Featured To be or not to be... well this is an odd brooch

Heavy. Well made, good gilding, and well enamelled. Twenties or earlier back to it. And Shakespeare, I think! It's about two and a half inches long, too.

 

Ah, I think you're spot on with that. And it would make sense of the black and gold, it's sort of wannabee Damascene colours.

 

That's wild and wacky. I love it!

 

If that doesn’t have “the look” I don’t know what does.

 

This seller says William Shakespeare. Don't agree.

https://www.etsy.com/nl/listing/167...how_sold_out_detail=1&ref=nla_listing_details

Debora

 

Was it converted from a pendant ? What is that spot right at the top of the back ?

 

On the other hand, a portrait of Cervantes. (Unauthenticated but commonly associated with the author.)

Debora

 

The lions on either side of the bust are a homage to Don Quixote

The 400th anniversary of Cervantes birth was in 2005 and was a big day of celebration in parts of Madrid

The token daveydempsey shared a pic of was minted that year and it would not be a huge leap of faith to surmise your pin (could almost be from the same mold) was made at the same time

The silver version that was being sold on Etsy was probably just good marketing. Outside of Spain (and a handful of tenured professors of literature) no one is shopping for a brooch w/ Cervantes’ likeness on it

 

Yes, as soon as Davey said Cervantes, I went D’uh!

The silver tone pendant is interesting, the construction looks very similar. No sign mine was ever anything but a brooch.

if it’s an anniversary one, I think it’s older than 2005. The hinge and back, the wear and the feel of it. Maybe 1955.