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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;KylieS, post: 9425974, member: 22292&quot;]Hi all, my ignorance is going to show with this one but here goes ...<img src="styles/default/xenforo/smilies/wink.png" class="mceSmilie" alt=";)" unselectable="on" /> </p><p><br /></p><p>I found this sweet little brooch about a year ago - I don&#039;t usually buy jewellery but loved the motif so picked it up -</p><p><br /></p><p>&quot;how much is this please?&quot; </p><p>&quot;Fifty cents&quot;</p><p>&quot;Well, OK then!&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>So had no idea what it was, and realised after I bought it that it was pietra dura and probably of some age. There are no marks on it that I can see - not even sure if it&#039;s gold (though I expect so).</p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;ve been researching it by image search and think it&#039;s probably Italian (though I bought it in France). It&#039;s beautifully done re stone selection etc, but has suffered a little - a little red eye is missing (I think) and not sure if the legs (see the angled pic) would perhaps have had some gold or colour in them?</p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;m considering selling it as I&#039;m not a brooch wearer. Wondering if anyone could give me a steer on likely age, origin, whether it&#039;s a fly or bee, and (if possible) approximate value?&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>One other point is that the bee was a symbol for the Napoleonic empire so my thinking is that it could have been either from the period of his reign (so 1820ish) or from the revival of his cult which occurred during the Belle Epoque, around 1899. Worn by an admirer perhaps? </p><p><br /></p><p>Would love to hear you thoughts! [ATTACH=full]434054[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]434054[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]434055[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]434056[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]434057[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]434058[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]434059[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]434060[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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