best Europe had to offer.
Another popular feature of Art Nouveau jewelry was the image of the peacock, perhaps reflecting growing interest in India and Indian culture. From Rene Lalique through to the smallest workshop, these beautiful birds were emulated in fine jewelry.
Here is a wonderful example of a most wearable and classic jewel, enjoyed by generations of discerning women and showing the growing international and sophisticated taste of Americans. Beautifully made, it will live to tell the tale of further generations who follow us.
