Italian Cameo and Mosaic Brooches Set

Vintage Italian cameo and mosaic brooches, 2 oval carved cameo…
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Vintage Italian cameo and mosaic brooches, 2 oval carved cameo shell portraits set in 800 silver frames with brooch and pendant fittings, one with marcasite's, sizes 39 x 30 & 32 x 25 mm, and 4 micro mosaic brass brooches including 2 disc with flowers and Roma, other 2 (with missing fittings) crescent and lozenge shape, widths 21-56 mm.

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  • Marcasite - Marcasite is a mineral, iron sulphide, but is rarely used in jewellery. Instead marcasite is the name given to iron pyrites, the mineral sold as marcasite which is identical in copmosition to iron sulphide but crystalises as a cube, making it more suitable for jewellery. It is a brassy yellow in colour and is also known as "fool's gold", and sits well with silver rather than gold becasue of its colour.

    Marcasite has been used in jewellery since ancient times and became popular again in jewellery in the 18th century, continuing through to the early 20th century, with the settings becoming cheaper as time progressed, eventually earning the sobriquet "costume jewellery" along with other cheap jewellery that was made for a prevailing pattern and meant to be changed with each new outfit.

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