Silver Marcasite Portrait Miniature Brooch
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
- Marcasite - Marcasite is a mineral, iron sulphide, but is rarely used in jewellery. Instead marcasite is the name given to iron pyrites, the mineral sold as marcasite which is identical in copmosition to iron sulphide but crystalises as a cube, making it more suitable for jewellery. It is a brassy yellow in colour and is also known as "fool's gold", and sits well with silver rather than gold becasue of its colour.
Marcasite has been used in jewellery since ancient times and became popular again in jewellery in the 18th century, continuing through to the early 20th century, with the settings becoming cheaper as time progressed, eventually earning the sobriquet "costume jewellery" along with other cheap jewellery that was made for a prevailing pattern and meant to be changed with each new outfit.
This item has been included into following indexes:
- brooches, design or type
-
brooches, set with
- marcasite 194
- other materials 1,859
- brooches, silver - silver items 2,539
- miniatures - portrait, in jewellery 106
Visually similar items
An impressive oblong sterling silver tray, Philip Rundell, London, 1816, the elaborate cast border designed with shells, bouquets and acanthus leaves with two double scroll acanthus leaf handles, a coat-of-arms engraved to the centre bearing the motto 'Vig
Large sterling silver round tray, on three feet, hallmarked Birmingham 1933, sold through Robinson & Co., Singapore & Kuala Lumpur, 1.374kg approx, 38.5 cm wide at widest point
Austro-Hungarian silver 800 standard rectangular dressing table tray with raised edging. Condition good, minor tarnishing. Dimensions 36 x 19 cm. Weight 441g
Coalport, rectangular comport, hand painted with flowers circa 1840, approx 27 cm wide