Miriam Haskell Bow Brooch
Vintage 1940s American Brooches
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
Gilt Metal
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1940s American Retro Brooches
Crystal, Brass, Gilt Metal
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
Gold Plate, Brass, Gilt Metal
Vintage 1960s American Multi-Strand Necklaces
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1930s American Drop Necklaces
Brass
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Brooches
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
Gold Plate, Brass, Gilt Metal
Vintage 1940s American Brooches
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1940s American Retro Cuff Bracelets
Gold Plate, Gilt Metal
Excellent condi...
Vintage 1950s American Beaded Necklaces
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1950s American Anglo-Indian Beaded Necklaces
Gilt Metal, Gold Plate, Brass, Cut Steel
Vintage 1950s American Drop Necklaces
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1940s American Anglo-Indian Cuff Bracelets
Gold Plate, Brass, Gilt Metal
Recent Sales
Vintage 1940s American Brooches
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1960s American Brooches
Vintage 1980s American Brooches
Late 20th Century American Brooches
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
Gold Plate
Vintage 1930s American Baroque Revival Brooches
Yellow Gold, Brass, Gilt Metal
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Brooches
Crystal
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.