Shop by era
Georgian, Victorian, Art Nouveau, Edwardian, Art Deco, Retro and mid-century brooches, filtered on the era recorded for the piece from its fitting, its marks and its construction.
The collection
Antique & Vintage Brooches
Brooches are the most reliably datable jewelry we sell, because their fittings changed decade by decade. A C-catch and a long pin point to the nineteenth century, a trombone clasp to the turn of the century and the years either side, a roll-over safety catch to the 1920s and after, and a modern lever catch to later production. We record the fitting we actually find, and note when a pin or catch was replaced.
4 pieces
One of a kindSampleView this pieceArt Deco Diamond Bar Brooch in Platinum
Diamond
$4,853
One of a kindSampleView this pieceRetro Gold Flower Brooch with Rubies
18K · Ruby
$4,009
One of a kindSampleView this pieceArt Nouveau Enamel Dragonfly Brooch
14K
$5,486
One of a kindSampleView this pieceEdwardian Platinum Filigree Diamond Brooch
Diamond
$4,431
Looking for something you saw earlier? Browse our archive of recently sold vintage jewelry to see the kind of pieces that pass through our hands.
The category runs from Georgian and Victorian goldwork, mourning brooches, cameos and micromosaics, through Art Nouveau enamel and Edwardian platinum bar brooches and lace pins, to Art Deco double clips and geometric plaques, Retro gold scrolls and ribbons, mid-century animal and flower spray brooches, and signed estate work.
Because a brooch carries its whole weight on one pin, our goldsmith services the pin, the hinge and the catch on every piece before it is listed, and our gemologist checks the stones and any later replacements. Nothing is polished so hard that the engraving softens. Every brooch is one of a kind, ships free and fully insured to the US with import duties included, and can be seen live on video before you commit.
Personal service
Nothing here yet is quite it?
Three ways to go further, all of them with a person on the other side.
01
Book a private video viewing
One of our jewelers takes any piece to daylight and shows you the hallmark, the setting and any wear, live and in your own time zone.
Book a viewing02
Tell us what you are looking for
Our buyers are with European estates and auction houses every week. Describe the piece and we write to you the moment something right comes in.
We will source it03
Have one made — Atelier
Our Atelier pieces are newly handcrafted in our own workshop, taking their cues from the vintage and antique jewelry we have spent decades restoring. New work with a vintage soul, never sold as antique.
Explore AtelierShop by metal, stone & subject
Gold, platinum, silver and gold-on-silver, set with diamond, garnet, seed pearl, turquoise, coral, enamel and hardstone. Subjects range from bar brooches and bows to flowers, insects, animals, cameos and mourning work.
What makes an antique brooch special
The back tells you as much as the front: hand-cut pins, hinges soldered individually, closed-back or foiled settings, and engraving that was cut into the metal. Those are the marks of workshop production that stopped being economic a century ago.
Wearing a brooch today
On a lapel or coat, at a collar, on a bag strap, or on a chain as a pendant. Our goldsmith can fit a discreet pendant loop to many brooches, reversibly, so a Victorian bar brooch can be worn as a necklace without altering the original piece.
Buying from the Netherlands — duties included
Free insured shipping to the US with import duties already in the price, and 30 days to return with free insured return shipping.
Frequently asked questions
- How can I date an antique brooch from its fitting?
- A C-catch with a long pin usually means nineteenth century, a trombone clasp roughly 1890 to 1930, a roll-over safety catch from the 1920s onward, and a modern lever catch later still. It is evidence, not proof, so we combine it with the marks, the construction and the stone cutting.
- Are the pins on your antique brooches safe to wear?
- Yes. Our goldsmith services or renews the pin, the hinge and the catch on every brooch before it is listed, and the condition report states what was replaced.
- Can a brooch be worn as a pendant?
- Often yes. We can fit a reversible pendant loop in our own atelier so the brooch itself is not altered. Ask on a video viewing and we will show you how it hangs.
- Can I see the piece before I buy it?
- Book a private video viewing. One of our specialists takes the exact piece into daylight on camera, turns it, shows you the hallmark and the back of the setting, and answers your questions live in your own time zone.
- Do you ship to the US with duties included?
- Yes. Shipping from the Netherlands to any US address is free, fully insured and tracked, and import duties and taxes are already included in the price you see. Nothing extra is collected on delivery.
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About this category
Brooches at Vintage Jewelry
Antique and vintage brooches, from Victorian goldwork to Deco clips, with pins and catches serviced.
About vintage brooches
Brooches date well because pin fittings changed over time: C-catches, trombone clasps, roll-over safety catches and modern pins each belong to a period. We record the fitting we find.
How we authenticate vintage brooches
Our goldsmith services the pin and catch and tests the metal, and our gemologist checks the stones and any later replacements before the piece is listed.
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Read before you buy
Also of interest
Guides and collections that pair with these pieces.
