Carl and Josef Bacher Brooch Maker

Carl and Josef Bacher Scarab Brooch — An Egyptian Revival enamel and gem-set scarab brooch, by Carl Bacher. The carved lapis lazuli scarab with hieroglyphs to the reverse and rose-cut diamond detail, framed by two serpents, to green and red enamel wings with sapphire accents and single circular-cut ruby, circa 1870, Austrian marks, maker’s mark CB, 4.7cm wide. Sold for GBP 3,000 at Christie’s

Carl and Josef Bacher Brooch Maker.

Josef Bacher was a Viennese jeweller known for his Etruscan jewels in the art of Castellani. His son Carl Bacher followed in his footsteps. Their jewels were exhibited at the time at several Expositions of Decorative Arts, for instance: in Vienna 1874-75, in Munich 1876, in Amsterdam 1877 and Paris 1878, where they received a gold medal. Since 1873 they had a gold and jewel factory and a retail shop named J. Bacher and Son, at the Lindengasse 11 in Vienna.

Much of their jewellery resembled a Hellenistic style using gold and enamel. One of the makers marks for Carl Bacher was C.B.