Portuguese Flower Bouquet Brooch

A large antique Portuguese flower bouquet brooch, featuring five late 18th century color foiled quartz pansies remounted on a later 19th c. setting with a green paste surround. The flower elements were likely hair jewels, made individually with little pin attachments. Several of this type are illustrated on p. 100 & 101 of “Five Centuries of Jewellery: National Museum of Ancient Art, Lisbon” by Leonor d’Orey. Following the disappearance of elaborate 18th c. wigs, abundant use of hair jewels fell into obsolescence; many of these ornaments were converted into other forms during the 19th and 20th centuries. The present brooch aligns with a renewed interest in large floral sprays after 1850, with the floral ornaments mounted in an ‘en tremblant’ style then also in vogue.
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Description

Date: late 18th c components, 19th century body and green paste surround

Materials: garnet, color foiled quartz, amethyst, green paste, silver, 18k rose gold (brooch pin & catch; tested with electronic gold tester)

Weight: 37.9 grams

Length: 80 mm

Width: 48.5 mm

Depth: 17 mm

Diameter of flower heads: four 23 mm, one 19.5 mm

Condition: tarnish and some discoloration to the foiling (several flower petals with a “smoked mirrors” effect). Some nibbling and small losses to the collet bezels. The center garnet to one flower is noticeably chipped. Another garnet has a side chip to the girdle. Green pastes have noticeable surface wear, particular at the table areas. Only one flower fully “trembles” on springs; the others merely rotate in a circular motion. Age-related surface wear throughout.

Portuguese Flower Bouquet Brooch

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