This Victorian pique brooch with inlaid mother of pearl, gold, and silver is crafted in tortoiseshell, weighs 4.8g and measures 55mm long, 13mm wide and 5mm deep. Designed as a tri-dimensional gracefully elongated ovular plaque, this attractive Victorian pique brooch is meticulously decorated with a botanically inspired grape-bearing vine. Inlaid brightly colored mother of pearl 'disks' of 'multi-hued' color and 1.5mm diameter represent the realistically depicted grapes. The vine leaves are rendered in textured yellow gold, depicting botanically accurate veins on each vine leaf, complemented by randomly inclined and scrolled silver stems. This highly ornate Victorian brooch of artistic craftsmanship and delightful combination of warm colors features the original yellow gold hinged pin and C-hook and is just one moth-bite (on the underside) away from 'pristine' condition.

The technique of inlaying gold and silver in tortoiseshell. Introduced in England by Huguenot artisans in the 17th century, this technique was first applied to small ornamental objects and gradually grew to become an important trade by the mid-nineteenth century. Craftsmen produced two distinct styles of piqué work at that time, namely ‘piqué point’ and ‘piqué posé’. Piqué point consisted of tortoiseshell jewelry inlaid with tiny dots and stars by pushing thin wires into the tortoiseshell and filing them flush with the surface. Piqué posé involved the use of strips of gold or silver sheets in floral, geometric, and scalloped patterns, which were impressed into the warmed and softened tortoiseshell. At times, a combination of both styles was applied to the same piece of jewelry. The piqué technique was used for producing beads, bangles, pins, buttons and belt buckles but the most beautiful and impressive were the piqué earrings made in pendulum or hoop Creole style with dangling drops showing glittering stars. Piqué reached its highest point of popularity in the 1860’s until Birmingham discovered methods of mass-producing it in the 1870’s resulting in a decline of piqué work quality hitherto made entirely by hand. In view of the laws and restrictions limiting or forbidding the slaughter of tortoise as endangered species, piqué jewelry is no longer being produced and the antique pieces are extremely rare and irreplaceable.

EAG1213P1

Suggested Retail Price: $150.00 Your Price: $98.00 Wholesale Price: $75.00