An exceptional and unique handmade mid-1900s micromosaic brooch featuring roses and foliage surrounded by ornate gilt filigree and beautifully enamelled tesserae. The quality of this brooch is particularly fine. Roses are symbols of love, passion and beauty. The deep red colour of this brooch makes it a wonderful statement piece throughout the year.
C-clasp.
 
Micromosaics are a type of mosaic created from hundreds and even thousands of tiny fragments of glass, called tesserae. The tesserae are mosaic pieces made from an opaque vitreous glass or enamel in a multitude of colors called smalto. The smalto is pulled into rods or threads, called filati (spun enamel), and then left to cool. After cooling, it is cut into hundreds of minute cubes or tesserae and arranged on a copper or gold tray to create a scene, portrait, or landscape. During the mid-nineteenth century, black Belgian marble or “Noir Belge” was carved out and used as the background or base.
 
The metal or stone supports are then filled with mastic or cement upon which the tesserae are carefully placed and arranged into the desired image. Once the mastic has hardened, the gaps between the tesserae are filled with colored wax and the whole picture is polished to achieve a smooth and even surface.
 
It is an extremely laborious and painstaking art form. The mosaicist uses tweezers to apply hundreds, sometimes thousands, of tiny tesserae to create incredibly detailed and beautiful scenes. These mosaics could be fairly large panels or plaques inset on table tops or mounted on the wall, but more commonly they were made into much smaller oval or circular plaques that were worn as jewelry, incorporated into pendants, necklaces, earrings, brooches, and rings. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, these plaques were often made in Rome, and exported to London or Paris where they were mounted in jewelry.
 
 
PRICE:
$165
 
MATERIAL:
Enamel, Gilt Brass 
 
AGE: 
Mid 1900s
 
CONDITION: 
Very good – surface wear commensurate with age and use
 
SIZE: 
D 4.25
 
WEIGHT:
23.58 g
 
Please read descriptions and inspect photos carefully, paying careful attention to size and weight. Due to the age of antique and vintage jewelry, minor abrasions and wear of finishes is normal and appreciated. All items have been tested to be in working/usable condition, unless otherwise stated. Please take care to understand safe cleaning methods for each type of gem and metal. Jewelry pieces are carefully wrapped, ribboned and shipped in an elegant velvet box.