Posted 8 years ago
SHAMWORCS
(13 items)
ARTS & CRAFTS PERIOD SILVER/ENAMEL/HUGE CABOCHON STONE. SIZE 1 1/4" IN DIA X 3/4" DEEP IN ORIGINAL FITTED CASE.
UNMARKED.
HOPING IT MIGHT BE A GASKIN PIECE, BOUGHT AT A LOCAL CARBOOT ABOUT TWENTY YEARS AGO.
I don't believe your brooch is from the Arts and Crafts period. Here's a Gaskin brooch for comparison:
http://www.tademagallery.com/jewellery/d/loves-garland-romantic-brooch/165362
I hope someone will come by and give you more information on your brooch.
Welcome to CW.
It is a stunner !!!
This is Victorian - tube hinge. The Arts & Crafts movement was between 1984 and 1923, so still falls within the Victorian era. A&C jewelry is known for the use of enamels and cabochon stones rather than cut stones. It's really not possible to positively identify the maker of an unmarked jewelry piece.
Not Gaskin - their jewelry is marked with a G.
https://www.1stdibs.com/jewelry/brooches/brooches/arthur-georgie-gaskin-rose-lattice-brooch/id-j_104352/
Thank you efesgirl, there are no cut stones whatsoever, silver/ orange enamel, blue enamel, gold balls, & cabochon
Here is one very similar brooch in style, maybe that one and yours has a same maker? You have to scroll the page quite down, the brooch is named as 'Silver Arts & Crafts brooch with bezel set moonstones':
http://www.jewelrynerd.org/blog/previous/5
Hi Sham. That's a cracker of a brooch you've got there.
Defiantly Arts & Crafts and good quality. Worth noting, though, is that the pin has been added after the brooch was made which means it might have started life out as something different. Having said that, the pin is period & the piece looks like it should have been a brooch. With that domed shape I can't imagine it being made for any other purpose.
Because of the huge number of Arts & Crafts jewellers, it's often difficult to make a good attribution, but, surprisingly, Martika may have picked a good comparison. I say surprisingly because the brooches are not that similar, but could be by the same maker.
The brooch Martika picked out is by the Artificers Guild. They would also be my first pic for your brooch for a variety of reasons.
The quality & ... gotta stop & feed my baby .. i'll be back ...
Fresh mango always goes down quickly. I'll squeeze in the rest of the info while he's feeding himself egg & toast.
So the quality, style (medieval), use of bead & rope work & mixed metals (while not uncommon to Arts & Crafts jewellery) looks good for the work of the Artificers Guild.
The dome style is a little more unusual and was used by the AG for both rings & brooches. Same with the piercing.
AG defiantly used enamelling although it is rarer on brooches. You usually see it on bigger pieces. I have seen a piece attributed to the AG that used the same colour blue enamel (big pendant drop necklace).
I've got my boxes out at the moment so I'll have a shuffle & see if there's any work that's comparable. In the meantime I think Kiwipaul, Kyra & Jean all have examples of Artificers Guild post on CW with further info.
I'm interested in the box. Is it fitted for the brooch? The Artificers Guild were a serious business concern with a commercial premises. I would have thought they'd have their boxes embossed.
Also, the Gaskins didn't mark all their work.
Gotta go, I'm being gurgled at. Interested to see what others think.
PS, the stone is calchedony.
That is just gorgeous! Love the links and info here too. Thanks all.
Many thanks Martika for link, i had already seen that brooch & agree with the similarity.
Thank you Jewels for taking so much time with your wonderful knowledge & insight.
I am familiar with the artificers guild works in silver but not jewellery but you could be correct in your assumption.
As regards to the box yes it is fitted exactly for this piece, i will upload a pic later.
Shamworks, your brooch is amazing, domed, pierced work, enamel and twisted wire, plus those "balls petals flowers", all together! I was thinking Artificers Guild too, and the piece in link provided by Martika is indeed "in the spirit" of yours :-)
Jewels is a well of knowledge for Arts and Crafts makers!
Here is my little brooch she and Paul confirmed it is by Artificers Guild:
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/177720-arts-and-crafts-silver-amazonite-brooch?in=collection-4039
Welcome to CW :-D