Pinchbeck, an alloy of copper (about 90%) and zinc (10%), is also known as 'poor man's gold'. This alloy is named after the watchmaker Christopher Pinchbeck who invented it in the 18th century. The invention of pinchbeck allowed ordinary people to buy 'gold effect' jewellery. Those who do not look carefully may be fooled into thinking this is gold. While resembling gold when newly made, pinchbeck darkens with age and does not bear any gold hallmarks.

46 items found:

These items have been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.

Victorian pinchbeck bracelet, stunning embossed oval shape…

Victorian pinchbeck bracelet, stunning embossed oval shape decoration with half dome shape centre set with clear stones and blue enamel, in original leather and velvet lined box

An antique gilt pinchbeck foliate brooch, set with seed pearls,…

An antique gilt pinchbeck foliate brooch, set with seed pearls, 19th century, 5 cm high

A Victorian pinchbeck bracelet, the band of articulated links…

A Victorian pinchbeck bracelet, the band of articulated links with engraved ends, these bands slide through an elaborate centre piece set with three ruby paste stones and the size can be adjusted to fit.

Three Victorian mourning photo frames and swivel brooch, 19th…

Victorian Mourning Frames and Brooch Set

Three Victorian mourning photo frames and swivel brooch, 19th century comprising a Victorian pinchbeck framed mourning photo brooch with lady and gentleman portraits in oval swivel plaque, a small sterling silver embossed square frame (1900 Chester, James…

Victorian pinchbeck locket, book shape with two photo lockets…

Victorian Book Locket with Cameo and Photos

Victorian pinchbeck locket, book shape with two photo lockets and carved cameo

A New Zealand colonial pinchbeck and bloodstone signet ring…

NZ Colonial Pinchbeck and Bloodstone Signet Ring (Land Wars 1863)

A New Zealand colonial pinchbeck and bloodstone signet ring Land Wars 1863, presentation engraved to the back panel 'Presented by the Sergts. of the 58th Regt. to Sergt. Worren on his discharge 31st March 1863'.

Victorian bird brooch, pinchbeck pretty brooch depicting birds…

Victorian Bird and Flower Pinchbeck Brooch

Victorian bird brooch, pinchbeck pretty brooch depicting birds amoungst flowers

Pinchbeck and paste demi-parure, early 19th century, comprising…

Pink Paste Demi-Parure with Original Box

Pinchbeck and paste demi-parure, early 19th century, comprising a collar set with a row of oval pink paste within surrounds of fine wirework, scrolls and beaded granulation to a mesh collar necklace, together with a similarly set pink paste Maltese cross…

Victorian mourning brooch, pinchbeck with scroll surround,…

Victorian Hair Locket Mourning Brooch

Victorian mourning brooch, pinchbeck with scroll surround, black enamelling and woven hair to central locket

Pinchbeck mounted shell cameo brooch a gilt brass mounted shell…

Gilt Brass Shell Cameo Brooch, 8x6cm

Pinchbeck mounted shell cameo brooch a gilt brass mounted shell cameo brooch, 8 x 6 cm

Antique garnet brooch, pinchbeck Victorian brooch set with five…

Victorian Garnet Pinchbeck Brooch

Antique garnet brooch, pinchbeck Victorian brooch set with five garnet stones

An Edwardian pinchbeck mourning brooch, featuring braided hair.

Edwardian Hair Mourning Pinchbeck Brooch

An Edwardian pinchbeck mourning brooch, featuring braided hair.

A pair of antique earrings, pinchbeck and seed pearl.

Antique Pinchbeck Earrings with Seed Pearls

A pair of antique earrings, pinchbeck and seed pearl.

A Victorian mourning brooch, set with garnets, amethyst and…

Victorian Garnet and Amethyst Mourning Brooch

A Victorian mourning brooch, set with garnets, amethyst and spinels, mounted on pinchbeck.

Victorian rotating mourning brooch with a carved stag to the…

Victorian Stag Mourning Brooch

Victorian rotating mourning brooch with a carved stag to the center. Made in gilt metal likely pinchbeck. Size 53 x 56 mm

Antique pair of pinchbeck and turquoise earrings

Pinchbeck Turquoise Earrings - Antique Pair

Antique pair of pinchbeck and turquoise earrings

Victorian pinchbeck mourning shell cameo spinning brooch…

Victorian Mourning Maiden Brooch

Victorian pinchbeck mourning shell cameo spinning brooch depicting a maiden

A collection of five pinchbeck watch key fobs set with various…

Hardstone Watch Key Fob Collection, English 1800

A collection of five pinchbeck watch key fobs set with various Hardstones, English circa 1800.

Five 19th century watch key fobs, two pinchbeck set with agate,…

19th Century Watch Key Fobs with Agate and Carnelian

Five 19th century watch key fobs, two pinchbeck set with agate, one pinchbeck set with carnelian, one pinchbeck set with agate on one side, a compass on the other, one 9ct yellow gold set with carnelian.

An antique portrait miniature brooch with hair lock back in…

Antique Hair Lock Brooch with Portrait Miniature in Pinchbeck Frame

An antique portrait miniature brooch with hair lock back in pinchbeck frame, circa 1860s, 5 cm high

A pinchbeck brooch miniature of the Madonna and Child, after…

Raphael-inspired Pinchbeck Madonna and Child Brooch

A pinchbeck brooch miniature of the Madonna and Child, after Raphael, late 19th century, mother of pearl back 5.4 cm high

Victorian pinchbeck brooch with central citrine

Victorian Citrine Pinchbeck Brooch

Victorian pinchbeck brooch with central citrine

Victorian pinchbeck brooch with inset red stones

Victorian Red Stone Pinchbeck Brooch

Victorian pinchbeck brooch with inset red stones

A Victorian pinchbeck cameo set brooch

Victorian Pinchbeck Cameo Brooch Set

A Victorian pinchbeck cameo set brooch

A Victorian pinchbeck framed cameo mourning brooch, with swivel…

Victorian Mourning Brooch with Hair Display

A Victorian pinchbeck framed cameo mourning brooch, with swivel plaque, with hair display to the back.

A cameo brooch, the large finely carved oval cameo depicting St…

St. George Cameo Brooch in Pinchbeck Frame

A cameo brooch, the large finely carved oval cameo depicting St George and the dragon, in a decorative scrolled pinchbeck frame.

A Victorian hand-painted portrait miniature brooch, in…

Victorian Hand-Painted Portrait Miniature Brooch

A Victorian hand-painted portrait miniature brooch, in decorative pinchbeck frame, the bearded gent in profile, finely painted on ivory panel, decorative frame.

A Victorian cameo brooch, an uncommon subject matter of…

Brutus and Caesar Cameo Brooch

A Victorian cameo brooch, an uncommon subject matter of possibly Brutus assassinating Julius Cesar, set in an elaborate pinchbeck frame.

An inlaid stone brooch in pinchbeck mount, 19th century, 4 cm…

Inlaid Stone Brooch in Pinchbeck Mount, 19th Century

An inlaid stone brooch in pinchbeck mount, 19th century, 4 cm wide

A Victorian pinchbeck muff chain.

Victorian Pinchbeck Muff Chain

A Victorian pinchbeck muff chain.

A rare Victorian pinchbeck square link necklace with two tone…

Victorian Bird Engraved Pinchbeck Necklace

A rare Victorian pinchbeck square link necklace with two tone detail and bird engraving

A pinchbeck bracelet, set with banded agates.

Banded Agate Pinchbeck Bracelet

A pinchbeck bracelet, set with banded agates.

A Victorian pair of bog oak & crystal earrings, pinchbeck,…

Bog Oak & Crystal Tassel Earrings

A Victorian pair of bog oak & crystal earrings, pinchbeck, Victorian circa 1860's, presented as tassel style drops, featuring a colourless cabochon crystal, rope edge framed in a triangular form, further framed by bog oak panels of scalloped shape,…

A pinchbeck photo portrait brooch, 19th century, purported to…

Harry Power Portrait Brooch

A pinchbeck photo portrait brooch, 19th century, purported to be of the bushranger Harry Power famed for mentoring Ned Kelly in the ways of bushranging when he was just a teenager 5.5 cm high Provenance: Private Collection Ballarat

A Victorian pinchbeck brooch set with three garnets, 19th…

Victorian Garnet Pinchbeck Brooch, 19th Century

A Victorian pinchbeck brooch set with three garnets, 19th century 4 cm long, 5.5 grams total

A Victorian brooch, featuring a banded agate surrounded by…

Banded Agate and Prehnite Brooch on Pinchbeck

A Victorian brooch, featuring a banded agate surrounded by prehnite, on pinchbeck. Length 4.5 cm

Victorian pinchbeck brass and agate brooch, centered with lions…

Lion Head Agate Brooch with Green Stone Eyes

Victorian pinchbeck brass and agate brooch, centered with lions head and green stone eyes (crack to agate)

Antique gold pinchbeck and amethyst brooch with floral and…

Floral Pinchbeck Brooch with Amethyst Decoration

Antique gold pinchbeck and amethyst brooch with floral and foliate decorated setting

An early Victorian pinchbeck and gold locket, circular form.…

Victorian Pinchbeck and Gold Locket with Carved Mount

An early Victorian pinchbeck and gold locket, circular form. The surrounding carved scroll and floral pinchbeck mount with engine turned 9ct gold back. Carved pinchbeck top ring, circa 1840. Boxed.

Antique pinchbeck decorative brooch

Pinchbeck Decorative Brooch

Antique pinchbeck decorative brooch

Antique pinchbeck double sided cameo brooch with 9ct gold chain

Double-sided Cameo Brooch with 9ct Gold Chain

Antique pinchbeck double sided cameo brooch with 9ct gold chain

Victorian pinchbeck and agate brooch, together with a Gerry's…

Victorian Pinchbeck and Agate Brooch with Gerry's Costume Brooch

Victorian pinchbeck and agate brooch, together with a Gerry's costume brooch

An antique guard chain, the finely detailed circular links with…

Seed Pearl Guard Chain in Pinchbeck

An antique guard chain, the finely detailed circular links with seed pearl set clasp, in pinchbeck.

A pearl choker, of five strand design, hung with an antique…

Antique Floral Pearl Choker with Pinchbeck Clasp

A pearl choker, of five strand design, hung with an antique rectangular clasp with raised floral decoration., plated pinchbeck., length 33.5 cm

An early 19th century pinchbeck mesh-weave wide bracelet with…

Pinchbeck Mesh-Weave Bracelet with Cannetille Clasp

An early 19th century pinchbeck mesh-weave wide bracelet with cannetille-style clasp.

Victorian rolled gold/ pinchbeck double portrait locket. Oval,…

Double Portrait Locket with Early Photographs

Victorian rolled gold/ pinchbeck double portrait locket. Oval, opening front and reverse to show two separate early photographs. Weight 39.9g