Brooches

  • Holly

    This is a small delicate brooch made of 18ct gold with two real pearls.  I bought it from a shop tucked up a side street in London.  I would make a detour to have a look in the window and sometimes pop in.  Gradually I got to know the staff, in particular Stephen whose knowledge…

  • French Dress Clip

    This dress clip is by the Paris fashion house of Henry a la Pensee.  Henry a la Pensee began in 1800 as a high end boutique selling quality clothing accessories and gifts.  Over time they opened branches throughout France and in 1938 opened a shop in New York.  The fashion house closed in the 1960s. …

  • Acorn

    This brooch is impressive in scale and has a three dimensional quality to the design.  It is by the American company Cadoro established in 1945 by the actor Steve Brody and Dan Steneskieu, who based their operations like so many costume jewellery companies in New York. After Steneskieu’s death in 1970 the business continued into…

  • Robot

    This is another of Tom McDowell’s quirky designs.  The decoration on this brooch is made from disused watch parts, and if you look closely you can see the cogs and even a hand. Want to know whether someone is a Robot or not?  According to scientists there is a test. Set them the task of…

  • Dog with Bow

    This brooch is from Japan and a specific period.   Following the end of World War II Japan needed to rebuild its economy.  It was agreed by the allies they could export goods as long as 50% of the items leaving the country had ‘Occupied Japan’ or similar stamped on them. This brooch is one of…

  • Leopard

    This solid 9ct gold leopard brooch was made in Birmingham in the 1970s.  The tree branch the leopard sits on has been delicately cast and if you look closely you can see the detail of the bark and even a knot.  The leopard himself has ruby eyes and his spots are minuscule dots of black…

  • Sea Horse

    This sinewy Seahorse is by Ciner from the 1960s and a fine example of their craftsmanship. As well as being a brooch it can also be worn as a pendant, there is a hook at the top.  When I bought it it came with a long chain and its original ticket/tag detailing its style number….

  • Oriental Mask

    I first saw this brooch on my ‘The Met’ calendar which William gives me each Christmas.  Each day of the year the calendar shows a different object from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.  I love having something new and interesting to look at each day.  I was so captivated by the mask…

  • Ornamental C

    This ornate C brooch is by the American company Réja.  It is almost certainly designed by Solomon Finkelstein who set up business in New York in 1932.  It wasn’t until 1939 that Solomon decided to manufacture jewellery for the retail trade and established Déja Costume Jewelry, Inc.  But in October 1940 he was taken to…

  • Votes for Women

    To celebrate International Women’s Day on 8th March this month’s brooch was almost certainly made for and worn by a Suffragette. It is gold with seed pearls, amethysts and peridots.  It has a small detachable hook with three seed pearls allowing it to be converted into a pendant, making it a versatile piece of jewellery….