Antique Crescent Moon With Turquoises & Pearls In Gold, Great Britain

The moon exerts an irresistible fascination on people. It is the subject of fairy tales and myths: to the Aztecs it was a deity, to the Romantics a symbol of longing. At the turn of the 20th century, there was a veritable moon craze: H. G. Wells published his novel The First Men in the Moon in 1901, young couples had their photos taken in front of paper backdrops in the shape of the moon in photographers' studios, and Georges Méliès showed his legendary silent film Le Voyage dans la Lune in 1902. During this period, jewellery depicting the moon as either a round face or a narrow crescent was popular, especially in Great Britain. This brooch is a typical example of this era. It shows a narrow crescent moon that is densely set with precious stones: small, natural pearls and blue turquoise alternate here. They are set in gold, while the pearls are set in silver settings. Historical jewellery catalogs still show just how rich the range of brooches was at the turn of the century. As one example among many, we show a page from the 1904 catalog of the company B. & H. B. Kent, published in Toronto, which can be viewed online here. Browse through it a little, it's worth it! A delicate, openwork undercrossing also demonstrates the attention to detail with which the piece was crafted when viewed from the side. The brooch is in very good condition, and a small hallmark indicates that it was imported into what was then Austria-Hungary before 1902.

Estimate:$1,560.91

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