Large Vintage Brooch with Citrine & Pearls in Gold, Circa 1960

This brooch transports us to a sunny day in late summer, a day when everything glows golden: The sun, the ears of corn in the fields and the flowers in the gardens. It is warm, but not too warm, and if you listen carefully, you might even be able to hear the wind in the poplars. The center of the design is occupied by a large citrine, a perfect, transparent gemstone, probably from Brazil. It shines in the colour of Madeira wine. Its cut elicits wonderful light reflections from the crystal, deep in the stone and on the surfaces. The stone weighs more than 43.00 carats. 18 warm white shimmering pearls are set around the citrine. Like the citrine, they are set in high-carat gold. The surface of the gold is matt and it appears to flow downwards from the edge of the setting in gentle waves like a soft fabric. At first glance, the shape of the brooch is non-representational, but it is reminiscent of one of the most famous goldsmith's works of the early modern period, the Lochbuie Brooch, which is now kept in the British Museum. The goldsmith's work, created around 1500, is considered a masterpiece of Scottish culture and was probably originally a reliquary. Since the 19th century, it has inspired numerous goldsmiths; among others, Prince Albert had a smaller copy made as a brooch for Queen Victoria,

Estimate:£3,049.45

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