Victorian Swallow Brooch
Antique 19th Century European Victorian Brooches
Gold
Antique 1870s European Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Silver
Antique 1880s Unknown Victorian Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Brooches
Silver, Sterling Silver
Antique 1880s Victorian Brooches
Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s Victorian Brooches
Oriental Pearl, 14k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Ruby, Gold
Antique 1880s Unknown Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Gold, Silver
Antique 1890s Unknown Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Natural Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Gold, Silver
Antique 1890s Victorian Brooches
Natural Pearl, Ruby, Pearl, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Unknown Edwardian Brooches
Pearl, Gold, 15k Gold
Antique Early 1900s European Victorian Cocktail Rings
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Enamel
Antique 19th Century French Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Antique 1850s Pendant Necklaces
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Turquoise, Gold, 15k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Pearl, Gold, 15k Gold
Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 10k Gold, Rose Gold
Early 20th Century Edwardian Pendant Necklaces
Gold, 9k Gold
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Amethyst, Quartz, 18k Gold, Silver
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Diamond, 18k Gold
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Onyx, Sterling Silver
2010s American Edwardian More Jewelry
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
Antique 1890s American Victorian Solitaire Rings
Diamond, Star Sapphire, 14k Gold
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Crystal, Sterling Silver
Antique 1840s British Victorian Cluster Rings
Diamond, Topaz, Yellow Gold, Silver
Antique 1880s Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Silver
Antique 1830s British Victorian Brooches
Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Gold-filled
Antique 1840s British Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Garnet, Yellow Gold, Silver, Gold, 14k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Cluster Rings
Ruby, Emerald, Diamond, Yellow Gold, Silver
Antique 1890s Austrian Art Nouveau Pendant Necklaces
Ruby, Natural Pearl, Pearl, White Diamond, Diamond, Enamel, Yellow Gold,...
2010s Hong Kong Contemporary More Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
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Diamond, Star Sapphire, 18k Gold
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Antique Early 1900s British Victorian Brooches
Turquoise, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Victorian Brooches
Natural Pearl, Turquoise, 15k Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Unknown Victorian Cuff Bracelets
Diamond, 18k Gold, Silver
Antique 1870s Australian Victorian Dangle Earrings
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1890s Unknown Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, 9k Gold, Silver
Antique 1890s Unknown Victorian Brooches
Pearl, Ruby, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century French Victorian Brooches
Turquoise
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
Antique 1830s English Victorian Brooches
Rose Gold
Antique 1880s Unknown Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Garnet, Freshwater Pearl, 14k Gold
Antique 1890s Unknown Late Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century French High Victorian Brooches
Pearl, Enamel, 18k Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Victorian Brooches
Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold
Antique 1880s Unknown Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, Yellow Gold
Antique 1890s Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Sapphire, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
Antique 1880s British Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century British Aesthetic Movement Brooches
Gold, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Antique 19th Century Unknown Brooches
Ruby, Diamond, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century English Brooches
Ruby, Natural Pearl, 15k Gold
Antique 1850s British Victorian Brooches
Pearl, Turquoise, Gold
Antique 1880s Unknown Victorian Brooches
Pearl, Yellow Gold, 15k Gold
Antique 1880s Unknown Brooches
Diamond
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1870s Unknown High Victorian Brooches
Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Sapphire, White Diamond, 10k Gold, Sterling Silver
Antique 19th Century Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Gold
Antique 1880s Brooches
Antique 1890s Unknown Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century Brooches
Ruby, Gold
Antique 1890s European Victorian Brooches
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique 1830s French Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold
Antique 1890s British Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Enamel
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Sterling Silver
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Brooches
Ruby, Turquoise, Silver, Gilt Metal
Early 20th Century Unknown Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Opal, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold...
Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Drop Necklaces
Ruby, Turquoise, Pearl, Yellow Gold, Gold, 10k Gold
Antique Early 1900s British Victorian Brooches
Amethyst, Pearl, Peridot, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Brooches
Pearl, 15k Gold
English Brooches
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Brooches
White Diamond, 9k Gold, Sterling Silver
Antique Mid-19th Century English Early Victorian Brooches
Ruby, Sterling Silver
Antique Late 19th Century English Late Victorian Brooches
Natural Pearl, 15k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, White Diamond, Platinum, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Brooches
Opal, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1850s British Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Diamond, 14k Gold, 9k Gold, Silver
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Pendant Necklaces
White Diamond, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 15k Gold, 9k Gold, Silver
Antique Mid-19th Century British Victorian Pendant Necklaces
Garnet, 14k Gold
Vintage 1940s American Victorian Brooches
Sterling Silver
Antique Early 1900s British Early Victorian Brooches
Amethyst, Pearl, Gold, 9k Gold
Antique 19th Century English Aesthetic Movement Brooches
Rose Gold, Sterling Silver
Antique Late 19th Century British Art Nouveau Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Sterling Silver
Victorian Swallow Brooch For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Victorian Swallow Brooch?
A Close Look at Victorian Jewelry
The reign of Queen Victoria encapsulates a quickly evolving period of history — and jewelry styles were no exception. No single period has seen such a diverse group of jewelry attributed to it than the Victorian era. Today, there is a vast collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry and watches on 1stDibs.
Victorian jewelry is named after Queen Victoria, whose reign lasted from 1837 to 1901, making her the second longest-ruling monarch. (She was surpassed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015.) During this time, different styles of fashion and jewelry came and went. Thanks to our fascination with royalty and swoon-worthy melodramas like Netflix’s The Crown — which is rife with evocative fashion, jewelry and interiors — and the 2017 feature film Victoria & Abdul, we are all familiar with her story. After the death of Victoria’s father and three childless uncles, she ascended to the throne at age 18. In 1840, Queen Victoria married the love of her life, her first cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Queen Victoria loved serpentine jewels, and she had even more power to shape trends than Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle do today. The British monarch’s best-known piece in this mold is the gold coiled-snake engagement ring she received from Prince Albert — the sinuous reptile was considered a symbol of everlasting love.
The Queen's 63-year reign has been divided by historians into the Romantic period, the early happy years, circa 1837–60; the Grand period, marked by the deaths of the Queen’s mother and husband, circa 1860–80; and the late Victorian or Aesthetic period, which lasted from about 1880 until 1901 and ushered in the Belle Époque. Queen Victoria wore her heart on her sleeve, and her fashion and jewelry reflected her emotions.
Romantic period jewelry, which featured common decorative motifs and was embellished with seed pearls, coral and turquoise, was a celebration of the young monarch’s love. Everything changed with the death of Prince Albert, and the Grand period is most often associated with mourning jewelry. Jewelry was smaller, lighter and more dainty during the late Victorian period. During this era, diamonds came into fashion, and semiprecious gems such as amethysts and opals became prevalent, too. Using gemstones for their natural beauty and not their worth was something that jewelers of the era felt passionate about, and this ideology would really become relevant in Art Nouveau jewelry.
Find a collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry — from rings, necklaces and brooches to a range of other accessories — on 1stDibs.
Finding the Right brooches for You
Antique and vintage brooches, which are decorative jewels traditionally pinned to garments and used to fasten pieces of clothing together where needed, have seen increasing popularity in recent years.
Given their long history, brooches have expectedly taken on a variety of different shapes and forms over time, with jewelers turning to assorted methods of ornamentation for these accessories, including enameling and the integration of pearls and gemstones.
Cameo brooches that originated during the Victorian age are characterized by a shell carved in raised relief that feature portraits of a woman’s profile, while 19th-century micromosaic brooches, comprising innumerable individually placed glass fragments, sometimes feature miniature depictions of a pastoral scene in daily Roman life.
At one time, brooches were symbols of wealth, made primarily from the finest metals and showcasing exquisite precious gemstones. Today, these jewels are inclusive and universal, and you don’t have to travel very far to find an admirer of brooches. They can be richly geometric in form, such as the ornate diamond pins dating from the Art Deco era, or designer-specific, such as the celebrated naturalistic works created by Tiffany & Co., the milk glass and gold confections crafted by Trifari or handmade vintage Chanel brooches of silk or laminated sheer fabric.
Brooches are versatile and adaptable. These decorative accessories can be worn in your hair, on hats, scarves and on the lower point of V-neck clothing. Pin a dazzling brooch to the lapel of your blazer-and-tee combo or add a cluster of smaller pins to your overcoat. And while brooches have their place in “mourning jewelry,” in that a mourning brooch is representative of your connection to a lost loved one, they’re widely seen as romantic and symbolic of love, so much so that a hardcore brooch enthusiast might advocate for brooches to be worn over the heart.
Today, find a wide variety of antique and vintage brooches on 1stDibs, including gold brooches, sapphire brooches and more.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021As the name suggests, mourning jewelry represents connection to a deceased individual or loved one. In the Victorian era, people were expected to wear mourning clothing and accessories following the death of a loved one. As brooches were popular during the Victorian period, they became a favorite for those who wanted to memorialize the dead. Find a collection of vintage and antique brooches on 1stDibs today.