Large Antique Platinum Brooch with & 5.30 ct Diamonds, c. 1910

The Florentine lily is one of the oldest and best-known urban emblems in Europe. Since the Middle Ages, it has been the emblem of the city of Florence, the heart of Tuscany, birthplace of the Renaissance and home to artists such as Dante, Michelangelo and Botticelli. Interestingly, botanically speaking, the lily is not actually a lily, but is based on the Iris florentina, a white iris that still grows wild in the rolling hills of Tuscany around Florence. However, the stylized shape is reminiscent of a classic lily such as the Fleur-de-Lys, but differs in the stylized stamens between the three upward curving petals. This antique brooch from around 1910 shows this heraldic motif of the city of Florence in a particularly luxurious version: approximately 5.30 carats of radiant diamonds in old cuts are set in solid platinum, forming a flower of white light. The largest diamond is set in the center of the lily and weighs around three quarters of a carat. The entire surface is set with individually cut diamonds in a pavée. In the years when this brooch was created, Florence was a special haven for young Englishwomen and men who wanted to escape the strict corset of late Victorian England. The city was regarded as a place of art, free thought and aesthetic self-expression. Intellectuals, artists and eccentrics in particular were drawn to the Tuscan metropolis, whose Renaissance architecture, rich culture and sensual lifestyle stood in stark contrast to the prudery and social control of their homeland. Florence offered space for non-conformist lifestyles, same-sex love, unconventional gender roles or simply the pursuit of a freer, more self-determined life. Writers and poets such as Vernon Lee (Violet Paget) and the young Oscar Wilde found inspiration and freedom in Italy, especially in Florence. The precious brooch, which may have been created as a memento of a cherished stay in Florence, found its way to us here in Berlin. We have commissioned an external appraisal that describes the piece's high-quality materials in detail.

Estimate:$17,815.44

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