18th Century Order of Aviz Portuguese Paste Cross

These elegant brooches were handcrafted in the 2nd half of the 18th century. The brooch to the top left is made out of two pointed ovals of beautifully cut slightly trapeze shaped wh...

Antique diamond sequile pendant/brooch in 19.2kt yellow gold, Portugal, early 18th century. This Portuguese jewel from the Georgian period of an intr...

“Laça” brooch in 833‰ silver with topazes, Portuguese, second half of the 18th century. Floral decoration with stylised bow, with 3 removable “girandola” pendants in the shape of sty...

Antique Late 18th / 19th Century rose-cut diamond devant de corsage or stomacher in closed-back silver, Portugal. This Portuguese jewel is composed b...

Indulge in this stunning Georgian Antique Brooch or Pendant with a magnificent hand painted portrait miniature of a woman painted "en grisaille" and set in magnificent frame with ear...

Museum-quality antique late 17th/early 18th century diamond and yellow gold Baroque “sequilé” earrings and pendant/brooch demi-parure, Portuguese, with hallmarks from the period and ...

Massive and exceptional 19th Century Paste Sword Jabot Brooch from the l9th Century. Designed likely for a heavy cloak or cape set in sterling with pastes ...

While the craze for Lover’s Eye miniatures flourished from the 1790s through the 1820s—spurred on by the Prince of Wales’ famously illicit romance with Maria Fitzherbert—this brooc...

18th Century micromosaic plaque of a bluebird, Rome, c. 1785, attributed to Giacomo Raffaelli (1753-1836). A micromosaic plaque of a blue bird perched on a flowering tree branch, 2.25 inches in diameter. The ground line is parallel and low. The foreground green grass with a brown rock in the front. The background is a creme color with parallel lines of square tesserae. The bird has both square and oblong tesserae as does the foreground. The border of a decorative pattern with three colors with a red circle or dot in a white square on blue. Like most plaque done at this time, it is backed with copper. There is a black substance or adhesive which, centuries ago, could have been applied to adhere this plaque on a box or in a frame. We have chosen to keep this as it came to us, and in an effort to be careful, we have made no effort to remove it. We have dated this piece as being the last quarter of the 18th century, and attributed to the master mosaicist Giacomo Raffaelli. This micromosaic has all of the established 18th century characteristics of micromosaics executed by Giacomo Raffaelli: 1. Each tesserae possesses one color. 2. The tesserae are either oblong or square. 3. The background is parallel horizontal rows of square tesserae, and 4. The addition of an identical border or millefiori around the edge. For more detailed information, see page 32 of "The Gilbert Collection Micromosaics by Jeanette H. Gabriel. Philip Wilson Publishers. Raffaelli is known for his very realistic depictions of birds. His naturalism and use of colors is among the finest of mosaicists at this time. Raffaelli became one of the most feted mosaicists in all of Rome. Indeed when Napoleon I wanted to sponsor a mosaic version of the Last Supper in roughly 1810 he chose Raffaelli. This selection itself added to the already high reputation of Raffaelli. This micromosaic is in very good condition and probably executed by one of the greatest of mosaicists ever and, who is thought by art historians to be the first creator of modern mosaics in the late 18th century. We have one of the largest collections of micromosaics offered for sale. If our reader is searching for a particular motif, we would be happy to list it here for your consideration. From very large wall hangings...

18th Century micromosaic plaque of a Goldfinch, Rome, c. 1785, attributed to Giacomo Raffaelli (1753-1836). A micromosaic plaque of a goldfinch, looking left, perched on a red flowering tree branch, two inches in diameter. The ground line is parallel and low. The foreground is of different colors of grass and fallen berries and leaves. The background is a light blue with parallel lines of square tesserae. The goldfinch has both square and oblong tesserae as does the foreground. The border of a decorative pattern in white in black circles and further with a rim of yellow oblong tesserae create a colorful frame for this well executed micromosaic which is backed with copper. There is a pinstem and "c" clasp (this type of clasp is seen both in the 18th and 19th centuries), both are not gold. This assembly could have been put on at the time of purchase or slightly later so the plaque could be worn as a brooch. We have dated this piece as being at the end of the 18th century and attributed to Giacomo Raffaelli. This micromosaic has all of the established 18th century characteristics of micromosaics executed by Giacomo Raffaelli: 1. Each tesserae possesses one color. 2. The tesserae are either oblong or square. 3. The background is parallel horizontal rows of square tesserae, and 4. The addition of an identical border or millefiori around the edge. See page 32 of "The Gilbert Collection Micromosaics by Jeanette H. Gabriel. Philip Wilson Publishers. Giacomo Raffaelli (1753-1836) is one the most important artists of micromosaics, his signed pieces are almost nowhere to be found - unless in museums and important collections of the world. We know of nine that exist in the world. Two in the Hermitage, two in the renowned Gilbert Collection, one in the British Museum, three held by different companies in the trade, and one held by Pierre/Famille ( for sale on this platform). Raffaelli was considered the finest mosaicist in Rome. Indeed, when Napoleon I wanted to sponsor a mosaic version of The Last Supper, in roughly 1810, he chose Raffaelli, this too added much to his fame. A very similar plaque, also attributed to Raffaelli, can be seen in the above referenced book on page 56. This plaque is part of The Gilbert Collection. The permanent collection is on view at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Raffaelli is known for his very realistic depictions of birds - especially the Goldfinch. While his naturalism is among the finest of mosaicists at this time, Raffaelli chose to display his extraordinary talent featuring the goldfinch in many of his works. Raffaelli was probably aware of the significance of the goldfinch to the Catholic Church. Afterall, it is one of the most poignant stories in the Passion of Christ. On the road to Golgotha, Christ was forced to carry the cross upon which he would be crucified. He was also made to wear a brutal crown of thorns. It was said that a simple Goldfinch, having alighted on the Savior's shoulder, flew to his head and plucked a thorn that had been making Christ bleed; whereupon this blood was transferred to the finch, which to this day, still wears it. This is but one example as to how mosaics permitted the Church to teach important lessons or parables. Why was this not done by traditional art forms such as paintings? Why was this done instead by mosaics? From its initial conception at approximately 319 AD, the Church sought to locate St. Peter's Basilica at the site of the apostle's martyrdom. On its face such a decision would seem rational, if not appropriate. St. Peter however was executed in a marshy area on a side of the Tiber in the already quite humid city of Rome. Housed in the early St. Peters with its exposure for so many centuries of very high humidity most of the Basilica's artwork was beyond the help of the rudimentary preservation and restoration of the period. By about 1750 to which the "new" St. Peters dates it had therefore lost many oil and watercolor paintings as well as wood, bone, and tortoise sculptures, frames and other artifacts. What could the Church do? Enter the "new" age of Roman micromosaics in which tiny pieces of colored stone or glass when set with grout would prove to be impervious to the debilitating effects of humidity. By the early 1700's the Church would begin the process of establishing a school of instruction in mosaics. It would sponsor research and experimentation in developing especially glass tesserae and would encourage students to select damaged oils, paintings or watercolors as appropriate subjects for duplicative efforts in micromosaics. Gifted instructors and successful students both frequently had their work promulgated by the Church. And it was from this pool of recently praised practitioners that fame, and special commissions paralleled each other. By about 1780 one mosaicist in particular separated himself from most all the others. Giacomo Raffaelli became one of the most feted mosaicists in all of Rome. Indeed when Napoleon I wanted to sponsor a mosaic version of the Last Supper in roughly 1810 he chose Raffaelli. This selection itself added to the already high reputation of Raffaelli. This micromosaic is in very good condition and probably executed by one of the greatest of mosaicists of all time, and done on a work of art symbolically significant to the early Catholic Church. We have one of the largest collections of micromosaics offered for sale. If our reader is searching for a particular motif, we would be happy to list it here for your consideration. From very large wall hangings...