Antique Crescent Moon and Star Brooch with Pearls in Gold, c. 1900

Brooches in the shape of luminous celestial bodies were very fashionable in the late 19th century. Moons, suns and stars, shooting stars and comets were created in ever new variations in the studios of goldsmiths throughout Europe. Sometimes the designs were executed in gold and pearls, then in diamonds in silver settings, or even richly set with colored gemstones: stars, suns and moons were a must in every jewelry box. Empress Elisabeth of Austria was certainly a famous model for this style. She wore diamond stars in her flowing dark hair - Winterhalter's famous portrait shows Sisi in full starry splendor. However, the fashion was not limited to Austria, it was in fact international and remained popular until the beginning of the 20th century. This small brooch is a fine example of this fashion. It is designed as a crescent moon with a shining star set into it. The moon is completely set with shimmering natural pearls, while a glittering old-cut diamond occupies the star. The shape and material can be understood as a reference to the mysteriously aestheticized Orient of the "Arabian Nights" at the time the brooch was created. Before the invention of pearl cultivation, the fishermen of the Persian Gulf supplied the majority of all pearls and the shimmering sea treasures were regarded as a symbol of fabulous oriental wealth and luxury. On the other hand, stars and moons were simply very fashionable shapes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A look at contemporary catalogs such as that of the Kent jewellers from Toronto from 1904 shows the abundance and number of variations of these motifs on offer at the time, see here. We discovered the brooch in London. It was most certainly made in Great Britain.

Estimate:$1,000.84

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