Unusually Long, Antique Wand Brooch with Sapphire in Gold, c. 1900

"Fichus and berths [= collars to fold over] made of lace, chiffon, tulle or a similar airy fabric are essential for a cut-out formal dress. Pleats and gathers are fastened with decorative pins made of precious metal, as they are now made in a rich variety and in great diversity." - This is what the editors of the German magazine Schmuck und Mode recommended to a reader in August 1901. The brooch shown here may have helped the reader at the time. It is worked as a long bar of gold, one end of which widens slightly, while the other end tapers to a point. Just before the wider end is a gold ring and a single blue sapphire in a round cabochon cut. The resulting asymmetry must have looked particularly elegant when the first wearer of the brooch draped it at a slight angle on delicate French lace or silk fabric. Nowadays, asymmetrical wand pins of this type are also referred to as "wand brooches" due to their appearance. The brooch can also look wonderful on the lapel or on a scarf. The brooch is in very good condition.

Estimate:£1,002.03

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