Victorian Hair Brooch
Antique 1850s Victorian Brooches
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown High Victorian Brooches
Gold-filled
Antique Mid-19th Century Scottish Victorian Brooches
Quartz, 9k Gold, Rose Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Victorian Brooches
Pearl, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Brooches
Onyx, Cultured Pearl, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Enamel
Antique 19th Century Victorian Brooches
14k Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Victorian Brooches
Pearl, 14k Gold
Antique 1890s Victorian Brooches
Onyx, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1890s British Etruscan Revival Brooches
Natural Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique Early 19th Century European Victorian Brooches
Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Victorian Brooches
Agate, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Brooches
Pearl
Antique Mid-19th Century European Art Nouveau Brooches
Coral, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1870s Victorian Brooches
Turquoise, 15k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Garnet, Yellow Gold, Sterling Silver
Antique 1880s British Victorian Brooches
Agate, 9k Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century Victorian Brooches
Natural Pearl, Turquoise
Antique 19th Century Unknown Brooches
Onyx, Steel
Antique 1840s Victorian Brooches
Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Brooches
Gold-filled
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Brooches
Gold, Silver
Antique 1840s British Brooches
Turquoise, 15k Gold
Antique 1860s British Victorian Brooches
Garnet, Enamel, 15k Gold
Antique 1880s Unknown Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Brooches
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Brooches
Garnet, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1890s European Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Silver
Antique Late 19th Century European Victorian Brooches
Coral, Gold, 14k Gold
Antique Early 19th Century French Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s Portuguese Late Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Antique Early 1900s British Victorian Brooches
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1870s Victorian Brooches
Yellow Gold
Antique Mid-19th Century British Victorian Brooches
Pearl, Gold, 9k Gold
Antique Early 19th Century Victorian Brooches
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Brooches
Garnet, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Silver
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Brooches
9k Gold
Antique Early 19th Century British Georgian Brooches
Pearl, Gold, Enamel
Antique 1820s British Georgian Brooches
14k Gold
Antique 19th Century French Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold
Antique 19th Century French Victorian Brooches
Emerald, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold
Antique 19th Century Unknown Georgian Brooches
Coral, Gold-filled
Antique Late 19th Century French Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Antique 19th Century Brooches
Agate, Pearl, Gold
20th Century Victorian Brooches
Diamond, White Gold
Antique 1890s English Victorian Brooches
Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver, Sterling Silver
Antique 1820s British Georgian Brooches
10k Gold
Antique 19th Century Unknown Victorian Brooches
Turquoise, Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
Antique 19th Century European Victorian Brooches
Garnet, Gold
Antique 1850s British Early Victorian Brooches
15k Gold, Silver
Antique 19th Century Italian Victorian Brooches
10k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold Plate
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Brooches
Agate, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Antique 1890s Victorian Brooches
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1890s Victorian Brooches
Coral, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1890s Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique Early 1900s Unknown Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Antique 1890s Late Victorian Brooches
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique 1880s Victorian Brooches
Agate, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Brooches
Antique 1880s French Victorian Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
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Victorian Hair Brooch For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Victorian Hair 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.