Throughout the summer and autumn, I've been traveling a lot, collecting "Handsome Gifts" for my customers' Holiday giving pleasure. Finding jewelry, it seems, requires a bit of kismet. I seem to stumble across nice pieces of jewelry while in the pursuit of something quite different. The piece above is no different. While perusing a case of silver flatware, I saw this lone brooch huddled in a corner. I didn't buy the silverware—but I did come away with the brooch! It was made in Victorian England and is hallmarked Chester, 1887. Though Prince Albert—Queen Victoria's beloved husband—had been dead for over 25 years, the Queen (and, thus, the Empire) was still in-mourning. While women (including the Queen) did want to wear beautiful jewelry, they wanted nothing too jolly, too frivolous. Pieces like this fit the bill: stately, serious, more handsome than pretty. It is made of sterling silver and has a hand-engraved Aesthetic Movement design. It would look very nice on a coat or jacket's lapel—and could be worn by a woman or a (stylish, confident) man. Click on the photo above to learn more about it.
More Handsome Jewelry tomorrow.
LEO Design's Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed. While we contemplate our next shop location, please visit our on-line store which continues to operate (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
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