Antique Star-Shaped Brooch Made of Bohemian Garnets, Circa 1890

Stars were among the most popular motifs in jewellery in the late 19th century. They owed their special luster not least to Empress Elisabeth of Austria. According to tradition, Sisi was so taken with the star-studded costume of the Queen of the Night in Mozart’s The Magic Flute that Emperor Franz Joseph commissioned the Viennese court jeweler A. E. Köchert to create an entire series of diamond stars. The jewellery became world-famous through Franz Xaver Winterhalter’s 1865 portrait, which depicts the empress with sparkling stars in her long, loose hair. The brooch presented here translates this courtly fashion into the characteristic design language of Bohemian garnet jewelry. Eight rays radiate from its center and are densely set with pyrope garnets across three superimposed levels. Large and small stones alternate, giving the star a three-dimensional effect. Their historic rose-cut facets, set on silver foils, capture the light in numerous dark-red reflections. In keeping with the style of the period, the garnets are set in gold-plated tombac. The metal recedes almost entirely behind the stones, creating the impression of a star that glows from within. The precise gradation of the individual layers attests to the skill of the Bohemian gem cutters and jewellers, whose work was highly sought after throughout Europe in the late 19th century. Thus, the brooch combines a famous motif of imperial fashion with the deep red fire of Bohemian garnets. A small star with a big impact!

Estimation:€298

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