Victorian bar brooch

Jewelry

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The Recorded Image Project

Name/Title

Victorian bar brooch

Description

This is a Victorian bar brooch, most likely dating to c. 1870–1890, featuring wire-wrapped construction and a molded glass flower centerpiece with small faceted accent stones.

Item Type

Brooch

Style

Victorian

Category

1890's, Victorian

Made/Created

Date made

circa 1870 - circa 1890

Time Period

Victorian, 19th Century

Jewelry Details

Gemstones

Notes

Wirework Hand-wrapped wire coils around the bar and terminals Decorative and structural — very Victorian Wire shows irregularity consistent with hand work, not machine uniformity This kind of wire construction shows up in: Late Victorian novelty jewelry Folk-influenced or artisan-made pieces Smaller workshops rather than large factories Bar Form Straight horizontal bar End terminals capped with decorative metal forms Reverse shows C-clasp and early pin construction → pre-1900 Centerpiece Pressed or molded glass flower, translucent olive/green Petals show molded veining rather than carving → confirms glass, not stone Central small faceted stone (likely glass paste) Green glass was fashionable in the late Victorian period and often chosen to imitate peridot or chrysoberyl. Accent Stones Small clear faceted stones at either side Almost certainly paste (lead glass), common and period-correct Metal Likely brass or gilt brass Warm tone with visible age oxidation Not gold-filled or solid gold (and not trying to be)

Beads

Material

Brass

General Notes

Note Type

Description

Note

A late Victorian bar brooch constructed of brass wire and molded green glass, featuring a floral centerpiece with faceted paste accents. Hand-wrapped wire elements form both decorative and structural components, reflecting the experimental and artisanal approaches to jewelry making in the late nineteenth century. The brooch exemplifies Victorian interest in botanical motifs and accessible ornamentation.

Create Date

February 5, 2026