Magnificent Red Gold Brooch with Natural Pearls, c. 1880

This brooch from around 1880 is a piece of fashion history. But what makes this star on its multi-pointed, pearl-studded base so exciting? Stars set with precious stones, usually pearls or diamonds, were popular pieces of jewellery in the second half of the 19th century, and it is easy to explain why the star in particular captured the hearts of female jewelry lovers in those years. On the one hand, stars were an expression of the enthusiasm for the Orient at the time, with its preference for exotic and foreign cultures. On the other hand, the enthusiasm for star motifs was due to Empress Elisabeth of Austria, who introduced the diamond star motif to Viennese society and made it an immortal classic of jewelry history to this day. Probably the most famous portrait of Sisi, painted by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, shows the young empress with a multitude of radiant diamond stars in her flowing dark hair, which were specially made for her by the Viennese court jeweler A. E. Köchert. After the publication of this portrait in the press, there was no stopping the ladies of Viennese society. Every woman who could afford it wanted to come into possession of at least one precious star, which, with the sparkle of diamonds or pearls, was supposed to radiate a little glamor and proximity to the latest fashion. This piece of jewellery corresponds to this fashion and is set with 45 finely lustrous natural pearls. We discovered the star in Zurich.

Estimation:€1,290

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