Couture 1939-50 Schiaparelli-SchlumbergerStyle GlassBeads ProngSetCrystal Brooch

This 15th-Century period or older gilt copper and silver alloy amulet with niello inlay is an elaborately engraved three-dimensional brooch and pendant, which demonstrates the epitome of miniature decorative nielli in the early Renaissance by European goldsmiths of small cruciform or quatrefoil objects with heraldry symbols. Beyond a dense array of engraved radiant-light, cloud and star motifs with punchwork, it features a 10mm fine black crested staff that is the Christian symbol for the Holy Trinity. This intricate engraving with niello has fleur-de-lys elements, like a French or Florentine coat-of-arms or monogram used to identify noble families or a significant person like a king. It tops a 5mm bar, which is bracketed by 10mm peaked bars that form a cross. When worn, it is positioned horizontally like an elongated barbed quatrefoil. The bars may be concealing a relic such as wood, while it is not clear how these pieces are attached to the front. As a symbol of French conversion to Christianity, the French King Louis in the 12th Century made a fleur-de-lys element of the Holy Trinity vector the official emblem of his royal authority on shields. Later, English kings adopted it when claiming the French throne. By the 14th Century, the fleur-de-lys was used in family insignia that was sewn onto a knight's coat-of-mail surcoat. This coat-of-arms insignia could identify them if found on a battlefield. The Met Cloisters museum collection includes a similarly sized mid-15th Century French gold brooch...

This modern mid-century abstract three-dimensional unsigned brooch is a single hand-hammered sterling-silver wire that was shaped by an artist into an undulating squiggle that ends i...

In the 1990s when the Dutch collective Droog introduced international leaders of late 20th-Century functional art such as Ron Arad, Marcel Wanders, Jurgen Bey, Hella Jongerius, and Tejo Remy, the Netherlands-based brand was one of the most successful producers of conceptual design. The collaboration was co-founded in 1993 in Amsterdam by the jewelry and product designer Gijs Bakker (b. 1942), who commissioned his protege French artist Frederic Braham in 1998 to create this one-of-a-kind brooch for his young Droog-represented jewelry line "Chi ha paura...?". The Italian phrase means "who is afraid of?". This natural satin-lustre South Sea black-Tahitian 15 x 10 mm baroque thick-nacred pearl, which is bezel-set in oxidized sterling on a sharp silver stud for push-back fastening as a lapel or tie pin, is surrounded by a removable textured gold disk brooch with the Chiapaura maker's mark, artist's signature, abbreviated year and assay symbol. Notably, while farmed pearls from this French-Polynesian region are scarce, it is rarer to find one over 12mm. This dark gray one is also exceptional for its desirable secondary tone of peacock green with minimal surface imperfections. From normal use, the unseen back of the disk is missing chips of ecru enamel where it contacts the fastening knob. This reveals that the disk is solid gold. Like other functional conceptual design represented by Droog, the brooch is more than a beautiful piece of fine jewelry featuring multiple contrasting elements, as it could be a provocative "third nipple" if worn on a tie or scarf. Given the Dutch origin of the brand, we recall the famous 15th-Century oil-painting by Johannes Vermeer, known as "Girl with a Pearl Earring". Who is afraid of girl or boy with a third nipple? We acquired this brooch from a jewelry collector who had purchased it from the Italian gallery...

During the ArtDeco period when Gabriel "Coco" Chanel was at her peak as a Parisian couture fashion-designer in the early 1930s, this antique one-of-a-kind handcrafted gem-fringed and gilt-chain medallion brooch with trombone clasp was commissioned to accessorize one of her clothing designs. Marked only "FRANCE" like some early 1930s Chanel couture jewelry (without a brand stamp until the 1950s), its artistic origin is most likely from ornate organic-form sketches by her favorite parurer Fulco di Verdura. The Sicilian duke began creating fabric patterns for Chanel in 1927, which shortly expanded to fine jewelry beginning with custom pieces for herself. These include the iconic Byzantine-influenced gem-adorned cuffs referencing the Maltese military-cross, which the French designer can often be seen wearing in circa-1930s photos. This bright yellow-gold brooch suits goldsmith Verdura's early anti-Art-Deco aesthetic that was considered a radical departure from 1920s silver-tone jewelry, which otherwise featured linear geometric designs or figurative representation. The softly-shaped deconstructed gem-bouquet mixes amethyst and rose-quartz beads with natural Keshi pearls and intricate tiny gilt leaves, which are wired to a Baroque-motif open-work frame that dangles another gem surrounded by a thick gilt-rope halo. Notably, Verdura is credited with re-introducing since Victorian times the rope motif to jewelry. Since 1930, Verdura's unique style was influenced by travels with Chanel to explore Byzantine art, Baroque architecture, and exotic flora-and-fauna among his native Italian aristocratic estate. The legendary fashion-editor Diane Vreeland and American entertainment-stars were among the first Chanel clients to acquire couture real-gem-adorned jewelry made by Verdura, while one of the two brooches treasured by Vreeland was titled "Theodora". See our photo of the Byzantine mosaic of Empress Theodora, whose image wearing many teardrop pearls above her chest and surrounded by a golden halo seems to be the inspiration for this brooch. As one of the most important modern-design collaborations, Chanel's close relationship with Verdura lasted largely-undocumented years in Paris, until he launched his first outside jewelry venture with a Hollywood designer-boutique after emigrating to the United States in 1934. By 1939 as a financially-backed in-demand goldsmith, he founded the namesake jewelry-company Verdura in NYC. After he retired in 1973, the brand continued to operate without him with different owners. Given the duo's designs that played with historic and military references, Chanel's couture commission for this purple medallion may have been sparked in the early 1930s when the internationally-new...

Like the pendant collected by the Smithsonian American Art Museum, this bezel-set lava rock was handcrafted as a modern sterling silver brooch by studio-artist Joan Parcher...

This rare signed couture set of pave-crystal and gold-plated brooch and earrings from the Art Deco period is marked in the manner of one-off costume jewelry commissioned...

This pin weighs 9.6 DWT (approx. 14.93 grams). It contains 97 round G color and VS clarity diamonds weighing 1.11 CTTW. Dimensions: 1.5" X 1.5".

Previously-owned Levian Black and White Diamond Rose Collection pin. The pin is 3 inches in length, made of 18K white gold, and weighs 12.70 DWT (approx. 19.75 grams). It also has 37...

This pearl, ruby, and emerald pin is made of 14K yellow gold. It contains a round white pearl , round green emeralds weighing 0.50 CTTW, and round red rubies weighing 0.70 CTTW.

This Enamel pin is made of 18k Rose Gold . It contains a round ruby weighing 0.55 CT, round green tsavorites weighing 0.32 CTTW, round multi color, diamonds weighing 0.31 CTTW, round...

This tree motif pin weighs 15.20 DWT (approx. 23.64 grams). It contains 9 round G color and VS clarity diamonds weighing 0.60 CTTW.

This antique sapphire and diamond bow pin is made of 14K yellow gold. It contains square sapphires weighing 1.50 CTTW, single cut I-J color and I1 clarity diamonds weighing 0.10 CTTW...