Victorian sentimental brooches

The Victorians loved their sentimental jewellery of all types, sweetheart jewellery and mourning jewellery were widely worn. During the Victorian era the development of mass producton of silver jewellery and especially silver brooches made it possible for people from all walks of life to own a sentimental brooch . These sentimental silver brooches were made in thousands and thousands of different designs and many of these have survived for todays collector and researcher of vintage jewellery and antique brooches.

Here are a few victorian sentimental silver brooches :

Name Brooches:

Just as necklaces with names on were popular in the 1980s , the later 1800s and early 1900s saw a fashion for silver name brooches. Here is a very Victorian name brooch made for a lady called Fanny:

This antique brooch dates from the Victorian era when name brooches like this were popular. Made of silver "Fanny" is entwined with leaves.This is an unusually large antique name brooch being 6.4 cms long. As with most brooches of the victorian era, this fastens with a simple C catch.


The Victorian Mizpah Brooch
These brooches are normally made of silver although occasionally a rare gold one does turn up.
A wonderful Mizpah brooch made from sterling silver and fully hallmarked for Chester 1898. Antique Mizpah brooches are popular collectables and as gifts between parted lovers.


MIZPAH, The Lord watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another.

This mizpah brooch measures about 5.1 cms long, the hinge has been moved at some time long ago and is quite solid now

Victorian sweetheart brooch
These are covered with hearts, flowers, and love birds. Occasionally these victorian sentimental brooches have tiny lockets set into them to contain a lock of a lovers hair.

This example is fully hallmarked for Chester 1895:

One of the most sentimental forms of Victorian Jewellery of all was mourning jewellery which was worn for many years after the death of a close relative. Early on in the mourning period mourning jewellery would be black but before comming out of the mourning period the lady could wear mourning jewellery made of silver or gold. Try searching out victorian mourning brooches made from silver - you will find genuine examples of antiuqe jewellery at very affordable prices.

Favourite cameo brooches

Here's just a few of my favourite Cameo brooches. Some have long gone to their new homes but their pictures remain.............

Victorian Lava Cameo

Aurora Goddess of the dawn:

I believe this chap is Asclepius who was the son of Apollo and the God of Medicine:

Hebe In Greek mythology Hebe is the Goddess of youth & Eternal beauty. In this cameo she is giving the nectar of life to Zeus ( her father) who has taken the form of an Eagle:

And I think this lovely lady is Flora:

More Cameo Jewellery on my website http://www.antiquesavenue.co.uk/

Special Scottish Silver Brooch - Ola Gorie

I wantd to show you this special brooch - It is available from my website shop at http://www.antiquesavenue.co.uk/ where a kind shopper noticed it and let me know that it was designed and made by a lady called Ola Gorie in the Orkney Islands , Scotland. The brooch has the initials OMG which are her trademark and it also has full silver hallmarks.

I've visited Ola Gories website hoping to find out a bit more about the design which I suspect is taken from a similar Scandinavian design I have seen. It appears that she is not currently selling a piece of jewellery in this design.
 This brooch appears to have two birds ( Doves or Love Birds?) sitting in a tree eating small fruit such as cherries.  Do you know the tradidiotnal design this is based on? Please do get in touch I would love to know.

Scandianvian silver leaf brooches

Yesterdays blog post on leaf brooches inspried me to take a look at some very special vintage brooches in the antiquesavenue colleciton - Scandinavian silver leaf brooches. As many of you know Scandinavian jewellery is highly regarded and some of the Scandinavian silver craftsmen and designers are amongst the best in the world. Many Scandinavian pieces of jewellery take their inspiration from nature, leaves and flowers included.

Aksel Holmsen Sterling Pin Brooch Norway

In the form of three twining leaves: this Sterling silver brooch was made by Aksel Holmsen in Norway and has the manufacturers back stamp . A complex triple fern leaf design. This fastens with a simple C catch Approx Size: 2 inches long Approx Weight: 12.2 grams Country of origin Norway Condition: Excellent vintage condition

Flora Danica Eggert Silver leaf Brooch

This Leaf brooch was made by Eggert in Denmark as part of its Flora Danica range. It is made of Sterling silver with a gold plating. The brooch measures just over 5 cms long and weighs about 14.8 grams
This brooch looks like it has been cast from an original leaf

David Andersen silver enamel brooch Scandinavian

This David Andersen silver brooch has a very modernists design. The silver brooch has been gilded gold and has also been enameled in white. The leaf measures a bit over 6 cms long. Nice to see an enameled leaf brooch
Vintage David Andersen silver jewellery is now very collectable.

Scandinavian silver brooch J Tostrup Modernist

This Scandinavian silver brooch has a very modernists design. This silver brooch in the form of a leaf was made in Norway by Jacob Tostrup. This is quite a large brooch measuring about 7.5 cms long .
Note how the center piece of this Scandinavian brooch stands proud of the textured background

Swedish silver brooch Michelson dated 1957

This Swedish silver brooch is in the shape of a leaf. According to the hallmarks on the reverse it was made in 1957 . This vintage brooch has the markers logo MIC which is for the Danish company A Michelson who carried out some jewellery manufacture in Stockholm in the later 1940s to early 1960s.
The brooch also carries the signature Neugel ( The designer?) , it measures about 5.7 cms wide
I wonder what sort of leaf this is?


Please do get in touch if you have any Scandinavian silver leaf brooches you would like to share.

Collecting leaf brooches

The Autumn leaves are falling outside my window . It occurs to me how many vintage brooches and antique brooches have been inspired by leaves of all shapes and sizes. In the AntiquesAvenue collection I have leaf brooches from the Victorian era right the way through to the 1970s.

These leaf brooches are made of gold, silver and of costume jewellery. They can be set with precious and semi precious stones and enameled in naturalistic leaf colours. Some leaf brooches are by designers, others are just very attractive but unnamed pieces of jewellery.

Lets take a look at a few:

Victorian Name brooch with leaves

This antique brooch dates from the Victorian era when name brooches like this were popular. Made of silver "Fanny" is entwined with leaves/ This is an unusually large antique name brooch being 6.4 cms long. As with most brooches of the victorian era, this fastens with a simple C catch

Victorian pebble brooch
This must be one of the best Victorian Scottish hardstone brooches I have ever seen. Queen Victorian set the fashion for silver brooches set with Scottish hardstones and agate and they were made in all shapes and colours. This one is in the form of a fern leaf and is set with banded agates that tone wonderfully with the silver setting. The fern leaf curls in two directions giving the appearance of movement to the piece.
On the back there is an impressed Victorian registration lozenge which would allow the piece to be accurately dated and a maker identified. The brooch measures about 7.3 cms long. One of the tiny agate panels is actually vacant but it tones so well with the brooch that is is difficult to see this.

Vintage gold brooch , leaf spray
A vintage brooch made of fully hallmarked nine carat gold in the shape of a spray of fern leaves ties up with a bow. This vintage brooch is a lovely piece of jewellery being set with three garnets and three pearls. This brooch measures about 4.2 cms long


Next time I will take a look at some special Scandinavian silver leaf brooches

Vintage Brooch for Bonfire night?

I believe that there is a Vintage brooch for every occasion , with Bonfire night just a few weeks away I was wondering which brooches would be most suitable to go allongside fireworks.

Our November the 5th commemoration of Guy Fawkes bungled attempt to blow up the houses of parliament in 1605 is all about colour, show and flash. We dress up warmly and so any vinage brooch needs to be large enough to pin to a jumper or coat or perhaps to keep a scarf in place.

How about these suggestions?

Danish Silver brooch Anton Michelsen star burst
A wonderful star burst silver brooch made by Anton Michelsen of Denmark. I presume that this vintage brooch was made during the 1960s / 1970s when start busts was high fashion ( just think of the star burst clocks which were made about that time. The start and central area have a light gold tint. This one even looks like a firework.
This vintage silver brooch measures up to 7 cms long

Vintage brooch enamel blue flower
Vintage brooches with enamel are always colourfull. This vintage brooch is in the shape of an exotic flower and is enameled in shades of blue and set with diamante in the center and along the silver toned petals. It measures about 5 cms diameter and is in excellent condition. Big, bright and showy - ideal for a jumper or coat.

Victorian banded agate brooch Scottish hardstone pebble
Pebble brooches are made from Scottish hardstone pebbles and were popularised by Queen Victoria when she had a passion for all things Scottish. This pebble brooch is Victorian and is set with a particularly well figures piece of banded hardstone - I have included a picture with the light behind so that you can see how beautiful it really is. This antique brooch measures about 6 cms wide and is set in a gold tone frame. True bonfire colours in this antique brooch.

A little Bonfire night Poem I remember from childhood.......

Remember remember the fifth of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot.

I see no reason why gunpowder,treason

Should ever be forgot...

Vintage Brooches, Jewellery News

Vintage Jewellery Blog:
Vintage Brooches blog is all about Antique and Vintage brooches but what about other types of vintage jewellery and antique jewellery? Now I have a new blog dedicated to all types of vintage jewellery please do take a look over at http://www.vintage-jewellery.info
I will still be bringing you the latest on vintage brooches from antiquesavenue here on this blog

Jewellery news update from Antiquesavenue.co.uk
I am currently featuring all types of jewellery to wear around your neck - pendants, lockets and necklaces. You can get a 15% discount on all neck jewellery until the end of the week , just mail me if you would like to take up this offer. The next feature coming later this week will be charms and charm bracelets

Vintage Brooch news
Ive been adding more lovely brooches including some special Scandinavian ones by some of the top Scandinavian jewellery designers.

Newsletter Update
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Victorian mourning brooches for Halloween

Victorian mourning brooches are very collectable but they do always have a somber mood to them. But , just think how wonderfully suitable they would be to wear to a Halloween party this year. Not only are these original antiques black in colour they have the connection with the dead which is celebrated each October 31st.

The materials most often used in Victorian black jewellery are Jet, French Jet ( polished black glass), Bog Oak and enamels however early forms of resin and plastics were also found. Here are a few nice Victorian mourning brooches available from antiquesavenue:


Victorian Jet Brooch
A superb Victorian Whitby Jet mourning brooch which has been carved in 3d with a lily of the valley flower. The lily of the valley was a sentimental flower to the Victorians: – sweetness, return to happiness; humility, purity, you've made my life complete, birthday flower for May, Legend says that Mary’s tears turned into Lily of the valley at the foot of the cross
This Whitby jet brooch measures about 4.8 x 4 cms and is in lovely antique condition , if you look very closely you can see a small nick to one of the leaves

Victorian Pietra Dura Brooch
A wonderful Pietre dure brooch which will date from the victorian era. Pietre dure is the term given to the technique of using small, exquisitely cut and fitted, highly-polished colored stones to create what amounts to a painting in stone. Here we have a typical stone painting of flowers set into a silver mount. This brooch will date from the Victorian era. It measures a little over 4 cms long and fastens with a simple C catch. This victorian brooch is in excellent condition

Victorian Mourning Locket brooch
This antique brooch will date from the victorian age. It has a central locket compartment which is currently occupied by a picture of a lady. This central locket compartment is surrounded by a black enamel panel . The metal is gold tone. It measures 4 cms long. This brooch will date from time following the death of Price Albert when mourning jewellery was high fashion. The reverse shows signs of light wear to the gold colour of the metal



This one is a little older - A georgian brooch, not black but containing a lock of the deceaseds hair:
Georgian Mourning Brooch
A genuine antique brooch which is approximately 200 years old. This Georgian brooch has a central glass covered compartment and the metal will be gold filled ( a gold outer with metal core) The central compartment contains a weave of hair with a gold scroll over. This antique brooch is typical of Georgian jewellery.This brooch fastens with a simple C catch, it measures about 1.8 cms wide - crikey perhaps its haunted


What ever piece of antique jewellery you choose this Haloween - Happy Haunting!

Vintage brooches, new selection at AntiquesAvenue

AntiquesAvenue is always looking to bring you the freshest selection of genuine vintage brooches. Here are a few of the latest in stock for you to look at:

Trifari vintage brooch gold tone costume jewellery

Made by Trifari, this brooch is a wide swirl in gold tone metal. Trifari are famous costume jewllery designers. This vintage brooch measures over 8 cms long and would make a bold display on a dark coat or dress.

Scandinavian silver brooch white enamel I Holth

This Scandinavian silver brooch was made by I Holth in Norway. This brooch is decorated with white enamel and a silver filigree overlay. The brooch has the makers stamp in the reverse and the brooch measures about 3.8 cms long

Vintage brooch Ruskin Orange pewter arts & crafts

A Vintage Brooch dating from the early 1900s. This brooch is set with a high fired orange "Ruskin" stone and set off in hand crafted pewter. Brooches like this are typical of the arts and crafts work carried out in the Edwardian era an the earlier 1900s. The brooch measures about 6 cms diameter

vintage brooch silver enamel bird

A wonderful old vintage silver and enamel brooch from the early to mid 1900s. This brooch is impressed sterling silver. This is quite a dramatic piece of vintage jewellery with the enamel bird and the diamante set flower. The brooch measures about 7.2 cms long

Vintage Brooches , whats your favourite?

Do you have a favourite vintage brooch? Many of us do have that one special signature brooch which is worn with several items of clothing. Other are lucky enough to have a brooch which has been handed down by grandma or even great grandma.

I was thinking what a wonderful idea it would be to create a gallery of all our favourite vintage brooches and we could list them here on the vintage brooches blog.

If you are interested please do get in touch through my vintage jewellery shop or leave a comment here.

In the meantime here is one of my favourite brooches:

This Vintage brooch is really wonderful. The leaves, stem and buds are made of silver enameled and with inset marcasites. The rose flower is actually made of a hand carved early plastic. The silver is fully hallmarked and can be dated to 1963. There are a few minor signs of age to this brooch but still a very attractive piece of vintage jewellery.
This lovely piece of vintage jewellery measures about 8 cms long.

Anne