A Victorian Scottish Brooch
Item description
This brooch is a good example of the finer pieces of Scottish jewellery popularised by Queen Victoria in the late 1800s. This piece dates from around 1880 and is set with carved bloodstones and jaspers, the hues of which echo the colours found in the landscapes of the Scottish Highlands. Of oval form, the frame surrounding a Maltese Cross, it is engraved with Celtic designs.
Width approximately 46mm.
It is unhallmarked but tests as gold. It bears an indistinct registration mark.
Gross weight 13.60g.
Condition is fairly good and is certainly consistent with age and use. Some minor surface abrasions to the stones. Some historic restorations evident including the addition of a strengthening plate to the pin.
"I was in need of someone to do what I thought was the impossible - transform the setting on my engagement ring without actually making it look like a transformation (I wanted my ring to still look and feel the same). The finished product was just beautiful. My diamond was now a very subtle but stunning tulip setting, revised from the rather impractical 4 prong setting that kept breaking. I cannot explain how happy I was with the finished result. Absolutely delighted. Thank you Clare. "
"I'm holding you entirely responsible for my walking into lamposts as I will be too busy admiring my beautiful new ring!! Thank you - I absolutely love it. I am over the moon it all worked out and feel like the luckiest lady in the land."
"Clare is one of the most highly regarded and best known faces in the jewellery profession in Scotland. We've benefited from her expert advice over the years when acquiring key pieces - advice delivered with the utmost discretion and knowledge of the market. It's always a pleasure to work with Clare and enjoy her good humour, passion for jewellery and artistic flair."
"We were introduced to Clare after a lecture she gave in which her expert knowledge and enthusiasm for her subject was evident. We were so impressed by her we sought her assistance in sourcing a large, emerald cut diamond and suggested a budget. She took an appropriate amount of time and found exactly what we were after. This was the first of a variety of auction purchases Clare has assisted with, from £1,000 to several hundred thousand pounds. Clare's advice on quality, price and resale desirability has been exemplary."
"Clare recently came to the Royal Scots Club to do a talk on Famous Women Jewellery Collectors as part of our annual Afternoon Tea event. I had some wonderful feedback from the members who said how interesting the talk was and how much they enjoyed looking at all the dazzling images. Clare’s lecture was well thought out, she kept our members entertained and she was a pleasure to work with."
"I approached Clare to help with an old ring I had sitting in a box which had been damaged and rarely worn to enquire about the possibility of either repairing or selling it on. Clare was fantastic throughout the process and kept me fully informed via email. After I decided the best option was to sell it Clare put me in touch with an auction house in London where she knew we would get the best auction price and we certainly weren’t disappointed. I would definitely recommend Clare for any jewellery sales and hope to be back to her as a buying customer one day."
"I just wanted to write you a note to say how very much I adore the pendant and chain, it has really beaten all my expectations on how beautiful it could be. It was wasted as a ring! You’ve been an absolute pleasure to work with, and thank you for putting up with my tardy email replies and delayed phone calls. Thank you very much again."
"Clare, I wanted to thank you for all your great work in commissioning Peter's signet ring. I really appreciated the time you took to ensure that we got the correct crest and your advice and expertise on the style, size and fit was really very much appreciated. And all done in secret squirrel fashion so that it was a surprise for his birthday! As you know he's really delighted with the result. Thanks again."