Georgian "Regard" Basket Brooch

Rare Pair of Georgian REGARD Turtle Dove Brooches, ca. 1820s A symbolic and museum-collectable example of acrostic jewels, featuring two doves, mounted with various gemstones, where the gems spell out "regard" - (R)uby (E)merald (G)arnet (A)methyst (R)uby (D)iamond. The pieces are further accentuated with fine cannetille gold work throughout. About Acrostic Jewellery and Turtle Doves In acrostic jewels the first letter of each gemstone spells out a word. Typical examples are words of endearment like "adore", "dearest" and "regard". The utterly romantic trend of acrostic jewels began in the Georgian era and flourished throughout the Victorian period. It is believed that acrostic jewelry was first created by Jean-Baptiste Mellerio of the House of Mellerio, who started designing jewels with gems that spelled out “j’adore.” Napoleon Bonaparte admired Mellario’s acrostic designs and commissioned acrostic jewels for both Empress Josephine and his second wife, Empress Marie Louise. Secret messages of love encoded in gems went perfectly with the Georgian and Victorian love of romance and symbolic meanings. These sentimental jewels would have been gifted to lovers, family members, or even treasured friends. Further to being acrostic jewels, these doves also represent love and faithfulness, because they mate for life, work together to build nests and raise their young together. They are immortalized in literary and poetic works, such as the Old Testament, and artists like Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser...

An antique Georgian period "REGARD" brooch in the form of a petite half-pearl lyre set with rubies, emerald, garnet, amethyst and diamond, in pinchbeck In acrostic jewelry...

A late Georgian topaz brooch, the brooch set with a central oval-shaped faceted golden topaz, measuring approximately 13.5 x 11.7 mm, rose gold c...

Rare Georgian Lover's Eye Brooch from the late 1700's. Painted miniature portrait of a young woman, looking upwards with white ribbon holding her hair, with...

Love for Ever Magnificent little treasure as survivor of a past pledge of love will please the next keeper with its un discussed beauty and hidden secret tales of love Georgian perio...

Dorothy Bauer was known for her sculptural, whimsical jewelry designs incorporating Swarovski crystals, as exemplified by this brooch. She was active...