This magnificent Victorian Whitby jet gemstone brooch is superb quality and far from pedestrian it is the largest one we have ever come across!
Circa 1840 and master carved the glossy dense black jet is crafted into a domed oval shape with sinuous lines and peepholes and a braided ribbon motif sweeps across the centre. Fashion in jewellery follows fashion in clothes so very large brooches like this were worn with the crinoline, brooch sizes got smaller as the century progressed and fashions changed. The brooch has a very heavy duty tension pin back with the hinge and clasp pegged into the jet rather than glued on.
She is a fantastic and early example of top quality Whitby jet jewellery and a testament to the skill of the old jet carvers, if you have ever wanted to acquire a piece of museum worthy Whitby jet jewellery then this impressive brooch just might be the one for you!
Not to be confused with French Jet, which is glass, Whitby Jet is a fossilized mineral gemstone millions of years old that is only found in and around the cliffs at Whitby, a seaside hamlet in England. Although jet is found in several countries the jet found in Whitby is considered to be of the best quality in the world! The last photo shows 4 good Whitby jet brooches (including this one) so you can see the fascinating variety of brooches that were available to the lucky Victorians.
MATERIALS: Whitby jet
SIZE: 2-1/2" (6.2cm) wide, 2" (5cm) high 3/4"
WEIGHT: 22.2 grams
DATE: Victorian, circa 1840.
CONDITION: in very, very good antique condition. There is a small chip to the edge of the jet that isn't particularly noticeable due to the intricacy of the carving. It is very unusual to find Victorian Whitby jet jewellery that is completely damage free and we have taken this tiny flaw into account with pricing. Please see the photos.
At Mercy Madge we offer a carefully curated collection of antique and vintage jewellery. Each piece is hand selected with you in mind and we rarely come across two identical old treasures, once they are gone, they are truly gone!
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- FREE DELIVERY on all orders worldwide. All orders are despatched next business day and sent with full tracking.
- RETURNS, you can return your item for a refund for any reason. Just get in touch within 3 days of receiving your order if you wish to do so.
- Unless otherwise stated any antique boxes in our photos are for display only and are not included in purchase. However, do rest assured all pieces will arrive gift wrapped in our Mercy Madge custom made jewellery boxes.
- Our photographs are taken with a magnified macro lens to show you every tiny detail, flaws are exaggerated and aren't as noticeable to the naked eye, similarly shadows caused by studio lighting can give rise to discoloured areas that don't exist.
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Materials: Whitby Jet.