Featured Opinions wanted- brooch

Here’s one that I’m eyeballing currently. I think it is silver, the seller said the pin is not original but the clasp is. They think it’s Scottish because of the design. The stone is amethyst.

Is this more of a “vintage” or newer item? I don’t believe it’s antique.

 

I've got one very similar to this that isn't silver but that's not to say yours isn't!

 

nice.
https://www.google.ch/search?q=scot...HWSJBL8QsAR6BAgGEAE&biw=1536&bih=711&dpr=1.25

 

That looks like a green/corrosion spot on the back. Be sure to test this if you're going to list it. It's definitely a Scottish design, right down to the rose in the center. The pin, btw, is definitely a replacement. That tube hinge pin thing could mean this is Victorian, but the Scandinavians still use them sometimes on traditional pieces so... dunno.

 

List it? What do you mean?

 

Evelyb thinks you might be going to sell it.
This is the area that makes her think it isn't sterling, and I agree.

 

Ah, gotcha. No, I buy for me.

If the consensus is this is probably not silver I’ll have to pass this time. I have enough costume jewelry as it is.

 

i say pass.....for the replacement pin alone...........

 

Need better and in focus of the front,looks like it's hand engraved and base metal wouldn't be worth the time to hand engrave.

 

If Hollyblue thinks it might be hand engraved, then please get some better pictures. You'll get an expert opinion that way.

 

@Hollyblue These are the only others available that don’t look like they had been taken with a potato.

 

It was hand engraved,if it were die stamped all of the diamond shaped areas and tops of the thistles would be the same.You can also see a number of mistakes/slips made by the engraver.

 

So there’s a good chance this isn’t a base metal?

 

Can't be positive about the metal from the photo,it looks to be a little over 2 inches in diameter,the carved amethyst and the amount of time for the engraving would not be on a "costume" jewelry piece.

 

i can't help thinking it looks dull, like pewter...... but , y'know...photo's...

 

It is a Scottish plaid brooch, worn to fasten a plaid, or for the ladies a shawl, to the shoulder.
I love the rose. I am with Holly on that one, why would they put a carved amethyst rose on a costume brooch? Unless it is a marriage?
Scottish silver is only very rarely unmarked. The verdigris would look odd on sterling silver, maybe it was in contact with a 'lesser' piece with verdigris?
That replacement pin was a home job.

Yes, and so do the Scots, like on my John Fraser plaid brooch. The C-clasp was still used occasionally in the 60s, I think.
John Fraser was an Inverness silversmith 1963-1994. I don't know exactly when mine was made, the marks are worn. At the moment the date letter looks like a kneeling duck on a prayer chair. Haven't found that one in the date letter chart yet.


Back with tube hinge and contemporary roll-over safety clasp, no C-clasp:


I know, the back looks grubby, it is still in the clean and catalogue box.

 

Wow that's organised, mine are in the ' can't find a damn thing' Clarks shoebox!

 

I have so many boxes I lost track of where things are. So I am in the process of cataloguing them. Somewhat. I now have different boxes for the different continents, and a separate one for China. Well, they have 1.42 billion people, so they need a separate box.

 

That’s your brooch? It’s gorgeous!!