This is the kind of Victorian jewelry that carries a real story — a piece made over a century ago, loved, worn, repaired, and cherished by a woman who refused to let it slip away.
Crafted between 1890 and 1910, this ornate Bohemian filigree brooch features dense ivy-inspired metalwork, bright sapphire-blue foiled rhinestones, and a deeply set oval center cabochon. Though the cabochon is a molded plastic substitute — an early replacement from decades past — it was prong-set with care, long before the era of mass-production costume jewelry.
What makes this brooch extraordinary is not just its age… but its survival.
When the original pin stem broke, the owner — living in a time when jewelers were expensive and possessions mattered — repaired it herself. She threaded a replacement safety pin into the back using thick cotton thread, securing it so she could continue wearing the piece with pride. This was normal in Victorian and Edwardian households: women mended, reinforced, and preserved their jewelry by hand, valuing beauty not for perfection but for meaning.
Today, the brooch stands as both an antique adornment and a piece of lived history — imperfect, authentic, and full of character. Ideal for collectors, educators, restoration artists, or anyone who loves jewelry with a soul.
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Era: Late Victorian to Early Edwardian (c. 1890–1910)
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Origin: Bohemian cast filigree work
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Style: Teardrop-shaped openwork brooch with ivy and scrolling motifs
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Materials:
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Cast pot-metal filigree
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Foil-backed sapphire-blue glass rhinestones
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Oval molded plastic cabochon (later replacement), prong-set
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Measurements:
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Height: 2⅞ inches
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Width: 2⅜ inches
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Pin Mechanism:
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Condition:
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Antique condition with wear consistent with 110–130 years of age
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Hand-repaired pin back
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Plastic center cabochon replacement
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Foil-backed rhinestones intact; rich patina across metalwork
Styling Notes
Pin this onto a wool coat, beret, velvet wrap, or display it in a shadow box with other Victorian relics. The presence and scale of this piece make it a striking historical accent whether worn or displayed.
Collector's Note
This brooch is a living artifact of women’s domestic history.
In the Victorian and Edwardian periods, jewelry was treasured, not disposable. When a clasp or pin failed, women repaired pieces themselves using thread, needles, or household safety pins. These repairs were acts of love, necessity, and resourcefulness — a way of honoring the value of their adornments.
The hand-threaded pin on this brooch is original to one of those early repairs, making this piece not just jewelry, but a documented moment in a woman’s life more than 100 years ago. For collectors of authentic, unrestored antiques, this is the type of character that cannot be replicated or faked.
