19th Century Micro Mosaic Floral Round Brooch, Exceptional Detail

This very pretty antique brooch has hundreds of fine glass tiles making up its beautiful and unique design. There is a mini bouquet of flowers to the centre , showing a pink rose bud, a daisy, leaves and a fully open chrysanthemum-type flower in ginger-brown graduating through to beige then white. The bunch of flowers is contained in an inner circle of stone white tiles contained in a twisted golden wire. The next area is in the overall shape of a six point star using tiny mid-green tiles. Then there are six further areas going round, all encased in the golden twisted wire frames. Three on a pink ground with two terracotta and white star canes; three on a navy blue ground with two tiny pale blue forget-me-knots A fan shape in white and black is achieved on all six panels by traditional feathered patterns in the Florentine style. More terracotta and white star canes interspersed with turquoise blue panels go around the edge. It dates from the English Victorian period but it is most likely Italian in origin. This kind of micro mosaic jewellery has been hand made in Italy for centuries dating back to the Romans but with this more modern tourist type jewellery being revived over the past 200 years in particular. This  little antique brooch being some 120 years old.   Lots of tiny coloured glass tiles or 'tessarae' have been used to make up the design.  The work on this brooch is particularly fine. This lovely antique micro mosaic brooch is in good order.  The metal has a gold washed finish with etruscan style ball decoration around the outer edge, one or two of these show signs of age but this doesnt detract from the beauty of the piece. This delightful antique brooch fastens with an old fashioned 'c' type clasp and slightly longer pin which is more commonly a feature on 19th Century brooches and pins.   The brooch, which is round in shape, measures just 2.5cms  in diameter. 

JEWELLERY DETAILS

Designer or Brand: None

Country of Origin: Italy

Condition: Very Good

Decade: 1890s

Era: Antique (1850s - 1880s)

Type: Brooch - Micro Mosaic Brooch

Material: Gold washed Metal and Glass