Featured How old is this porcelain brooch?

Hello!

Can anyone help me determine the age and possibly country of origin for this brooch? It appears to be hand-painted, but it isn't signed.

Thanks.

 

How charming, had not seen this scene before. I would put it to late 19th - early 20th. France is always under consideration when it comes to jewellery using porcelain with painting or transfers.

 

Thanks!

 

Rather then porcelain, can it be painted on eggshell? Has the look of it from here. Is it light?

 

It is pretty light! It was described as porcelain on
The site, but I’m not sure.

 

Could eggshell be strong enough to be fractured this way & still tolerate handling? I've never encountered eggshell jewellery, so curious right along with eastcoast.

 

I'm not sure exactly how these are made, though I have had several over the years. However, I imagine they were coated liberally with some sort of lacquer or primer both before and after painting? Which may account for why it didn't fall apart once cracked.

 

I've run into similar things, but they were Italian religious jewelry. Those were enamel on copper. I'd bet this is on porcelain rather than eggshell. Goose egg is tough and has a similar curvature, but I can't see it surviving being smashed like that.

 

Can’t add much, but I’d think porcelain, and French, agree in date.

 

I think early 20th, with that hinge. Very sweet.

Germany too.

If you look at the curvature on the sides of the plaque, it is too sharp to be eggshell. And the back doesn't have the right curve either.

I don't think so. Besides, because eggshell is so thin it would probably fall apart when fractured like this. The pieces are held together because the porcelain is thick enough.

 

Thanks!