Antique sterling Shiebler style Medallion tussie mussie brooch

George W. Shiebler was a silver maker of New York City, who reinvented the use of the medallion as decoration and created a whole new style of silver jewelry, novelties, flatware, and hollowware.THis is as old as his jewelry although it is not hallmarked as his. Made of sterling, this has four classical deities or heroic figures. Refined classical portraits were used, but they were no longer enclosed within a defined border. Instead they were die-stamped, unframed, on hammered and unplanished backgrounds. Circular or oval, with irregular margins, these medallions were incorporated into silver jewelry and novelties. Individually they were used as pins, buttons, and cuff links. Joined together they formed longer brooches, link brace-lets, watch fobs, and sweater clasps. They could also be suspended from brooches and bracelets. The portraits were stamped almost anywhere on brooches that were oddly shaped and roughly rendered, sometimes having crudely executed engraved decoration and dangles, and sometimes a few dings.This one would have been used between a collar or as a posie holder ( also called tussie mussie). The flower stem would slide down in the arched part of the brooch. This sterling brooch measures 2 1/2" across and has all its original parts including its C Clasp.

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