Late Victorian early Art Nouveau enameled thistle brooch with rose cut diamonds

Antique jewelry object group: brooch

Condition: good condition
  -  (more info on our condition scale)

Country of origin: Although the control marks are hard to read, we believe this to be of Austria-Hungarian origin and exported at a later date to Czechoslovakia.

Style: Between Victorian and Art Nouveau - Victorian decorative arts refers to the style of decorative arts during the Victorian era. The Victorian era is known for its eclectic revival and interpretation of historic styles and the introduction of cross-cultural influences from the middle east and Asia in furniture, fittings, and Interior decoration. Victorian design is widely viewed as having indulged in a regrettable excess of ornament.

The Arts and Crafts movement, the aesthetic movement, Anglo-Japanese style, and Art Nouveau style have their beginnings in the late Victorian era. Art Nouveau (French for New Style) is an international movement and style of art, architecture and applied ar - especially the decorative arts - that peaked in popularity at the turn of the 20th century (1890–1905).

The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art". It is also known as “Jugendstil”, German for "youth style", named after the magazine Jugend, which promoted it, and in Italy, Stile Liberty from the department store in London, Liberty & Co., which popularised the style. A reaction to academic art of the 19th century, it is characterized by organic, especially floral and other plant-inspired motifs, as well as highly stylized, flowing curvilinear forms.

Art Nouveau is an approach to design according to which artists should work on everything from architecture to furniture, making art part of everyday life.
  -  See also: late-Victorian, early Art Nouveau, eclecticism or more info on styles

Style specifics: Late Victorian / early Art Nouveau - The subject of this piece, although typical 19th Century, announces the coming of the Art Nouveau style.

Period: ca. 1900
  -  (events & facts of this era, poetry of this era, fashion of this era)

Source of inspiration: flower symbolism

Theme: thistle

Material: 14K red gold and silver, see also: The silver on gold technique
  -  (more info on precious metals)

Technique: Enamelling is an old and widely-adopted technology. The ancient Egyptians applied enamels to pottery and stone objects. The ancient Greeks, Celts, Russians, and Chinese also used enameling processes on metal objects. Enamel is the colorful result of fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 degrees Celsius. The powder melts and flows and hardens to a smooth, durable vitreous coating on metal, glass or ceramic. According to some sources, the word enamel comes from the High German word smelzan (to smelt) via the Old French esmail. Used as a noun, "an enamel" is a usually small decorative object, coated with enamel coating, such as a champlevé or a cloisonné (different techniques).

Extra information: Thistle - Besides being a symbol for Scotland (Scottish thistle) and the northeastern French region of Loarraine (Thistle of Lorraine), the thistle also has some other symbolic meanings. From aggressiveness and pain, but also protection and pride all the way to qualities of might and brilliance.

Diamond(s): 35 rose cut diamonds and senailles . A senaille is a simplified rose cut diamond, a small diamond chip with perhaps a few polished facets. We do not have the weight of the rose cuts diamonds nor the senailles which is normal in our trade when it comes to rose cut diamonds and senailles.

Birthstones: Diamond is the birthstone (or month stone) for April.
  -  (more info on birthstones)

Hallmarks: An hallmark that appears to be Austrian-Hungarian and one that appears to be Czechoslovakian
  -  (more info on hallmarks)

Dimensions: diameter 2,18 cm (0,86 inch)

Weight: 5,70 gram (3,67 dwt)

Reference Nº: 17286-0199

Copyright photography: Adin, fine antique jewelry

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