Rare find

Antique Victorian Dark Brown, Beige and Cream Banded Agate Mourning Brooch With Fine Rope Twist Border in Pinchbeck Brass Alloy

Name: Antique Victorian Dark Brown, Beige and Cream Banded Agate Mourning Brooch With Fine Rope Twist Border in Pinchbeck Brass Alloy
Brand: VintageJewelleryFun
SKU: 811543005
Price: 128.25 CAD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.9 (1079 reviews)

Handpicked by Wendy

Owner of VintageJewelleryFun

4.9 (1.1k)

What to know

Materials

Brass, Stone

Dimensions

Length: 4 Centimetres; Width: 4.5 Centimetres

Vintage

From the 19th century

Here is a beautiful antique Victorian specimen agate brooch of Pinchbeck brass alloy (imitation gilt). A large oval brooch, with a beautiful dark brown, beige and cream stripey Agate stone, framed with a brassy gilt fine rope twist border, and the classic Victorian T-bar pin on the reverse.
I love the interesting zig-zag stripe on the agate stone on this brooch, and as a specimen piece, it's a fine example.

This is a truly gorgeous piece and we know this is Victorian as it has the classic T-bar hinge and extra long pin - essential for staying done up on the heavy fabrics of the Victorian dresses. This pin was used right on into the Edwardian period too, but this has all the look of a classic Victorian design. The Victorians were particularly partial to their specimen agate cabochon stones, and wore them like scientific collection specimens.

SIZE & CONDITION:
This is a medium to large sized brooch at 4cms x 4.5cms wide (just over 1 1/2" x 1 3/4") and has a large curly C-clasp, in the traditional Victorian manner !! All is in good working order and so this in pretty good condition for its great age. Interestingly, there are two tiny holes drilled into the back of the agate stone - this was usually to fix a glass back plate in order to keep either a photo of a loved one, now deceased, or a lock of their hair. Sometimes the hair will be intricately plaited to keep it nice and flat. These were the famous mourning brooches favoured in the later Victorian period.

PINCHBECK GOLD
"Pinchbeck" is a form of brass - an alloy of copper and zinc, mixed in proportions so that it closely resembles gold in appearance. It was invented in the 18th century by Christopher Pinchbeck, a London clockmaker. Since gold was only sold in 18-carat quality at that time, the development of pinchbeck allowed ordinary people to buy gold 'effect' jewellery on a budget. The inventor allegedly made pinchbeck jewellery clearly labelled as such. Pinchbeck jewellery was used in places like stagecoaches where there was a risk of theft. Later dishonest jewellers passed pinchbeck off as gold; over the years it came to mean a cheap imitation of gold. Real gold will always be hallmarked or marked with the carat number.

BANDED AGATE
This looks like one of the Sardonyx family of banded agates, possibly from Botswana which is a famous source of these amazing stones. The Onyxes are the ones with the most curving and contrasting of coloured stripes, usually including creamy-white and often many, many shades of the particular colour it is. This one is Sardonyx - dark brown to reddish brown with creamy white included, but they could be any one of a myriad different shades from yellows and greens to dark browns and black.

I personally love all the different agates and thus I really love Victorian and Edwardian jewellery like this, for its agate content, especially when combined with sterling silver or silver-plated metal, which suits it particularly well. They called these brooches 'Specimen Brooches' to describe the fact that these were real specimen stones - ie the most interesting for colours and markings. The late Victorians loved this kind of thing as searching for and collecting nature specimens like butterflies, bird's eggs, shells, minerals, fossils and gemstones were immensely popular hobbies at the time.

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Price:CA$128.25

Delivery & return policies

Order today to get by 27 Jul-04 Aug
Returns & exchanges accepted within 30 days.
Sent from: United Kingdom
Postage: CA$29.60
Deliver to United States, 43215
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