Massachusetts - Brooches
to
3
50
28
25
19
15
50
15
13
11
7
3
6
91
4
2
3
8
16
7
12
11
2
1
2
1
58
46
25
15
10
8
5
to
4
3
3
3
2
21
11
7
5
5
4
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
63
41
10,970
5,520
Item Ships From: Massachusetts
Couture 1938 France Depose ElsaSchiaparelli Pagan FeatherCrystalGold Bird Brooch
By Elsa Schiaparelli
Located in Chicago, IL
Unusually decorated with small partridge feathers like the yellow-gold gilt necklace commissioned by Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) that is featured on the front-and-back covers and centerfold of the French costume-jewelry hardcover book Lina Baretti Parures authored by Patrick Mauries, this unique pave-crystal yellow-gold gilt metal partridge-on-a-branch brooch is further distinguished as an unsigned Parisian-couture piece for Italian-born Schiaparelli with its combination of embossed text "Made In France" and "Modele Depose", along with the trombone clasp often used in the early 20th Century for custom-made French small brooches.
The book centerfold on pages 90-91 shows a closeup of the feathered necklace created by French-born Corsican Baretti, whose intricate decoration often mixed ready-made textural or shiny materials like velvet, cork, wire, rhodoid or raffia with custom-made metal, plastic or glass by specialized Parisian workshops such as Maison Gripoix. The Baretti-book caption about the attributed necklace notes: "Collier realise pour Elsa Schiaparelli. Liege, soie, cannetille, perles de verre et plumes de perdix. Chaine en metal." While none of the captions date this necklace--which could have been from the same commission as our brooch--Baretti created one-of-a-kind jewelry for Schiaparelli from the 1930s to the early 1950s until the fashion designer retired.
Our brooch was most likely made for a fashion-show debut of one of Schiaparelli's themed clothing collections in the late 1930s for which she commissioned many costume-jewelry paruriers including Baretti. See our photo of a Schiaparelli 1930s...
Category
1930s French Artisan Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Crystal, Gold, Yellow Gold, Gilt Metal
Antique Amuletic Dozen RockCrystals CagedRing Medieval Style Gilt Bronze Pendant
Located in Chicago, IL
This antique amuletic bronze framed pendant cages a dozen 7mm-diameter single-cut rock crystals that each feature a table-cut decagon crown, deep pavilion, 21 facets and uncut girdle, while the culets range from off-center to blunted. They are tightly set within four linked rings to overlap at the same angle in a sparkling single row. Seeming to retain a little of its original yellow-gold gilding on just the interior, the frame that surrounds each of the four sections of three crystals enables them to reflect pale-yellow-and-lime light when the pendant is viewed from certain angles.
Suggesting French heritage, the Medieval Frankish culture in northern France made jewelry in similar segmented or openwork shapes of wheels or whorls, which were worn as gem-decorated disk-shaped brooches or gold-caged rock...
Category
18th Century French Renaissance Antique Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Crystal, Rock Crystal, Gilt Metal, Bronze, Copper
Artist BertoiaStyle Hammered SterlingSilver SquiggleSpiral UndulatingWire Brooch
Located in Chicago, IL
Strongly resembling the Harry Bertoia Foundation's archived c.1947 unsigned small brooch (D.JE.27) that is essentially an elegant hammered silver curvilinear three-humped squiggle by...
Category
Early 20th Century American Modern Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Sterling Silver
Couture Chanel 1930s Byzantine PurpleHeart RealPearls&Gems Gold Medallion Brooch
By Chanel
Located in Chicago, IL
When French Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel was at her peak during the Art-Deco period as a Parisian couture-fashion designer in the early 1930s, this one-of-a-kind handcrafted gem-fringed and gilt-chain medallion brooch with trombone clasp was commissioned by her 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 parurier 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 New...
Category
1930s French Byzantine Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Amethyst, Pearl, Quartz, Gold, Gilt Metal, Yellow Gold
HenrySchreiner Early Set ProngSet Crystal Silver Spray Tiered Earrings & Brooch
By Henry Schreiner
Located in Chicago, IL
Henry Schreiner, the Austrian-born blacksmith founder of Schreiner in New York in 1932, handcrafted this demi-parure of prong-set colorless crystal stylized-foliage sprays after he b...
Category
1940s American Victorian Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Crystal, Diamond, Rhodium, Silver
Couture 1936-49 Schiaparelli-Dali-Style Set FauxSapphire&Pearl Earrings & Brooch
Located in Chicago, IL
This handcrafted faux-sapphire-topped-pearl cluster brooch and clip-earrings set dates to around WWII, when fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli (18...
Category
1940s American Modern Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Crystal, Pearl, Sapphire, Mixed Metal
Couture 1930s CocoChanel LinaBaretti SatinBlackCamellias PaveCrystals Gold Set
By Chanel
Located in Chicago, IL
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...
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Crystal, Gold, Gold Plate, Silver
Couture 1939-50 Schiaparelli-SchlumbergerStyle GlassBeads ProngSetCrystal Brooch
By Artisan NYC
Located in Chicago, IL
In the style of Elsa Schiaparelli couture costume-jewelry and one of her paruriers since the late 1930s, Jean Schlumberger, this handcrafted highly-textural glass-and-crystal rhodium...
Category
1940s American Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Crystal, Pearl, Silver, Rhodium
Art Nouveau Opal 18k Gold Leaves and Branch Finely Detailed Edwardian Pin Brooch
Located in North Attleboro, MA
Stunning antique 18k yellow gold leaf and branch brooch with a gorgeous cabochon opal. The opal has exceptional color play with intense peacock blue, bright green, indigo and peach d...
Category
Early 19th Century Unknown Art Nouveau Antique Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Opal, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
Schreiner 1950s ProngSet UniqueGreen ABCrystals PaveCrystalLeaves Silver Brooch
By Schreiner of New York
Located in Chicago, IL
This colorful prong-set crystal spray brooch by Schreiner New York was made to compliment luxury clothing by a U.S.-based fashion designer, such as Pauline Trigere, in the late 1950s. This piece is special because it shows the unique decorative technique that Schreiner used for a period of several years in reaction to the limited availability of the first aurora-borealis (AB) stones by Swarovski in 1956, which had been designed for Christian Dior.
In response to the availability of only the initial AB color that mostly reflected bright blue and the high demand from other designers, Schreiner's creative family soon applied transparent glass paint to create additional colors, such as the light-green painted AB crystals on this brooch. According to Henry Schreiner's late daughter who took over the business with her jewelry-designer husband, this enabled them to become the first to produce costume jewelry with AB stones in different colors, while Swarovski took several years to introduce similar colors.
All original painted AB crystals are intact in this brooch, which is significant since a lost stone...
Category
1950s American Modern Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Crystal, Silver, Brass
Couture 1937-40 ElsaSchiaparelli MarcelVertes Harlequin Duck GlazedCeramicBrooch
By Elsa Schiaparelli
Located in Chicago, IL
Between the first ad campaign that legendary fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) commissioned from internationally-admired Paris-based Hungarian-born multimedia artist Marcel Vertes (1895-1961) for her blockbuster perfume "Shocking" in 1937 and in 1940 when they left France after launching her perfume "Sleeping" shortly before the Nazi occupation during WWII, the illustrator-cum-ceramist distinctly handmade, while traditional materials for couture costume-jewelry were scarce in Paris, this whimsical red glazed ceramic brooch depicting a duck holding a "wet" umbrella dripped with dashes of turquoise or black glaze.
Significantly, the trombone clasp of the brooch pin, the long-pronged gilt frame, and the text stamped on its back plate "Made In France" match a similarly sized glazed-ceramic brooch of a decoratively-chained bear that was published in the book Bijoux (page 146). The author Deanna Farenti Cera dated that likewise unbranded unsigned brooch to 1938 when it was commissioned for one of Schiaparelli's fashion shows themed "Circus". The invitation to that show, which was illustrated with circus characters and performing animals by Vertes' Parisian peer Christian Berard, included a domesticated white duck--notably not holding nor wearing a fashion accessory.
Unusually, Schiaparelli had commissioned couture umbrellas from other artisans in the 1930s--a couple of which were acquired by TheMet museum. Another relevant Met acquisition of the designer's couture evening gown, which it dates to Summer 1940, features three large glazed-ceramic fasteners in a contrasting color matching our brooch.
The like findings, materials, construction, text, object, and palette aside, accessory-adorned ducks were also among the figurative animals commissioned by Schiaparelli for that last collection before the Germans dominated Paris by June 1940, which is evidenced by the photo of the dated gilt hatpin depicting a bejeweled head with a bill that appears in the book by Patrick Mauries about another Schiaparelli-associated French parurier Lina Baretti (pages 124-125). See our other listing for one of Baretti's uniquely feathered designs, which likewise has a pronged gilt frame with trombone clasp like ours, but whose partridge subject best suits an earlier Schiaparelli collection for Fall 1938 titled "Pagan".
For us, distinguishing our brooch from other one-of-a-kind ceramic pieces created for Schiaparelli couture...
Category
1930s French Artisan Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Gold, Yellow Gold, Gilt Metal
1941 ChanelRelevant American Reinad ArtDecoStyle Silver PolkaDot LargeBow Brooch
By Reinad
Located in Chicago, IL
In Spring 1941 after French fashion couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel had stopped production of her clothing designs while she remained in Europe during the WWII era, the decades-old American costume-jewelry company Reinad began imprinting pieces in its new retail line, Chanel Novelty Co, with the script signature "Chanel". As this was prior to the use of the sans-serif capital-letter signature "CHANEL" on French-made jewelry that was commissioned by the Parisian designer, as well as before U.S.-copyright protection began in 1955, the House of Chanel that was mostly owned by the Jewish Wertheimer family of venture capitalists (who remarkably still produced Parfums CHANEL and French-vineyard wine via legal proxy while they lived in asylum in The States during the war) filed a U.S. lawsuit to demand that Reinad halt the use of its founder's famous last name.
As the Werthheimers' quickly won, Reinad only produced the single seasonal collection stamped with the French brand name, and subsequently only imprinted its company name as the sans-serif capital-letter signature "REINAD" without a copyright symbol, which was different that its prior signatures dating back to its founding in 1922. When Chanel herself resumed French-made fashion production in Paris in 1953 (with Werthheimer support leading to their acquisition of all rights to her name despite her post-war eight-year exile in Switzerland due to close association with Nazis), for the first time all of her creations were signed "CHANEL" like the original packaging of the exceedingly profitable "No.5" perfume.
While Reinad continued to produced costume jewelry until 1954, in the last decade of this business, the U.S. company continued to try to appeal to potential Chanel buyers by at least making Chanel-style designs. As such, owning an attractive and well-made Reinad piece can be considered a useful investment in fashion history as evidence of a little-known turning-point involving the most famous ongoing luxury-fashion business Chanel, as well as of the impact of that legal judgement had on advancing U.S. design protection for brands that later used the copyright symbol.
Like early ArtDeco-style oversized heavy metallic costume jewelry by Chanel, this three-dimensional monochrome silver-alloy polkadot bow brooch imitates a pale polkadot-textured ribbon. Notably, while high-quality ribbon for styling hair or decorating clothing in a non-functional way was still an expensive accessory...
Category
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Rhodium, Silver, Base Metal
William Spratling Conch Shell Earrings Pin Brooch Set 980 Silver Vintage Taxco
By William Spratling
Located in North Attleboro, MA
From the collection of Phyllis M. Goddard, widely respected collector, researcher and author of books on William Spratling's works. She featured the pin in her book "Spratling Silver: A Field Guide", 2003, pg. 40, figure 2-56.
A beautiful set of matching earrings and brooch. Crafted of 980 silver using the repousse method into the design of stylized conch shell cross...
Category
1940s Mexican Modernist Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Silver
Grosse 1960s Brooch with Pearls
Located in Alford, MA
Grosse brooch from 1968 composed of an open network of crownlike elements, each point terminating in a textured drop, and each circular grouping centerin...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Massachusetts - Brooches
AntiqueArtNouveau 1920s RedPouredGlass Czech Neiger BrassFiligree Dangle Brooch
Located in Chicago, IL
In the 1920s in an Art-Nouveau style, Czech costume-jewelry designer Max Neiger created this brass dangle brooch that features three different shapes of ...
Category
1920s Czech Art Nouveau Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Brass, Mixed Metal
Tiffany & Company Vintage Dahlia Flower Ruby Brooch in 18K Yellow Gold
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in Boston, MA
Aston Estate Jewelry Presents:
A vintage circa 1980's Tiffany & Company Dahlia flower brooch. Crafted in brightly polished 18 karat gold, layered elongated petals arranged around a ...
Category
1980s Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antique FabergeStyle 3AquamarineCabochons 4GreyDiamonds BezelSet Platinum Brooch
Located in Chicago, IL
This antique Victorian platinum filigree bar-brooch or tie-pin from the Edwardian period with Faberge-style elements features bezel settings with three square-cut 10mm sugarloaf aqua...
Category
Early 1900s European Edwardian Antique Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, Aquamarine, Black Diamond, Platinum
Aquamarine Hypercalmous Carved 18K Brooch
By Diane Griswold Johnston
Located in Cohasset, MA
18K aquamarine seahorse pin 2 x21/2" wide with sapphire eye
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Aquamarine, 18k Gold
MiriamHaskell WWII Era GoldGilt Filigree Cast Butterfly FrankHess Pre1945 Brooch
By Frank Hess for Miriam Haskell
Located in Chicago, IL
A child of the Art-Nouveau period, Miriam Haskell loved its butterfly design-motifs, which are found in many pieces of costume jewelry by her first designer Frank Hess. His butterfly...
Category
1940s American Art Nouveau Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Yellow Gold, Gilt Metal, Base Metal
Antique ArtNouveau Austria Scheid RareMark Pave BlueZircon Silver Snake Brooch
By Georg Adam Scheid
Located in Chicago, IL
During the Art-Nouveau period while German-born Vienna-based silversmith, niello master, and entrepreneur Georg Adam Scheid (1837-1921) was prospering from a related refinery busines...
Category
Early 20th Century Austrian Victorian Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Aquamarine, Diamond, Sapphire, Zircon, Silver, Sterling Silver
Exquisite Victorian Pietra Dura Floral Motif Suite Brooch, Earrings Etc.
Located in Boston, MA
Aston Estate Jewelry Presents:
An exquisite Victorian period floral motif pietra dura set including a brooch, a pair of earrings, and a pair of buttons. Featuring meticulously inlai...
Category
19th Century Victorian Antique Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Agate, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vendome Emerald and Lime Crystal Brooch and Earrings
Located in Alford, MA
Vendome semi-parure of dome-shaped brooch and clip-on earrings composed of large round green crystals, each surrounded by small lime-colored crystals in a floral manner, and each wit...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Crystal, Emerald
Vintage 1960’s Platinum Diamond Bouquet Brooch 6.29ct
Located in Boston, MA
This exquisite brooch is a stunning example of 1960s jewelry craftsmanship. Crafted in luxurious platinum, it features an ornate bouquet design encrusted with 87 round brilliant diam...
Category
1960s Unknown Revival Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, Platinum
Renaissance FleurDeLis Niello HighRelief GiltEngraved Heraldry Reliquary Jewelry
Located in Chicago, IL
Demonstrating the epitome of miniature decorative art by Renaissance European goldsmiths who fashioned quatrefoil and/or cruciform jewelry with heraldry or religious symbols, this ce...
Category
16th Century European Renaissance Antique Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Gilt Metal, Niello, Silver, Copper
Couture 1920s French HandCarved Dogs Hounds Galalith RedPaintedArtPlastic Brooch
Located in Chicago, IL
This Art-Deco period French carved, lathe-worked, sculpted and red-painted black-galalith figural brooch depicts a pair of long-limbed dogs, which may be wolfhounds, greyhounds or wh...
Category
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Brass
16thCentury Renaissance Silver Repousse Lovers Pendant Or Engagement Hat Badge
Located in Chicago, IL
This early 16th-Century Renaissance silver-repousse round medallion "lovers" pendant depicts a romantic encounter in a rural landscape between a man and smiling woman wearing Europea...
Category
16th Century French Renaissance Antique Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Silver, Gilt Metal
Cartier Double-Sided Stickpin, c. 1920
By Cartier
Located in Weston, MA
A statement of quiet sophistication, this double-sided stickpin by Cartier is both stylish and versatile. One side of the decorative element is comprised of two square borders of cir...
Category
1920s Art Deco Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Original by Robert Pearl and Rhinestone Brooch/Pendant
By Original by Robert
Located in Alford, MA
Wreath-shaped brooch of various pearls, rhinestones, crystals, and micro gold beads by Robert, c.1960. Hook in addition to pin, so can be worn as pendant. Some of the Original by Robert...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Retro Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Crystal, Pearl
Michele Della Valle Sapphire and Diamond Gecko Brooch
By Michele della Valle
Located in Weston, MA
Originally from Rome, where he collaborated with Bulgari on custom work, Michele della Valle is now based in Geneva. This distinctive brooch, designed as a gecko with a curled tail, is set with alternating bands...
Category
20th Century Swiss Retro Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, Sapphire, Brown Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Cartier Citrine, Onyx and Diamond Sailboat Brooch
By Cartier
Located in Weston, MA
It is said that a brooch is the purest expression of the jeweler’s art. In this buoyant Cartier piece the careful cutting of the citrines captures the essence of a boat under full sa...
Category
20th Century Unknown Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Citrine, Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vendome Green/Blue Crystal Semi Parure
By Vendome
Located in Alford, MA
Vendome brooch and earrings set, the brooch of star shape consisting of large pear-shaped green crystals interspersed with sapphire blue round crystals ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Crystal
Vintage 1960’s 14K White Gold Diamond Heart Pin and Pendant
Located in Boston, MA
Vintage 1960’s 14K White Gold Diamond Heart Pin and Pendant. The heart contains 21 round brilliant diamonds prong set and weigh approximately 1.50ct....
Category
1960s American Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
Vintage 1960’s Diamond Crescent Moon Pin
Located in Boston, MA
A celestial delight, this vintage crescent moon pin from the 1960s exudes timeless beauty. Rendered in luxurious 14K white gold, the dimensional desi...
Category
1960s American Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, 14k Gold, White Gold
Swedish 1960s Sterling Poured Glass Signed Tennesmed Stigbert Geometric Brooch
By Rune Tennesmed
Located in Chicago, IL
Made in 1962 by Swedish Rune Tennesmed, this modern minimal sterling silver geometric brooch features a faux ruby poured-glass red cabochon, concave sheet metal, and openwork that forms two corners of the two-tier triangular brooch. This simple abstract design is characteristic of the rounded geometric shapes that framed his silvery pieces, while his early work sometimes included a pop of brightly colored glass.
Tennesmed (1929-2011) was a 20th-century studio metalsmith, who changed his given name Carlsson to reflect his craft and his business name, which means "pewtersmith" in Swedish. This unusually elegant and sleek piece was made for Scandinavian Atelje Stigbert, which was recognized for producing modern jewelry designs in sterling silver and gold. The brooch was likely commissioned by the Stigbert workshop founder Stig Engelbert who died in 1962, before his artisan sons evolved the family business to be known as Engelbert.
Recognized as one of the most significant and popular Scandinavian artists of the mid-20th century, Tennesmed revived ancient Viking...
Category
1960s Swedish Modernist Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Ruby, Sterling Silver
Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond and Sapphire Swan Brooch
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Weston, MA
Designed as a perfect swan, this brooch is set with round diamonds and a marquise-cut sapphire eye, mounted in 18k yellow gold. The contrast of the 18k yellow gold against the full-c...
Category
2010s Swiss Contemporary Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Antonio Pineda Amethyst Pea Pod 970 Silver Masterpiece Taxco Brooch Circa 1960s
By Antoñio Pineda
Located in North Attleboro, MA
Absolutely stunning, avante garde work of wearable art by Taxco, Mexico master silversmith Antonio Pineda! In top quality 970 purity silver, this circa 1960s brooch is in the whimsic...
Category
1960s Mexican Artisan Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Amethyst, Silver
Vintage 1950’s Platinum Diamond Flower Bouquet Pin 9.40ct
Located in Boston, MA
Vintage 1950’s Platinum Diamond Flower Bouquet Pin 9.70ct - The pin contains 5 fancy kite shape diamonds and 1 marquise diamond with a total approxi...
Category
1950s Unknown Revival Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, Platinum
Black Tahitian Pearl Dutch DroogDesign 1998 Unique Third Nipple Gold Disk Brooch
By Artistian Made
Located in Chicago, IL
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...
Category
1990s Dutch Artist Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Black Pearl, South Sea Pearl, Pearl, Gold, Silver, Mixed Metal, Sterling...
Antique Art Nouveau Silver Openwork Woman Profile Convertible Pendant Pin Brooch
Located in North Attleboro, MA
Lovely Art Nouveau sterling silver pendant and brooch featuring the profile of a woman. She is quite lovely, with flowing hair adorned with headband hair jewelry...
Category
1910s Art Nouveau Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Silver, Sterling Silver
ArtDeco c1925 Bakelite TriColor RedBlueGreen Carved Ribbon Bow BrassPin Brooch
Located in Chicago, IL
Antique ArtDeco-period Bakelite rare three-color ribbon bow hand-blended-and-carved brooch. Given the colors, narrow style, texture and affixed brass pin...
Category
1920s Unknown Art Deco Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Brass
1994 Smithsonian ModernArt LavaRock Sparkling SterlingSilver Eye Shaped Brooch
By Contemporary
Located in Chicago, IL
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...
Category
1990s American Artist Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Other, Sterling Silver
Pair of René Boivin “Etoile de Mer” Sapphire and Tourmaline Brooches
By René Boivin
Located in Weston, MA
One of the most well-known jewels in the world, René Boivin’s original 1937 starfish brooch was purchased by legendary actress Claudette Colbert and now resides in the collection of ...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Sapphire, Tourmaline, Blue Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
An Exquisite Antique Art Deco French Multigem Japoisme Brooch
Located in Weston, MA
This art deco brooch is of magnificent design and highlights a lovely combination of gems. The subject is an onyx symmetrical bonsai tree planted in a polished coral pot. The onyx b...
Category
Early 20th Century Art Deco Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Amethyst, Coral, Diamond, Garnet, Onyx, 18k Gold
Ruby and Diamond Flower Brooch, Signed Oscar Heyman Brothers
By Oscar Heyman
Located in Boston, MA
This whimsical floral motif brooch is comprised of 18 karat yellow and white gold and consists of step-cut rubies having an estimated total weight of 13 carats, 7 round brilliant dia...
Category
Late 20th Century American Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Trifari 1940s Philippe 4PieceParure CrystalFloraMotif GoldNecklaceEarringsBrooch
By Alfred Philippe for Trifari
Located in Chicago, IL
In the late 1940s, Trifari French-born artistic director Alfred Philippe, who had earlier created fine jewelry for Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, designed this flora-motif crystal-s...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Crystal, Diamond, Gold, Gold Plate, Yellow Gold
Miriam Haskell Vintage Brooch
By Miriam Haskell
Located in Alford, MA
Miriam Haskell unique vintage brooch, c.1960s, incorporating an array of contrasting beads, in black, pale gray, and salmon, each topped by a small crys...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Massachusetts - Brooches
Bernice Goodspeed Silver Taxco Mexico Mid-Century Silver & Black Ribbon Brooch
By Bernice Goodspeed
Located in North Attleboro, MA
This booch is a stunning piece of jewelry that embodies the craftsmanship and elegance of a Taxco master silversmith. This vintage brooch is a wearable work of art, created by the ta...
Category
Mid-20th Century Mexican Modernist Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Silver, Sterling Silver
Victorian Sterling Silver Heart Orange Blossom Shield Antique Love Token Brooch
Located in North Attleboro, MA
This exquisite, one-of-a-kind antique love token brooch is a stunning example of 19th-century romantic jewelry. This is a wonderful piece dating to ...
Category
1890s English Victorian Antique Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver, Sterling Silver
Exquisite Vintage Art Deco Platinum Diamond Brooch/Pendant 4.85ct Total Weight
Located in Boston, MA
This magnificent Art Deco period brooch exemplifies the sophisticated craftsmanship of the era, masterfully handcrafted in pure platinum with remarkable attention to detail. The piec...
Category
1930s American Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, Platinum
Antique Edwardian Period Platinum Filigree and Milgrain Diamond Brooch Pendant
Located in Boston, MA
Antique Edwardian Period Platinum Filigree and Milgrain Diamond Brooch Pendant - The brooch is set with 42 Old European Cut diamonds with an approximate 1.90ct total weight. The diam...
Category
1910s Unknown Edwardian Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, Platinum
Jean Schlumberger, Tiffany & Co. Peridot and Ruby Thistle Brooch
By Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co.
Located in Boston, MA
This late 20th century pin is comprised of full cut green peridots, and red rubys set in 18kt yellow gold in this whimsically classic floral thistle themed design. This pin measures ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Peridot, Ruby, Yellow Gold
French Natural Pearl & Mine Cut Diamond Victorian Brooch in 18K Yellow Gold
Located in Boston, MA
Aston Estate Jewelry Presents:
An exquisite circa 1880 French brooch. Crafted in 18 karat yellow gold, featuring a central natural white pearl of 4mm diameter. Flanked by old mine c...
Category
1880s Victorian Antique Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Henry Schreiner 1930s ProngSetCrystal Flora Spray Paisley Shadow Box Gilt Brooch
By Henry Schreiner
Located in Chicago, IL
Henry Schreiner, the Austrian-born blacksmith founder of Schreiner New York in 1932, handcrafted this multi-color prong-set Bavarian-crystal, stylized-flora spray, gold-gilt brass br...
Category
1930s American Artist Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Crystal, Brass, Yellow Gold, Gilt Metal
Art Deco No Heat Sapphire & Diamond Geometric Brooch in Platinum
Located in Boston, MA
Aston Estate Jewelry Presents:
A refined Art Deco brooch from 1920, exemplifying geometric elegance and precision.
The design showcases mixed-cut blue sapphires, totaling 1.60 cara...
Category
1920s Art Deco Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, Sapphire, Platinum
Vintage 1930’s Platinum Diamond Bow Pin
Located in Boston, MA
This exquisite vintage pin from the 1930s is a true testament to the exquisite craftsmanship of its era. Rendered in lustrous platinum, it showcases the timeless elegance of the Art Deco period with its distinctive bow design.
The centerpiece of this stunning piece is a breathtaking European cut diamond, weighing approximately 1.10 carats. This magnificent gem boasts a warm K color and an SI2 clarity, allowing its fire and brilliance to take center stage. Expertly set in a hand-crafted platinum bezel, the diamond is further accentuated by a delicate milgrain detail, adding a touch of vintage charm.
Surrounding the central diamond is a meticulously arranged array of 36 additional European cut diamonds, each one hand-set with utmost precision. These sparkling gems, ranging from H to J in color and VS2 to SI2 in clarity, collectively weigh approximately 0.75 carats. The intricate bow design is beautifully framed by milgrain-detailed edges, lending a subtle yet elegant texture to the piece.
Measuring 1.25 inches wide and 0.5 inches tall, this timeless treasure exudes a graceful presence. Weighing an impressive 7.54 grams, it possesses a substantial heft that speaks to its superior quality and enduring value.
Remarkably, this exceptional pin can also be transformed into a stunning necklace if the pin were to be removed, allowing for versatile and sophisticated styling options.
A true masterpiece from a bygone era, this vintage 1930's platinum diamond bow pin...
Category
1930s Unknown Art Deco Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, Platinum
Schlumberger Tiffany Co. Sapphire, Emerald and Yellow Gold Thistle Brooch
By Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co.
Located in Boston, MA
This late 20th century pin is comprised of full cut blue sapphire, and green emeralds set in 18kt yellow gold in this whimsically classic floral thistle themed design. This pin measu...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Blue Sapphire, Emerald, Yellow Gold
Cartier Art Deco Sapphire and Diamond Stickpin, c. 1920
By Cartier
Located in Weston, MA
An elegant Art Deco sapphire and diamond stickpin by Cartier depicts symbols of love and devotion. The pin is topped with a ring of calib...
Category
1920s Art Deco Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Art Nouveau Figural Enamel, Diamond, & Demantoid Garnet Stick Pin in 14K Gold
Located in Boston, MA
Aston Estate Jewelry Presents:
An exquisite Art Nouveau stick pin, embodying the elegance of fine craftsmanship.
The design features a detailed enamel depiction of a woman's profil...
Category
1910s Art Nouveau Vintage Massachusetts - Brooches
Materials
Diamond, Garnet, 14k Gold, Enamel
Read More
This David Webb Coral Flower Brooch Is Better Than a Bouquet
For starters, it is one of the jewelry designer’s most celebrated works.
This Gem-Encrusted Boucheron Brooch Is a Symbol of Mid-Century Glamour and Clever Design
Though it sparkles with more than 27 carats of diamonds, this multifaceted gem delivers more than just dazzle.
The Editor of ‘Town & Country’ Loves Jewelry and History in Equal Measure
Stellene Volandes takes us on a glittering, engrossing tour through the centuries.
5 Fresh Jewelry Trends That Will Bring You Joy This Spring
From cameos to cigar bands, here are the looks on our radar this season.
Tastemaker Bunny Mellon’s Extraordinary Schlumberger Jewels
The philanthropist and heiress was an avid jewelry collector, and her trove of Jean Schlumberger creations embodies the love of nature she shared with the famed designer.