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| Pendant Brooch Castellani Rome, 1860-1900 The Victoria & Albert Museum |
This enameled gold pendant brooch was made between 1860 and 1900 by the famed Italian Castellani firm who made a splash with their designs based on archeological finds.
This piece features a curved central line of seven rubies mounted in rectangular collets. Two gold rosettes set with sapphires and a ruby mounted in a collet in a heart-shaped frame add more sparkle. Beneath the rubies, a symmetrical design of enameled openwork gold with a central ruby and four sapphires is an interesting counterpoint to the pearls which hang below the symmetrical profile heads of a bird. The Castellani monogram is twice incorporated into the design.
The jewel was inspired by jewelry made in Europe in the Seventeenth Century. This is one of several versions of this design. In fact, three are also in the V&A.
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