Victorian Brooches

J. COOK & SON - Antique sterling silver and agate dirk/dagger kilt pin or brooch - signed verso - Birmingham - United Kingdom - circa 1914. Excellent antique condition - no loss - ...

Metal Type: Platinum [Hallmarked, and Tested] Weight: 6.6grams Diamond Details: .75ct total weight, rose cut diamonds, F/G Color, VS clarity. Brook & Son were holders of a Royal Wa...

An interesting and scarce Victorian clasped or shaking hands brooch. It is crafted from bog oak with a rich deep brown / black colour. The pin is carved as two hands clasped or sha...

Gold Fox Brooch 15ct Gold Victorian Circa 1880 Two Colour Gold Riding Crop Featuring a Gorgeous Little Fox’s Head, Set with Two Beautiful Little Ruby...

Metal Type: 14K Yellow Gold [Hallmarked, and Tested] Weight: 2.5 grams Pin Measurements: Length: 1.25 inches Condition: Excellent

ntique Pearl Flower Brooch 15ct Yellow Gold Stamped Victorian Circa 1890 Hallmarked Chester Beautiful, Victorian double bar brooch. Features a centre flower set with a pretty, ...

Antique shell cameo brooch and earrings by John Brogden, English, circa 1870. A yellow gold suite of jewellery, the brooch composed of a horizontally situated oval Bull’s Mouth shell cameo of the Greek goddess Selene riding a serpentine dragon in a rubover collet setting, encircled by a conforming frame of gold beading and twisted gold wire punctuated with four gold palmette form plaques engraved and decorated with dark blue enamel and placed at the cardinal points, the reverse mounted with a hinged pin and scroll clasp, the earrings each composed of a vertical oval Bull’s Mouth shell cameo engraved with a bust length portrait of Selene with crescent-set headdress, encircled by a conforming frame matching that of the brooch with the addition of a pendant decoration composed of a horizontal bar of gold beading and twisted gold wires suspending gold link chains graduated from centre and ending in conical gold elements, the reverses mounted with French wire fittings, all in a fitted red leather case, the interior marked ‘FIRST CLASS PARIS MEDAL/ 1855.1867.1851/ PARIS FIRST CLASS & LONDON PRIZE MEDALS/ JOHN BROGDON/ Goldsmith/ MANUFACTORY/ 16, Henrietta St. Covent Garden/ London’. The cameo—defined as a gem, usually either a mineral or a shell, upon which a design has been carved in relief—is believed to have originated in Hellenistic Greece, during the third century BC. These miniature sculptures, at that time confined to the medium of hardstone, are thought to have been made with the primary purpose of personal adornment. The same practice of mounting cameos in jewellery was then continued by the Ancient Romans, and they are known to have been worn by many a Roman emperor. After the fall of Rome the fashion for cameos went into a decline, until it was again revived during the Renaissance period, brought about by a keen interest in the ancient world. At this time both antique and contemporary cameos were mounted in jewellery, as well as collected as objet d’art. The art of cameo cutting was revived in Italy, where it would remain a centre for the coming centuries. Again there was a lull in interest in carved gemstones, until the Neoclassical revival of the eighteenth century, largely stimulated by the discoveries of the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. As with the Renaissance, antique specimens were generally prized over modern cameos, and the worldliest men in Europe held them among their collections of art and antiques. That said, carving centres in Rome and Torre del Greco (near Naples) in Italy were established in response to the demand of the Grand Tourists, who travelled to Italy and Greece to become educated in the wonders of the ancient world. It was at this time that shell cameos, mostly made in Torre del Greco due to its proximity to the sea, became more popular, owing to the relative ease in carving shell over hardstone. In addition to Rome, hardstone cameos also became a specialty of Idar Oberstein, Germany, which had a long history with both the gem mining and cutting trade. In a shift away from the collector’s cases of the previous century, the nineteenth century saw a strengthening in the fashion for wearable cameos. After the Empress Josephine donned a cameo-set suite of jewellery at the coronation of Napoleon in 1804, cameo jewellery became all the rage. Napoleon played a further hand in promoting the art by establishing a gemstone carving school in Paris, inspired by his appreciation for the arts of the ancient world. By the mid-nineteenth century shell cameos, in part due to their lightness compared with hardstone cameos, were the height of fashion. Large shell cameos as well as hardstone cameos were set into contemporary mounts, often as suites of jewellery. Some of the best cameos of the nineteenth century—carved by a select group of recognized carvers—were set into revivalist mounts, corresponding to the subject matter. In Victorian England cameo jewellery was particularly prized, due in part to the fact that the Queen owned and wore a number of cameo jewels. One example which can often be seen in official portraits is the Badge of the Order of Victoria and Albert, carved by Tommaso Saulini of Rome, who also produced cameos for the maker of the present suite, John Brogden. To meet demand some carvers set themselves up in London, including William Schmidt, a German carver from Idar Oberstein, who produced cameos for top London jewellers, including Brogden, Carlo Giuliano and Child & Child. In fact, Schmidt purports to have been the first to carve cameos out of opal, which Brogden reportedly displayed in the Paris Exhibition of 1878. An extant example, now in the collection of the British Museum, was set by the Giuliano firm. Regarding subject matter, cameos throughout time have been largely figural, from bust length profile portraits to scenes with multiple full-length figures, and sometimes animals. Ancient Greek and Roman cameos often depicted mythological scenes as well as contemporary figures. During the Renaissance, mythological scenes were popular, often taken directly from ancient sculpture, as well as portraits of notable contemporary figures. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, due to the revivalist styles, both Renaissance and Classical subjects were copied and set into matching (and sometimes unmatching) revivalist mounts. From the Renaissance through the Victorian era, being able to recognize the source of the carving in a cameo was a mark of erudition, revealing in the wearer knowledge of Classical art. As mentioned, the present cameo parure...

“Goddess of The Day” Shell Cameo Brooch Beautiful Fine Engraving Either Side 9ct Rose Gold Victorian Circa 1860 All of our items are either Antique, Vintage or Preloved. They ...

Metal Type: 14K Yellow Gold [Hallmarked, and Tested] Weight: 5.3 grams Enamel is in pristine condition which is quite rare for a piece of this age. It seems to not have been worn m...

Era: Victorian Date: 1860s - 1870s Metal Content: 14k Yellow Gold Stone Information Natural Diamond Cut: Mine Style: Mourning Brooch Fastening Type: Hinged Pin and C-Clasp Theme:...

In very good condition. Total weight is 8.1 grams. Totally is diamond about 0.50 carat. The diamond is has H-I color and vs-s1-s2 clarity. Please contact for any questions.

We are thrilled to present this amazing Victorian Cameo Brooch, dating back to the 1830s-1850s. The beautiful portrait of a young Greek lady is expertly carved into the shell with ex...

In very good condition. Total weight 23.1 gram. Totally is diamond 3.05 ct. Totally is sapphire emerald and sapphire 1.80 ct. Acid tested to be 8k real gold. Please contact for any q...

Victorian cameo depicting Hebe, the Goddess of Youth and cupbearer to the Gods. In this cameo, Hebe is depicted while feeding the eagle of Zeus. This...

A Beautiful Antique Victorian late 1800s Silver and Paste crescent brooch by Knoll & Pregizer. Rare to find! German origin. Crescent 21mm. Marked: 925 for Sterling Silver and Knoll a...

Circa 1870, this gorgeous French brooch features a pink tourmaline as its centerpiece, flanked by Rose Cut diamond studded triangles along a horizontal 18k gold pin. The tourmaline i...

A diamond and pearl circular brooch XIX century, the open circle set with graduated diamonds, one side set with three round old-cut diamonds suspendi...

A wonderful Victorian diamond star or otherwise known as a ‘sunburst’ brooch dating from the late 19th century comprising of approx 1.50ct of Old Mine cut diamonds. This quaint brooch, measuring 32mm diameter is set in 18ct gold with a silver front, which was typical of the period to enhance the diamonds in a white setting. It’s design is formed around a central diamond around which twelve points reradiate out from its centre. There is very little wear to the brooch, it is in superb condition. Please contact to see additional images or video clips of this piece. Reasonable offers will always be considered. DIMENSIONS – 32mm Diameter DIAMOND GRADE CARAT WEIGHT – 1.50ct total (approx) COLOUR - F-G CLARITY – SI CUT – Old Mine Cut MATERIALS - 18ct gold/ silver/ diamonds WEIGHT – 7g HALLMARK – Unmarked, tested throughout as 18ct gold and silver using a touchstone. CONDITION – This antique brooch...

This antique 18 karat gold and enamel round brooch is created with black onyx and set with a seed pearl in the center. The border of the brooch is decorated with black enamel and a g...

Antique Scarf Pin 15ct Gold Stamped Hallmarked Chester 1897 Fabulous, Victorian scarf pin. Features the most beautiful, yellow gold Etruscan work....

Designed as a stylized dagger comprised of mixed kite cut diamonds weighing approximately 1.47 carats total - G/H color with VS-SI2 Bezel set in platinum with yellow gold scroll mot...

This magnificent late-Victorian diamond brooch in starburst motif will brighten up the sky with an explosive blast of celestial light. The twelve rays are expertly handcrafted in dar...

A love letter to a departed soul, this tender piece manifests as an envelope that folds over a pearl studded arrow and is sealed with a forget-me-not flower. Circa 1870, this early Victorian brooch is cast in 14k gold with a beautiful acid wash matte finish. The forget-me-not, a sentimental image often seen in mourning jewelry, consists of a chrysoberyl cat’s eye surrounded by six old cut diamonds bead set into its petals. The whimsical arrow is encrusted with eight pearls that look beautiful against the matte gold. On the back of the brooch, a portrait of a woman is held in an oval frame. She has braided hair, wears beautiful jewelry, and was clearly very loved by the brooch’s original owner. The blue-grey cat’s eye has lovely chatoyancy that shimmers as it moves, making the piece even more magical. Chatoyancy is an optical phenomenon seen in certain stones, caused by light reflecting off of parallel needle-like elements within the stone, this is the cat’s eye effect.  In addition, the chrysoberyl has a trait known as adularesence—a milky sheen or glowing light that seems to come from below the surface of the stone. The effect is caused by layers of orthoclase and albite that reflect and scatter light. The brooch measures 2” x 3/4” and weighs 10 grams. The chrysoberyl measures 3.25 mm. The six natural old cut diamonds measure 2.25 and equal .15 of a carat...

A lovely suite of hunting jewelry consisting of reverse crystal (also known as Essex crystal) earclips of flying ducks, en suite with a matching brooch...

Victorian Cameo Brooch. Fabulous carved Victorian brooch made around the late 1800s. It depicts a beautiful portrait of a young lady. The execution of the shell is amazing, and the r...

This is a delicate Victorian bow shell shape pin brooch crafted in 18K gold. Circa 1890. The piece features a carved shell shape agate. There is a pearl in the centre. The bow is ad...

A pair of late Victorian diamond moonstone sweethearts nestled side-by-side framed by lustrous half pearls and Cupid's golden arrow. Comes with the original box as shown. Sweet as ca...

Victorian Sterling Mother of Pearl Spade Brooch, Studio VL , Upcyled object as Art Jewelry from the 1980's NY, originally retailed in Barneys 17th St. 3"...

A fine antique cameo brooch. In 18k gold. With a cameo carved agate medallion of a beautiful young woman with headband, earrings, and pearl (or beaded) necklace. Prong-set in a wi...

For sale is this stunning Victorian brooch. This royal diamond brooch was most likely made in Belgium or France in the middle of the 19th century. It is set with exceptionally large ...

The fleur-de-lys, the lily flower, is known as the symbol of the French royal family. This motif of a stylized three-petaled lily is originally a medieval heraldic symbol, associated...

Antique Natural Pearl Diamond Gold and Silver Pendant Brooch circa 1890 Magnificent, antique heart-shaped diamond pendant, pierced and set with two large natural pearls, set through...

Up for your consideration is this stunning antique 19th century 14k yellow gold insect bar brooch, pin. This beautiful antique brooch is formed of a single barrette of gold, on whi...

This lovely brooch designed as a moon crescent has an unusual ondulated surface. Stripes of plain silver with rose gold gilding alternate with silver stripes that have been finely en...

Grasshopper or Cricket form brooch-pendant, set with rose cut diamonds and cabochon sapphires, emeralds and rubys. Total aproximated diamonds weight: 2.25 carats. Total aproximated r...

Dating from the 1880s, this antique Victorian pendant locket with seed pearls and enamel is set in bloomed 18K gold. Suspended from a tapering...

Lovely carved cameo brooch made in the late 19th - early 20th century. It depicts a beautiful portrait of a Flora (a Roman goddess of flowers and spring – a symbol for nature and flo...

This beautiful Victorian period large brooch is 1880 ca Skillfully hand crafted of solid 18 Kt gold Marvelous leaf work around the frame detailed with carving Centrally set with a st...

An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Victorian 0.62 carat sapphire, pearl and 0.02 carat diamond and 18 karat yellow gold brooch; part of our diverse antique jewellery collections. This exceptional, fine and impressive antique Victorian brooch has been crafted in 18k yellow gold with a white gold setting. The feature setting has an overlapping ribbon style design terminating to the horizontal bar with a natural pearl. The lower terminal is embellished with a vertical arrangement incorporating an individually collet set 0.02ct Dutch cut diamond to the apex of millegrain decorated, collet set 0.62ct cabochon cut sapphire. This exceptional example of antique sapphire jewellery secures to the reverse with a hinged pin and clasp. The pin is hallmarked with the 18k gold mark (18) and the clasp bears the French gold import mark (owl); this mark is used for finished articles brought into France to be examined by the French assay office. This impressive antique Victorian gemstone brooch has been independently tested using state of the art technology (Niton XL2 Analyzer) and verified as 18k yellow gold. This antique Victorian gold and gemstone bar brooch is supplied with an independent diamond and gemstone grading report card. Images do not always reflect the true color and brilliance of gemstones and diamonds. The video however provides a truer representation of the actual color and showcases each stone. Condition This impressive brooch is excellent quality, set with an impressive sapphire displaying fine color and brilliance The natural pearl displays fine color and lustre. The high color graded diamond displays a fine white color and brilliance. The brooch is a superior gauge of gold and is in exceptional condition, with clear hallmarks to the pin and clasp. Reflections in photographs may detract from the true representation of this fine Victorian sapphire brooch...

This beautiful antique Crescent Moon is 1870 ca Glorious Victorian workmanship made of solid 18 KT gold and Silver Set with 15 graduated in size old mine cut Diamonds and tiny rose cut Diamonds to complement, approx 3.10 Ct (H/I-SI/I) – lovely color contrast given by 15 untreated natural, mine cut, Rubies of gorgeous pastel color for 1.80 Ct. 34 mm. In diameter with fine condition throughout keeping with age Victorian Celestial...

A beautiful antique insect pin, made in the late 1800s during the Victorian Era. En Tremblant, French for "To Tremble" describes the moveable wings ...

Era: Victorian Date: 1870s - 1880s Metal Content: 14k Yellow Gold (brooch) & Gold Filled (backing) Material Information Enamel Color: Black & White Style: Tassel Dangle Brooch Cha...

Simply Beautiful! Hand carved Coral Cameo and Seed Pearl Brooch Pendant. Featuring of a Female Portrait, accented by Seed Pearls and Pearl set dangling drops. 14K Rose Gold mounting....

In very good condition.. Total weight is 7.6 grams. Totally is diamond 0.25 carat... The diamond is has H-I color and s1-s2-s3. Original antique item. Please contact for any questions.

A beautiful 14 karat yellow gold hand-carved in high relief coral brooch set with a cameo in the center. The large coral beads on the edge are faceted and have a gold cap at the top ...

In very good condition. Total weight is 7.5 grams. Diamond totally is 0.90 carat. Acid tested to be 18k real gold. The diamond is has diamond H-I-J-K-L-M color and vs-s1-s2-s3-Pique ...

A sweet antique Victorian era sterling silver and paste swallow brooch. The brooch is made from cool silver and is adorned all over with twinkling clear paste stones with a ruby col...

Gender: Unisex Metal Type: 22K Yellow Gold Length: 2.00 Inches Width: 1.00 Inches Weight: 19.35 grams Handmade 22K yellow gold, 18th century victorian...

Weight: 19.0 Grams Stone: Lace Agate, Red Jasper, Bloostone Measurements: 50.0 x 44.5 mm Hallmark: Silver Tested ITEM #:BR-1068-101023-01

Victorian Etched Gold Garnet Brooch which was converted from a bracelet into a brooch circa 1910. Early 14K gold hand etched setting with octagonal ...

Vintage shell cameo brooch, meticulously hand-carved from Italian cornelian shell. This exquisite piece showcases intricate craftsmanship wi...

A stunning, fine and impressive antique 3.55 carat aquamarine and 0.59 carat diamond, 15 karat yellow gold and platinum set brooch; part of our diverse antique aquamarine jewellery c...

This Victorian era brooch pin is a stunning piece of early 1900s antique insect jewelry. The curious cicada expertly crafted of 18 karat gold ...

A fine and impressive antique seed pearl,15 karat yellow, white and rose gold chick and egg brooch; part of our diverse antique jewelry collections This fi...

An antique crescent brooch, set with natural pearls, graduating from the centre, spaced with tapered settings with rose-cut diamonds, and an inner row, grain set with rose-cut diamon...

In very good condition. Total weight is 5.8 grams. Totally is diamond about 0.60 ct. The diamond is has H-I-J color and s1-s2. Acid tested to be real 18k gold. Please contact for any...

Victorian Cameo Brooch. Fabulous carved Victorian brooch made around the late 19th early 20th century. It depicts a beautiful portrait of a young lady. The execution of the shell is ...

In very good condition. Total weight 7.1 grams. Totally about 1.90 carat diamond. The diamond has s1-s2-s3-Pique1-Pique2 clarity and H-I-J-K-L-Brown color. Acid tested to be 8k real gold. Original ottoman item...