Brooch

Probably Tiffany & Co.
ca. 1900
Not on view
This brooch features a large, square, step-cut emerald with rounded corners ringed by two concentric oval frames of round, marquis, and pear-shaped brilliant-cut diamonds. The gems are arranged like garlands in thin platinum bezels with millegrain detailing. Findings on the back of the piece allow it to be worn as either a brooch or a pendant. The delicate appearance of this and other "garland style" pieces popular around the turn of the twentieth century relied on the advanced use of platinum, which was a newly accessible material at the time of this brooch’s manufacture.

Although unmarked, this piece was possibly made by New York-based jewelers Tiffany & Co. The first iteration of Tiffany & Co. was founded in New York City in 1837 and specialized in stationary and fancy goods. By the early 1900s, around the time this brooch was made, Tiffany & Co had become a favorite shopping destination of the Gilded Age elite, with branches in London and Paris.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Brooch
  • Maker: Probably Tiffany & Co. (1837–present)
  • Date: ca. 1900
  • Geography: Country of Origin United States
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Emerald, diamonds, platinum
  • Dimensions: 1 1/4 x 1 3/4 in. (3.2 x 4.4 cm)
  • Credit Line: Gift of Susan Dwight Bliss, 1953
  • Object Number: 53.153.1
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

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