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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Ce BCA, post: 4472015, member: 18716&quot;]Ah ok, so two possibilities, either the &#039;lid&#039; was original and made so the brooch worked as a locket, in which case it could be a sweetheart piece.&nbsp; Or it was made as a replacement if something happened to the original glass/hair weave.&nbsp; Interesting that it has been textured like hair though.</p><p><br /></p><p>Regarding dating, there are some examples with dates (either dedications or hallmarks) with which to help attribution, but there is also much conjecture.&nbsp; People also like to lean towards the oldest date possible as sellers think it adds value and buyers like to have the history.&nbsp; A bit like some marks on English ceramics where the earliest date possible is 1890 but the same mark was in use until the 1920&#039;s - everyone dates the items at 1890.</p><p><br /></p><p>From my experience the smaller tighter designs with closed backs, like your pearl and hair brooch seem earlier and the more open styles are a bit later.&nbsp; But there is much overlap so unless it has an inscription it isn&#039;t possible to say for sure.&nbsp; Also the nearer you get to 1900 the more likely there is to me a mark (on precious metals). From the carved coral and the slightly more open front design if I were selling I would go with an early to mid Victorian date 1850&#039; 60&#039;s, but you see plenty of sellers settling on much earlier dates.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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