Antique Vintage Art Nouveau 14k Gold Filled GF Etruscan Amethyst Pin Brooch 3.8g 2024

We have similar Etruscan and Art Nouveau items, which would pair nicely with this piece, for sale this week. To view in separate listings, please visit our store and search "Etruscan" or "Nouveau" under our items.

Listing description by: Angela A.

The Piece

Markings: Faded, illegible mark on the back of the brooch, tested, and guaranteed

Main stone: Amethyst

Main stone measurements/color:
-Diameter: 7.5 mm
-Color: semi-translucent bright purple hue

Accent stone: --

Accent stone measurements/color: --

Stone treatment: The stone(s) appears to be untreated, but we are not certified gemologists. Stone(s) have been tested and guaranteed using a professional Presidium Duo refractive, heat, and hardness tester.

Stone cuts: Round faceted

Item measurements:
-Length: 2.44"
-Width: 0.59"

Notable features:
-handmade during the Art Nouveau era, inspired by the style of the Etruscan Revival
-composed of 14k yellow gold filled over base metal
-features a beautiful round cut amethyst in a bezel setting
-the amethyst rests in the center of the bar pin brooch, framed by a rope twist and rosette motif
-filigree floral motifs and granulated bead designs adorn the brooch's arms in classic Etruscan style
-completed with a pin stem and open "c" clasp

Damage: Age appropriate wear. The brooch could use a gentle cleaning. There are areas of minor wear to the gold filled over base metal, which does not affect wear. The price has been reduced to reflect this.

*This listing is for the item only. All display boxes and/or photography props do not come 2024 with your purchase.*


The History

The Art Nouveau era, 1890-1910, was also called "La Belle Epoque" in French, which translates to "A Beautiful Time.? This was very true due to the gorgeous designs that came out of this period. This era focused on women and the beauty of nature and the pieces were often large. Enamel was a common material used in Art Nouveau jewelry as the period was more about the importance of the design over the materials used to create it. The Art Nouveau period happened before the start of the first World War, when mass manufacturing took over the production of many products, including some jewelry.

Etruscan Revival jewelry was first popularized during the early 1800s when an Etruscan tomb was discovered just outside of Rome. Upon its discovery, jewelers worked to imitate and understand the metalworking techniques with which the jewelry was made. Not only was Etruscan jewelry a luxurious addition to the Victorian styles of the day. But it introduced new ideas and decorations. These Etruscan tombs contained jewelry adorned with long and flowing geometric lines and motifs, mythological imagery and scenery, and celestial elements. The techniques of repoussé, filigree, and granulation are all attributed to the Etruscans.

Amethysts are a semi-precious variety of quartz that are valued for their varying shades of translucent purple hues. The purple color is derived from iron and other trace element deposits. Throughout antiquity, amethysts were used in religious and royal jewelry, and were considered as valuable as rubies, emeralds, and even sapphires.

Filigree metalworking is a delicate form of art and has been found as early as 3,000 BC in Mesopotamia. It was perfected by the Phoenicians and Etruscan civilizations between the 6th and 3rd centuries BC. It involves stamping out a design in metal and hand bending and twirling threads, combined with tiny beads, until a final motif emerges. It is reminiscent of lace and considered one of the most difficult metalworking processes. Filigree is still a very popular technique in India and Asia.

Granulation, an ancient decorative technique in which tiny gold or silver granules are fused or soldered to the jewelry surface without evidence of solder, began over five thousand years ago. By the 7th century BCE, the Etruscans perfected this art, creating intricate granulated gold jewelry that was later uncovered from tombs during late 18th and 19th-century archaeological digs. These discoveries created a renewed interest in granulation techniques, and fine granulated pieces were created during the Etruscan Revival in the 1800s. A difficult process, there are several different methods that metalworkers can use to create granules, including cutting thin gold wire, heating it, and applying it to the jewelry. This intricate method of decoration continues to make granulated jewelry highly sought after today.



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