Heavenly Gold & Pearl Brooch with a Crescent Moon & Star, c. 1890

Jewellery in the form of celestial bodies enjoyed great popularity during the final third of the 19th century. Moons, stars and suns adorned the bodices of dresses and sparkled in the hair. And who can think of diamond stars without immediately recalling Winterhalter’s legendary portrait of Sisi, showing the young Empress with a multitude of such jewels glittering in her dark hair? The present brooch is a beautiful example of this fashion. Its design takes the form of a crescent moon from which a five-pointed star emerges. Both the star and the moon are formed from shimmering pearls set in gold, giving the brooch a warm and romantic glow. The motif of the moon and star carries a rich variety of meanings. It recalls Diana, the ancient goddess of the hunt, who was often depicted with a crescent moon in her hair. It may also evoke the Orient of the Arabian Nights, which at the time the brooch was made was romanticised as mysterious and exotic – or it may simply have been a fashionable motif, just as more geometric forms would come into fashion in later years. The brooch dates from the final years of the 19th century. We were fortunate to acquire it here in Berlin.

Estimate:$1,334.85

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