Archive for Vintage brooches

Dec
14

Vintage brooch selection

Posted by: | Comments Comments Off

Wanting a vintage brooch this Christmas? Here is the latest selection available from antiquesavenue.co.uk:
Hint: Click on the pictures to enlarge.

Do you like this way of viewing all my vintage brooches? If so I will add a new view every month or so
Categories : Vintage brooches
Comments Comments Off
Dec
12

Giving Vintage Brooches this Christmas

Posted by: | Comments Comments Off
 

Have you started someone a  Vintage Brooches collection by giving them a brooch as a gift? Or do you know someone who you would like to start a collection for? Here are some ideas of collectable brooches which are quite wearable too. As its nearly Christmas and we are looking at gifts I’ll make a change from my normal way and look at them in price order

Budget Vintage Brooches
Looking to by lots of presents on a budget or give a great start to a collection in one go? Consider one of AntiquesAvenue’s vintage brooch collections ready made. There is currently a great selection including a harlequin vintage brooch collection from circa 1940s


Here is a collection of 9 vintage brooches. These are all made of filigree metal and are set with a harlequin coloured range of diamante stones. These brooches all date from circa 1930s and are the type which were made in Czechoslovakia.

These brooches would normally sell for over £200 if they were sold individually but as I have so many brooches for sale at the moment I am offering these as a collection at a bargain price. 8 of these brooches have a standard catch on the back , one is a clip type. The longest brooch measures about 7 cms long and the smallest is just under 4 cms wide. All of these vitnage brooches are in excellent condition

I also have a vintage brooch collection in red and some great pairs of brooches from about £25.

Investment Brooches

I believe that some vintage brooches make a great investment for the future and would be suitable for a younger person who will keep and treasure them for many years and at the same time be able to see a rise in value. Investment brooches are likely to have a designer name take a look at Christian Dior, Norman Hartnell, Trifari or Yves St Laurent.


Maison Gripoix pate de verre flower brooch

 Maison Gripoix are one of the most sought after names in vintage costume jewellery. This Paris based company has created jewellery for many of the leading fashion houses as well as pieces sold under their own brand. The signature style of Maison Gripoix is hand made Pate de verre pieces of jewellery such as this wonderful flower brooch.
This Maison Gripoix Patte de verre flower brooch is in great condition with no chips or crazing to the glass , it measures about 5.5 cms long. One of the best costume jewllery brooches you could wish to find.

Luxury Brooches

Gold and Opal brooch

Want to splash out on someone special? How about a gold brooch? This brooch is Set with opals and pearls. I think its one of the prettiest you will find and sure to be a favourite present this year. This gold brooch is really pretty. The flowers are set with real opals and pearls. The opals sparkle with colour. This brooch is made of fully hallmarked nine carat gold and dates from the 1980s. It measures about 3 cms diameter and is in really excellent clean condition.

Categories : Vintage brooches
Comments Comments Off
Nov
15

Making it easier to find vintage brooches

Posted by: | Comments Comments Off

The vintage brooches section on antiquesavenue has just been re-organised to make finding them easier ( I hope) . The vintage costume jewellery brooches are now in a subsection of vintage brooches. Antique brooches have their own area too.

Here is a preview of some of the special brooches and pins you can find:

Categories : Vintage brooches
Comments Comments Off
Sep
16

Vintage Brooches Collections

Posted by: | Comments Comments Off

I’ve recently purchased a lifetimes collection of vintage jewellery and in it were so many vintage costume jewellery brooches that I have bundles some of them together in lots which are offered at a much cheaper price than they would be if offered individually.

Most of these brooches date from before the 1950s – many of them being the Czechoslovakian type with filigree metal and coloured glass diamante stones. I have collections of pink brooches, Victorian Brooches, blue brooches, flower brooches and animal brooches to name just a few.

Here are a few pictures to show some of the collections of vintage brooches which are available:

Blue collection

Pink Collection

Victorian Collection
Categories : Vintage brooches
Comments Comments Off
May
07

Vintage Brooches Antique Brooches

Posted by: | Comments Comments Off

I talk a lot about Vintage Brooches and Antique Brooches but what is the difference between the two? And does it make a difference?

The terms vintage and antique are often blurred around the edges and used inappropriately and interchangeably. Where are the boundaries and what does the difference make to the Jewellery collector?

Antique Brooches
An antique legally is over 100 years old  which would make any brooch dating from the Edwardian era and before an Antique. This would make all Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian Brooches antiques. I believe that we should also include all brooches dating from before 1920 as antiques as they have more in common with antique brooches than they do with vintage brooches. For example brooches from the 1910′s to 1920′s are generally in the same style and made of the same materials as Edwardian brooches. This is most likely die to the first world war and that during this time no real advance in Jewellery manufacture were made

Vintage Brooches
As with all vintage jewellery, Vintage Brooches date from the 1920s onwards. The Art Deco era of the 1920s and 1930s, the retro era of the 1940s, the Space age 1950s and 1960s and the funky 1970s are all vintage nowadays. The 1980s are a grey area, they are rapidly becoming vintage. Perhaps we could say that anything over 25 years old is vintage but there is no legal definition covering this

Second Hand Brooches, Estate Brooches, Nearly New Brooches
These would be brooches dating from between the vintage and new. These are not quite as collectable as Vintage and Antique brooches but can still be very beautiful and excellent for everyday wear. Top name designer brooches can be excellent value second hand as can gold and silver brooches when compared to new.

 Antique Brooch:

A really beautiful antique crescent brooch set with real rubies. This brooch is made of yellow metal which tests are high carat gold about 22 carat but is not hallmarked. It is set with 11 nice real ruby gemstones . This antique brooch will date from the Edwardian ear and fastens with a simple c catch. It measures up to 0.4 cm wide and 4 cms long. It is in really excellent condition

Vintage Brooch

Amazing red diamante brooch and earring set dating from circa 1940s. Note the brooch is literally covered in diamante of differing shapes, sizes and colours. The diamante are set into gold coned filigree metal. This set will date from circa 1940s. The brooch measures about 6 cms diameter and the earrings 3.2 cms long. This vintage costume jewellery set is in excellent condition

Newer Brooch

Comments Comments Off
May
03

Art Deco Brooch

Posted by: | Comments Comments Off

Brooches were as popular during the Art Deco era ( 1920s and 1930s) and they are a popular vintage jewellery collectable  During the art deco era brooches followed the fashion of those times and were made in art deco materials, shapes and colours.

Popular art deco materials include Plastics including Bakelite (very new at that time), Chrome, Silver, Platinum ( for the very rich), glass, Lapis Lazuli, marcasites and Rock Crystal. The colours of the time were bright and bold black, white, green, red, orange, yellow and blue. The precious gemstones Diamonds, Emeralds, Sapphires and Rubies clearly fit well with this colour palate as does Jade and black onyx.

Shapes were angular and geometric, just look at this art deco clip its geometric, yellow and made of plastic – a typical art deco brooch:

This vintage clip type brooch is a super piece of art deco jewellery. This is made of an early plastic not sure what might be Bakelite. As this is a clip type brooch it can be worn attached over the neckline or lapel of a piece of jewellery. This art deco clip measures about 5.8 cms long

The art deco brooch had a popular range of themes bold art deco geometrical shapes,  travel ( airplanes and boats), Animals ( stylised gazelles for example). Other themes include the crinoline lady which is more 1930s than 1920s.
Here’s a typical art deco brooch made of silver, set with marcasites and with a stylised boat design:

vintage brooch silver marcasite art deco brooch

This silver and marcasite brooch will date from about the 1950s. This is in the shape as an art deco boat and it measures about 4 cms long

You can find these and more vintage brooches on AntiquesAvenue shop

Comments Comments Off
Mar
18

Wedgwood Brooches

Posted by: | Comments (2)
Wedgwood Brooch
One of the most popular type of antique or vintage brooches I get asked for is a Wedgwood Jasper cameo set brooch ( especially a Victorian one) just like in this picture. The central plaque of the brooch is made of Jasper a high fired ceramic. The design on this brooch has been created by sprigging. Sprigging starts with an artist carving the pattern and a mould being created in plaster from that master. A piece of the damp clay is pressed into the mould and then the image created is removed and applied to the background. The jasper type clay was invented by J. Wedgwood but the clay and using it in this manner for jewellery was copied by other makers.
Jasper Jewellery was made throughout both the 19th and 20th centuries. Originally the patterns were based on classical designs however during the 1970s and the 2000′s some more modern designs have been created. in fact during the last 10 years Wedgwood employed some big name jewellery designers to create up to date deigns for them.
How can I tell how old my Wedgwood Jasper brooch is?
Take a look on the back. If the brooch has an open back you may well see the word Wedgwood impressed. Wedgwood on its own without any other words could well be early to mid Victorian. “Wedgwood England” between 1880s and 1920s. “Wedgwood made in England” is usually post 1920s. Please note that on very small pieces there well may be no makers name and your brooch could still be Wedgwood.
Also take a look at the metal, this could have hallmarks which can be used to date your Wedgwood brooch or it may carry the JW makers hallmark in the silver or gold.
Care of Wedgwood Jasper Brooches.
The material is high fired ceramic and can be chipped or cracked so take care not to drop your brooch . Now take a look at the material the jasper is set into. If this is marked as silver or gold you can use a little water and a soft toothbrush to clean your brooch is it is very dirty. Pat the brooch dry and store where it cannot be damaged by other jewellery. you could wrap your brooch in a piece of acid free tissue paper.
If the metal is not hallmarked as gold or silver it could be made of a costume jewellery material and I suggest that you do not get this wet as it could become damaged. Just use a soft brush to clean.
Where to buy Wedgwood jasper Brooches.
AntiquesAvenue Antique and Vintage jewellery shop likes to carry a range of Wedgwood jasper jewelry including brooches. Other than this it is fun to hunt could your local antique fair or antiques center and you might get lucky. You can expect to pay between about £15 and several hundred pounds for your Wedgwood jasper brooch depending upon its age, the desirability of the cameo and the material into which it is set
Happy Hunting
Anne
Comments (2)
Feb
09

Vintage brooches for Valentines

Posted by: | Comments Comments Off

Have you chosen your Valentines gift yet? Here are a few suggestions from antiquesavenue.co.uk where there are lots of brooches, pins and clips with a suitable Valentines theme. Hearts, flowers, cupids and Victorian sentimental jewellery would all be suitable.

Flowers;

How long will a bunch of flowers last? A few days at the most where as a vintage flower brooch will last a life time. Here are a few pretty flower brooches:

A wonderful vintage brooch , Pietre dure brooch which will date from the Victorian era. Pietre dure is the term given to the technique of using small, exquisitely cut and fitted, highly-polished colored stones to create what amounts to a painting in stone. Here we have a typical stone painting of flowers set into a silver mount. This brooch will date from the Victorian era. It measures a little over 4 cms long and fastens with a simple C catch. This Victorian brooch is in excellent condition
A brooch from the mid 1900s:
Vintage flower brooch

A pretty vintage flower brooch made from an early creamy coloured plastic and moulded with flowers and leaves. This brooch measures about 4 cms long and dates from circa 1920s / 1930s

Large Royal Crown Derby porcelain flower brooch

Made by Royal Crown Derby in fine porcelain, this is a wonderful brooch. It measures about 5.4 cms diameter and in in excellent condition. Very delicate and very beautiful. There are full Royal Crown Derby makers marks on the reverse. This brooch will date from circa 1950s

Comments Comments Off