Antique RUSSIAN arts Crafts Inlaid amethyst PIN

Handiwork and slight flaws or asymmetries were embraced in Arts and Crafts style design because they highlighted the work of the individual artist . Most people don’t’ know this but most Arts and Crafts jewelers began their careers in other artistic pursuits like painting or architecture and learned the jewelry trade to a large extent through trial and error. This piece has a genuine cabochon( popular during this period as pieces that were faceted were frowned upon) of amethyst with INLAID sterling inside in a floral leaf like pattern. Obviously not an easy task to carve our this design in such a small stone. The artist that created this type of jewelry often traveled in the same circles with the Pre-Raphaelites, sharing ideas about design and aesthetics and as in this piece, a great deal of the designs were inspired by nature and organic forms. Leaves, flowers and birds were common motifs. Arts and Crafts jewelers chose to use less precious metals like copper, brass, (this one is brass and silver) aluminum, and silver that revealed the hammer marks of the jeweler. You can see these marks on the long bar of this piece. The focus and philosophy remained that each piece of work should be created from start to finish by the same pair of hands. It became a style appreciated and purchased only by an elite portion of the aesthetically oriented middle class. To have this piece survive is such a wonderful thing because the work from that late 1800 period is gone and will never be seen again. This brooch is over 3 ½” long and the cabachon center is over ½”. Russian work is noted for inlay and design in metal and precious jewels. This one was sold to us by a family that carried it and other antique pieces from their home country. Since these pieces are one of a kind it is a chance for you to own something that was made it such artistry that it can never be duplicated.