Featured Gold & Pearl Brooch

I don’t really know what I have here so would love your opinions please.
It’s got a tube hinge and C clasp so Victorian? (Early,middle or late?)
I don’t know if the pearls are real, they have a translucent quality to them but definitely not the obvious loss of coating seen on more modern faux pearls.
The pearls are held in place by the metal being pushed over the pearls. That bit is a bit rough.
The metal is non magnetic and all parts test as gold on a stone, the pin end, c clasp and the body. So gold or gold filled. No marks.
Very intricate fancy decoration around the outside.
It was black with dirt so is work in progress.
Any thoughts please. It was tricky to get decent photos hence the different backgrounds. Just over 2.5cm across.
Thankyou for looking

 

Late 19th. Transitioning into arts and crafts. Fake pearls were not a Thing, then.

 

The pin stem looks like straight gold; the rest looks like gold-filled from the era. So...? The back also looks straight Victorian but the front looks later; my guess is someone had some older bits laying around and got creative when styles started to change.

 

That’s interesting about the pearls. Do the real ones sometimes get a translucent quality when they are old?

That does make sense as the pin feel very smooth. When I look at the pin at the hinge the colour difference is noticeable.
Would the flowers be A&C then?

 

I've never seen anything remotely similar. The back of the piece does look like it has some quality -- the front is a real mystery!

Following this thread...

 

Headed that way for sure.

 

A beauty, K. If it were Continental European, which it could well be, I would say 1860-80. It still has some Biedermeier influence (ca 1840-1860), but the type of ribbed filigree surround is also seen on ca 1860-80 cameo brooches, for instance.

The flowers look Biedermeier, but similar ones were still used in the 1880s. Biedermeier flowers are a legacy of late 18th century flowers.
The type of crimped mount of the main pearl is very old, and can also be seen on 18th century pieces. On the Continent it was still occasionally used in the 1860-80 period, mainly on provincial pieces.

Below a classic Biedermeier flower and leaves brooch, ca 1850, tiny seed pearl in the heart of the flower. This one isn't mine, but I have a few similar pieces:


https://www.halsbandaffaire.de/Um-1850-Schoene-Biedermeier-Blueten-Brosche-Silber-vergoldet

Set from Vienna with similar flowers:
https://www.halsbandaffaire.de/Wien...haumgold-Silber-verboedet-Tuerkise-Saatperlen

The site is in German, but it is really worth browsing the pages. Gorgeous jewellery, and they know their 'stuff'. Even if you can't read German, you can enjoy the photos and read the dates, so you get an idea of jewellery history.

 

Yes, old pearls can become sort of translucent.

aj has explained things brilliantly, obvs. All I'd add is that you do get that crimped setting on Indian and Middle Eastern pieces too.

 

Just got home. Thankyou for the amazing information @Any Jewelry
I will read and inwardly digest it all once the kids are sorted out.
Thanks OBB I didn’t know that about pearls going translucent. Would the age of this piece mean that they are cultured or old enough to be natural?

 

And further east as well, Indonesia for instance. Which means the Philippines probably used it as well. I always like that setting, it has such a historic look.

 

I'd say natural with that age. Give them a rub with your paws. Brings them up.

And yes, lovely setting, aj.