General Information:
- Precious Metal Weight: 0.93-0.95 dwt
- Precious Metal Material: 14k yellow gold
- Dimensions: 64.5 mm overall; 63.0 mm pin length; 16.1 mm x 11.6 mm head
- Weight: 1.44 grams
- Markings: 14k
- Era: circa 1900
- Buyer Notes: Stick pins are becoming more and more rare, and aside from being perfectly wearable as delicate lapel brooches, are prime candidates for many kinds of fine jewelry conversions, including rings, earrings, pendants, and charms. Please do not hesitate to reach out via Instagram for a video of this item.
Specifications:
- Center Stone Type: Diamond
- Center Stone Count: One (1)
- Center Stone Carat Weight: Approx. 0.04 ct by formula
- Center Stone Dimensions: 2.3-2.4 mm
- Center Stone Shape: Old European Cut
- Center Stone Color: H-I
- Center Stone Clarity: SI2
- Side Stone Type: Pearl
- Side Stone Count: One (1)
- Side Stone Dimensions: 2.1 x 2.0 x 1.5 mm
- Side Stone Shape: Extremely Semi-Baroque, round shape and half-drilled
- Side Stone Color: Whitish-Cream with very pale pinkish-gray luster
The Story:
Made during the very first years of the 20th century, this stick pin exudes Art Nouveau styling, showing the aesthetic movement’s nod to Arts and Crafts rigid geometries alongside elegant curvatures allusive to nature. The form of this pin’s head shows something of double triangular shapes, one within and through the other. Impressed and raised linework and swirling cymas decorate the shapes, and make the piece feel almost like bat wings, a heart, bird beaks and gingko leaves all at once. The effect is both architectural and organic, a visionary twist of this material world and one of fantasy. The head is further emphasized by a single bezel set Old European cut diamond, adding a bit of sparkle to its golden backdrop. What’s more, a deliciously lustrous pearl grounds the pointed base of the head.
Jewels of this era and the preceding Victorian period are known for their rich symbolic meanings. As such, the significance of this pin can be dissected even more profoundly: the insinuation of bat wings are known within art history as representing cycles of transition and new beginnings, and of shedding the weight of the past. In suit, the image of the heart conveys affection and devotion, while a bird’s beak is believed to be a sacred courier of love messages from one’s partner. The fan-shaped gingko leaf has long been a symbol of longevity, prosperity and unity.
The use of the diamond and the pearl echo these sentiments, as the diamond represents loyalty and pure perfection, while the pearl represents eternalism and rectitude. Together, these icons and stones gush a sensitive narrative that speak to the promise of new love and life in partnership. Jewelry and decorative arts pieces dating to this period in history are desirable for their immense meaning; each component was intentionally chosen to tell a portion of the story and perceived as a talisman to remind, protect, bless and aggrandize. This expertly crafted stick pin is assuredly no exception, displaying a specific message akin to marital salutations.
