With an array of beautifully matched seed pearls ranging from 1mm to 4mm, and a mother of pearl matrix which is without breaks, this c.1780s-1840s brooch remains in excellent condition, good-sized and ready to wear or display. One from my own longtime collections.It is 1 1/2" wide and tall, and the Maltese cross was a symbol of friendship. Set with seed pearls, which were iconographic as the tears of a mourning person, this was likely a memento of the loss of a dear friend. The gold tests at 14k but not at 18k, meaning it could be 14-16, as I have no acid for the alloy between 14 and 18. Found decades ago in England.
Very good to excellent on this one, age and type considered. Shown well, front and back, it is much prettier in person. Hard to show the satin pearlescent of the pearls, which is probably why it's never been listed 'til now. It is 1 1/2" wide and tall, and the Maltese cross was a symbol of friendship.
