Crab Pins
Antique 1890s American Art Nouveau Brooches
Freshwater Pearl, Natural Pearl, 14k Gold
20th Century Retro Brooches
Pearl, 10k Gold
2010s Modern Brooches
Emerald, 14k Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold
Recent Sales
Late 20th Century Italian Artisan Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Brooches
Early 2000s German Contemporary Brooches
White Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
20th Century British Brooches
Sapphire, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Brooches
Diamond, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Brooches
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, 18k Gold
1990s American Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
Vintage 1950s Unknown Retro Brooches
Coral, Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Brooches
Diamond, Jade, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s American Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
Mid-20th Century American Modern Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
Vintage 1980s Unknown Modern Brooches
White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s Unknown Retro Brooches
Coral, Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century American Brooches
Coral, Diamond, 18k Gold
20th Century Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold
French Brooches
Late 20th Century Unknown Contemporary Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, White Diamond, 18k Gold
20th Century Italian Brooches
18k Gold
Late 20th Century French Brooches
20th Century American Brooches
Ruby, Sapphire, 18k Gold
Vintage 1980s American Brooches
Emerald, 18k Gold
Vintage 1940s Brooches
Coral, Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
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Vintage 1980s French Wrist Watches
White Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Emerald, Onyx, 18k Gold
20th Century American Contemporary Brooches
Yellow Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Yellow Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Tourmaline, Paraiba, Gold, 18k Gold
20th Century American Modern Brooches
Spinel, 14k Gold
Antique 1880s Link Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Mid-20th Century Retro Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
Early 2000s Italian Modernist Cocktail Rings
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1950s French Retro More Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Contemporary Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century English Modern Necklace Enhancers
Diamond, Platinum
Antique 1890s European Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Opal, 18k Gold, Silver
Early 20th Century French Belle Époque More Jewelry
Diamond, Platinum
Vintage 1960s French Retro Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1910s Swedish Edwardian Vanity Items
Diamond, Gold, Silver
2010s Modern Brooches
Yellow Gold
2010s American Beaded Necklaces
Amazonite, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
Crab Pins For Sale on 1stDibs
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Finding the Right Brooches for You
Vintage brooches, which refer to decorative jewelry traditionally pinned to garments and used to fasten pieces of clothing together where needed, have seen increasing popularity in recent years.
While jewelry trends come and go, brooches are indeed back on the radar thanks to fashion houses like Gucci, Versace, Dior and Saint Laurent, all of which feature fun pinnable designs in their current collections. Whether a dazzlingly naturalistic Art Nouveau dragonfly, a whimsical David Webb animal, a gem-studded bloom or a streamlined abstract design, these jewels add color and sparkle to your look and a spring to your step.
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. Chanel, of course, has never abandoned this style, producing gorgeously baroque CC examples since the 1980s.
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 for sale on 1stDibs, including gold brooches, sapphire brooches and more.
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This David Webb Coral Flower Brooch Is Better Than a Bouquet
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This Gem-Encrusted Boucheron Brooch Is a Symbol of Mid-Century Glamour and Clever Design
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The Editor of ‘Town & Country’ Loves Jewelry and History in Equal Measure
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