Jewelry
Antique Arts & Crafts Moonstone & Amethyst Brooch
- Item Number
- 231
- Estimated Value
- 140 USD
- Sold
- 58 USD to donDonE
- Number of Bids
- 3 - Bid History
Item Description
This charming antique Arts and Crafts brooch came from an estate in North Carolina, which produced lots of gemstones in the late 19th and very early 20th centuries. Hence, we see two truly gorgeous moonstones and a richly colored amethyst in a simple gilt pin that wasn't fashioned by a master. It may well be an apprentice piece made by a budding artisan not yet trusted with precious metals. That it's rustic but lavished with gems of good quality and size makes it one of the most fascinating brooches I've ever seen.
The Arts and Crafts movement celebrated hand-craftsmanship, in reaction to the mass-produced goods of the Industrial Revolution. Ultimately it died of its emphasis on ultra-fine fabrication, which priced most people out of the market for the product lines of top A&C designers. Along the way, however, the movement had the happier result of inspiring creative efforts that resulted in one-of-a-kind treasures like this.
Dating most likely from the Edwardian era (1901 - 1910), based on its daintiness and the airy openwork, the brooch shows Art Nouveau influence in its curvy metalwork, which features a stylized flower centered on the outline of a leaf. It measures not quite 2" long and about 3/8" wide, with moonstones 1/4" round and the amethyst a little smaller. The stones are in beautiful condition and the gilt metal still glitters, showing age-appropriate loss of finish only under high magnification. All the irregularities of form appear original, since I can't find any dings that would have caused distortion. The fastening mechanism is likewise original and right for the period; there's an old open C clasp and the pinstem moves at the hinge with that wonderful side-to-side wobble indicative of great age
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