Posted 4 years ago
Silvermach…
(4 items)
Hi all this is my first post so please bear with me.I’ve recently acquired this lovely brooch which I believe to be by Bernard Instone,what I wondered is if it’s possible to confirm it is by Instone and if a rough date can be put on it,I can’t find another similar browsing the web but I’m sure some of the collectors on here would have an idea ? I’ve tested the pink stones with a gem tester and I do get a positive reaction but I’m no expert so wouldn’t say for definite.Any comments would be very welcome.
Thanks
Ray
Beautiful fish brooch, gorgeous colors! Welcome to CW, a member here is an Instone collector & hope she stops by to verify
Thanks,really liking the site,it’s a mine of information.
Glad you like it here :) Your fish does seem to have the Instone hallmark, the BI, you can punch 'Bernard Instone brooch' in our search box above to see examples & perhaps date it - at any rate, you have a rare beauty
It sure is a beauty the quality is superb the way it shimmers in the light it’s just as though it’s alive,kudos to the maker.
It's a gorgeous brooch and it may well be Instone, although I'm not too sure about the jewels on it.
Jean (Peasejean55) is our regular Instone expert, and if you comment on one of her latest posts to get her to have a look she might be around to get back to you.
Thanks,I’ll do that.
Hiya Ray, looking at your brooch it is marked sterling silver, make in England and also B.I that is the makers mark of Bernard Instone.
I’ve seen fish brooches by Bernard Instone before, this One is unusual I’ve never seen this design, it’s lovely. Has for age, I would say it was his earlier work around 1920s-30s. Thanks for posting Ray.
Hiya Jean.
This is good to know. Did Instone inset jewels like that very often? You know my knowledge is low so thought I’d ask an expert.
It’s a beautiful brooch and amazing how old it is.
Sorry Ray, don’t mean to take over your post.
Thanks for the replies,it’s good to know what I kinda thought has been confirmed,I bought it in a job lot of brooches,not having any idea it was a Bernard Instone,love to do the research on all the stuff I buy,it’s a big part of why I collect,trouble is it can get out of hand haha.
Hi Karen, great question. In his silver work maybe he would use semi precious stones like Amethyst or Citrine or maybe synthetic or glass stones. I’ve looked at some of Instone’s enamel fish and he used Marcasite, I think Rays fish is either a synthetic stone or Glass, I’ve fallen in love with Ray’s fish has I haven’t seen another one like it. Bernard Instone didn’t often use precious Stones unless maybe It was a commission piece. Has you know Karen he was a very talented man and there is always something different that comes up that you just wouldn’t know he designed or made, luckily on this brooch it has B.I Bernard Instone it’s a great score Ray well done.
Jean,I was very lucky to buy the brooch,as soon as I saw that lovely fish I thought it was unusual,he might swim your way one day,you never know.
Lol, you never know.
Jean,one very similar sold on eBay a few days ago,were you the lucky winner by any chance ?
Hi Ray, yes I was lucky to add it to my Instone Collection. Its a gorgeous brooch and the stones are garnets, the enamel is amazing.
Hi Jean,well done,I thought you might have got it,I expect the stones in mine are garnets then but they don’t usually react on my gem tester,no matter they are both lovely brooches and its quite a coincidence that yours came up on eBay days after I posted about mine????
Yes, thats what I thought, but thats what happens. The construction is what you would expect from B.I
I tested the stones I thought they might have been glass or man-made, they did register as garnets.