Does anybody have any idea how old this necklace might be? I believe it is made of brass. The lady I bought it from told me it is Victorian but I want a second opinion.
Jewelry is not my strong point, however the clasp, butterfly and style looks to me like one of the Victorian styles that were so popular in the 90s. Very pretty though!
So pretty! It looks like the shepherd's hook is a replacement, and there's a missing jump ring as well. Looks very Czech. Maybe 1910-20-ish, around there.
Good catch on the clasp replacement Laura. So you feel it is earlier rather than later? I remember seeing quite a few necklaces similar style at art/craft fairs in the 90s. I think it is the butterfly that I am questioning mainly as to ascertaining the age.
I agree Sue -- that lacy butterfly portion has been in use for quite some time. I continue to see these old findings at the flea markets as well -- which doesn't make it easy, lol.
I'm getting a newer feel from this piece - if it were over a century old, I'd expect to see more age on the pieces themselves, a bit of patina or dirt but it's looking pretty pristine. Of course, if someone enthusiastically cleaned and polished it, it could look like this - and I agree that the clasp is either a replacement or a sign that it's fairly modern. In recent times, there has been a lot of similar jewellery made of bronze coming out of India (IIRC). Great pics by the way! Very clear.
Thanks for the responses. I am very clueless when it comes to jewelry. Good thing I did not pay much for it. Do you think it could be at least vintage maybe 60s?
It is really hard to tell just from a photo. Is it fairly lightweight, or does it feel a bit hefty in the hand? That can be a clue. It has a very mid Victorian look to it, but the materials do not look antique Victorian. The brass balls and general look to it seem 1920's to me for some reason. The pairing of the heavy looking brass balls and the airy filigree butterfly seem mis-matched to me. Hard to say when this one was put together. Is the butterfly stamped metal or is it cast? Can we see the back of the butterfly?
Barbara, you can see the back of the butterfly in the first pic. From here it looks sheet stamped, not die-stamped -- and those beads are period.
Thanks for your response. I think the filigree looks cast and the necklace does have some weight. The first picture is the back of it and the last pic is the front.
I would have guessed 1930s or 1940s Victorian Revival. and something about it reminds me of some of Miriam Haskell's early work?? Jen
