Meissen Porcelain Figurine Busts of a Man & Woman by Peter Strang
By Peter Strang, Meissen Porcelain
Located in Philadelphia, PA
The man wears an argyle sweater and is smoking a pipe, and the woman is in a purple dress with a blue brooch. Each bust rests atop a plinth of white porcelain.
Porcelain
Fancy Colored Sapphires and Diamond Clover Stick-Pin
Located in London, GB
A late Victorian fancy coloured sapphires and diamond four-leaf clover pin, the brooch set with petals of fancy coloured sapphires, estimated to weigh a total of 0.60 carats, each se...
Diamond, Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Purple Sapphire, Yello...
Modern Blue Enamel, Purple Sapphire, Diamond, Pearl And Gold Butterfly Brooch
Located in London, GB
A modern butterfly brooch in yellow gold, set with purple sapphires and round, brilliant cut diamonds, weighing an estimated total of 0.14ct, with a pearl thorax, with a pin and tube...
Diamond, Pearl, Purple Sapphire, Gold, Enamel
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.
The care that went into crafting this jewel, with its lifelike carved petals and diamond accents, matches the sentiment it represents.
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