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Brenda Ginsberg Antique Jewelry

Antique Victorian brooch Diamonds gold silver flowers sculptural unisex (7512)

Antique Victorian brooch Diamonds gold silver flowers sculptural unisex (7512)

Regular price $14,500.00 USD
Regular price Sale price $14,500.00 USD
Sale Sold out

Antique Victorian brooch. Gold, silver and diamonds. Made 19th century. Exact origin not known. 
 

Measurements:

Weight is 30.1 grams. 3 7/8 inches (11.5 cm) long. Total diamond weight 5.50ct. Old European cut and rose cut diamonds. 

Description :

A wonderful example of jewelry as art and sculpture. The brooch depicts a spray of flowers, from the stem to the tip of the foliage. The twig is curved, gently scrolling and then scrolling in the opposite direction. A stem leads to a number of flowers and foliage. Two flowers in full bloom - one fully open with a large diamond in its center; the other with some petals folded over itself. Other flowers in bud are tubular and also fully 3-dimentional. Foliage adds elegance and movement. Very realistically modelled. 
The entire surface is pave set with diamonds. There are a few accents with bigger, individually set diamonds. Setting allows light to enter from behind adding to the glisten and gleam of the gems. 

During the Georgian and Victorian eras, diamonds were usually mounted in silver over a layer of gold. Silver was believed to show diamonds off to greater effect; gold to protect skin and clothes from tarnishing silver. 
Whereas most Victorian fine jewelry has a thin layer of gold behind the silver-mounted diamonds, this brooch has the very large majority of the brooch in gold with only a fine layer of silver to show diamonds off to best effect.

During the Victorian age, jewelry was often made to be versatile - it could transform from one form to another. A brooch might be a tiara or necklace fitting; a necklace convert to bracelets. In this case, clearly there are screw fittings for another form and the entire pin can easily be removed by gently twisting it off. 
 
Unusual catch - more solid and elongated than the usual C-clasp ensures that the brooch is more secure. Hinged pin. 

Beautiful design, full of movement and the closest one could get to wearing a live flower. Sculptural - 3 dimentional. Great workmanship as is evidenced by the clean and clear appearance of the back, which shows the care and attention, as well as technical ability of the jeweller. 

 

Marks and Metal:

A mark on the pin - please see 'photos. Like most antique jewelry, the gold ranges in purity from 14-18k as it was 'recycled' from other items. We will go with the lowest measurement ie 14k to be conservative.
     

Condition:

Good with negligible wear commensurate with age.  Please see enlarged pictures and don't hesitate to ask questions which we will do our best to answer.   

THE STORY: 


While this brooch was originally made for women, trends have changed and today it would be considered a unisex item of jewelry. Men are rapidly becoming the peacocks of fashion and have pushed brooches back into the well-deserved spotlight.  From famous actors to hip-hop artists as well as the rich and famous, men are using brooches on every part of their attire. 

As mentioned above, gold was not homogenous during previous centuries. The same item of jewelry very often tests as a range of purities. This is normal for antique jewelry. The goldsmiths did not have the advanced technology for producing specific purity of gold at the time.

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