Diamond Star Shaped Brooches. Diamonds lend themselves well to star shaped brooches as the gemstone can sparkle just like the stars in the sky. Below are some examples of diamond star shaped brooches.

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Roman brooches or fibulae were used to pin clothing together including robes, togas and cloaks.

Most people are familiar with the round bronze Roman brooches, but other shapes were also made including those of crossbows and animals.

One of the first fibula designs of the Roman-era began in the La Tene III era, in the late 1st century BC. The Straight Wire fibula, also known as the Soldier’s type or Legionnaire’s type, is a very plain design. It resembles the violin bow fibula of over one thousand years earlier except that the bow has slightly more of an arch and the spring in (short) bilateral not unilateral. The Straight Wire fibula is found through the 1st century AD.

For the first time in the first century AD, several fibula designs originated in Roman Britain. One of the most distinctive British fibula design was the Dolphin. This was a series of designs including the Polden Hill type, the Langton Down type, the Colchester type and the T-Shaped type. Dolphin fibulae have a smooth arched bow that tapers from the head to end in a long point. The long bilateral spring is covered. From the top the Dolphin fibula looks like a T or the late-Roman crossbow fibula. From the side it resembles a leaping dolphin.

Roman brooches included animal (zoomorphic) shapes (birds, horses, rabbits, flies, etc.), letters or words, abstract symmetrical or asymmetrical designs (including the so-called Celtic Trumpet designs), and skeuomorphic designs (symbolic designs).

Roman  brooches make excellent starter collections as Roman brooches are not only interesting but can start at very low costs.

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The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Florence in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. Renaissance brooches were predominantly functional items, although they were still extremely decorative.

Renaissance styles and traditions were found in parts of Europe throughout the Roman period and reappeared just before the medieval era. They were often made of bronze but some were also made in gold, silver and iron.  Often, they were decorated with red enamel, red coral inlays, cloisonne or champlene enamelling. Some brooches had more than one of these techniques.

During the Migration period (fourth to eighth centuries AD), many brooches and other jewellery were inlaid with richly coloured stones.

Brooches are probably one of the most common items of jewellery which have been found by archeologists, which is probably due to their functionality as well as decorative purpose.

Renaissance brooches were often worn as cloak-fasteners on both shoulders. Renaissance brooches are also referred to as penannual brooches. They acted as a safety-pin where the pin was secured in a catch-plate at the foot of the brooch and a bow would link the foot and spring.

Renaissance brooches were usually cast in one piece.

There was an enormous revival of interest in Classical and Renaissance art from about 1850. Archaeological discoveries in Greece, Italy and Egypt fuelled the imagination of designers. Renaissance art and architecture of the 15th and 16th centuries, itself inspired by ancient Rome, also had a great influence. Classical and Renaissance pieces were sometimes copied quite closely, but often a variety of forms and motifs were combined or reinterpreted.

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What is a Cameo

A cameo is a carved miniature which is often used in jewellery making.

Cameo Brooches

Brooches are one of the commonest ways in which a cameo is used. The cameo can be carved in many different materials such as gemstones, lava or shell. In modern costume jewellery, resin is often used and sometimes this can be mistaken for shell cameos.

Cameo carvings can be either in relief or intaglio.

Relief Cameos

Relief cameos are the most commonly found cameos in brooches. In these cameos the carving is raised and is often in a contrasting colour or material.

Intaglio Cameos

Intaglios are not technically a cameo but are known as an Intaglio in their own right. Intaglios are more commonly found in seals and rings than in brooches. In rings they often had a duel purpose as both a ring and a seal.

Intaglios are often carved in gemstones such as amethysts or carnelian.

Mythological Figures in Cameos

Many cameo brooches often depict classical figures such as Minvera, the God of War or Diana the huntress. Diana can often be recognised by the moon crescent in her hair. Other mythical creatures such as angels are often found carved in cameos.

God / Goddess	Description	Image
Apollo	Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin brother of Artemis. He lived in Greece. He was the god of healing and medicine, and of music and poetry. He was the leader of the Muses. He also was a god of prophecy, and his Oracle at Delphi was very important. He also was the god of justice. During the 5th century BC, Apollo became also known as the god of the sun, becoming one with the god Helios, and getting the name Phoebus. He is shown as a young man, wearing a laurel wreath and playing the kithara (lyre). It was known as his symbol. His other symbols included the raven. Some times he is known as the god of fire but this title is also given toVulcan or ephaestus.
Diana	Goddess of the moon and hunting. Often depicted in cameos with a crescent moon in her hair, bow and arrow and sometimes with a deer.  The image on the right shows a Victorian shell cameo brooch, circa 1880, the oval panel carved with the relief of Diana with bow in hand after releasing an arrow, above a hound leaping from a clouded ground, in a gold scrolled setting, 6.4cm long. It sold for £320 at Dreweatts Donnington Priory
Hercules	Hercules is the Roman name for the Greek divine hero Heracles, who was the son of Zeus (Roman equivalent Jupiter) and the mortal Alcmene. Hercules is famous for his strength. Hercules is also known for the “Twelve Labours”, the first being to slay the Nemean Lion. Cameos depicting Hercules often show the head wrapped in lion skin.

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Celtic Brooches

Celtic brooches had a style which was distinctive and still popular today. They were predominantly functional items, although still extremely decorative.

Celtic styles and traditions were found in parts of Europe throughout the Roman period and reappeared just before the medieval era.

Celtic brooches were often made of bronze but some were also made in gold, silver and iron.

Many Celtic brooches were decorated with red enamel, red coral inlays, cloisonne or champlene enamelling. Some brooches had more than one of these techniques.

During the Migration period (fourth to eighth centuries AD), many brooches and other jewellery were inlaid with richly coloured stones.

Brooches are probably one of the most common items of jewellery which have been found by archeologists, which is probably due to their functionality as well as decorative purpose.

Celtic brooches were often worn as cloak-fasteners on both shoulders. Celtic brooches are also referred to as penannual brooches.

Both penannular and pseudo-penannular brooches feature a long pin attached by its head to a ring; the pin can move freely around the ring as far as the terminals, which are close together. In the true penannular type, the ring is not closed; there is a gap between the terminals wide enough for the pin to pass through. In the pseudo-penannular type, the ring is closed, but there are still two separately defined terminals, which are joined by a further element. The penannular type is a simple and efficient way of fastening loosely woven cloth (where the pin will not leave a permanent hole), but the pseudo-penannular type is notably less efficient.

Celtic brooches acted as a safety-pin where the pin was secured in a catch-plate at the foot of the brooch and a bow would link the foot and spring.

Celtic brooches were usually cast in one piece.

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Blackamoor Brooches

Blackamoor brooches and jewellery is jewellery which depicts black figures within the design. Blackamoor jewellery is also known as Moretti jewellery and it is believed that it was originally created as amulets to ward off evil, or invasion by the Moors into Italy

Blackamoor brooches are often made of black enamel and are often surrounded by precious gems.

Blackamoor jewellery was particularly popular during the 17th and 18th centuries. The early examples often have European racial features, apart from the color. They are typically enamelled, carved from ebony or painted black to contrast with the bright colors of the embellishments. Depictions may only represent the head, or head and shoulders, facing the viewer in a symmetrical pose.

The blackamoor is typically male, depicted with a head covering, usually a turban, and covered in rich jewels and gold leaf. They are typically enamelled, carved from ebony or painted black to contrast with the bright colors of the embellishments. Depictions may only represent the head, or head and shoulders, facing the viewer in a symmetrical pose. Reference: Wikipedia

Blackamoor Jewellery Makers

Some notable blackamoor brooch makers include G Nardi, Butler and Wilson, Guliano and Castellani and Cartier,

The Blackamoor Clip Brooch above, is carved from wood, gilded and set with semi-precious gemstones including emeralds, sapphires and carnelian. This brooch sold at Bonhams for  US$ 1,375. As you can see, the wood is has excellent carvings.

Blackamoor brooches can be very valuable as can be seen by the brooch below. A sapphire, emerald, cultured pearl and hardstone brooch, by Nardi.

The carved hardstone blackamoor with a bi-coloured turban accented with cabochon emeralds between ropetwist dividers surmounted by a fancy-cut garnet, and wearing an openwork engraved tunic set with cabochon emeralds the border set with cultured pearls and cabochon sapphires, to the engraved reverse, 5.5 cm long, in maker’s case and outer box. Signed Nardi. This brooch sold at Christie’s for GBP 3,000

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