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Hopeless romantics beware! This beautiful brooch is choc full of swoon-worthy turn-of-the-century romantic symbolism!
Expertly hand crafted in brilliant Birmingham silver by the masters of sweetheart jewelry, the Sydenham Brothers, this exquisite piece features two hearts joined together by a rose gold overlaid bow -- a symbol of love and marriage.
Entwining the two lover's hearts at the bottom is a vine of rose and yellow gold overlaid clovers, another symbol of love and marriage, but also thought to bring the wearer, good luck, prosperity and inner strength.
Perched on the end of the vine is a rose gold sparrow, which was often regarded as a symbolic guide to help an individual find his or her way along the path of life. It was believed that if you were lost, the sparrow would lead you home.
In this particular setting, we like to believe that the sparrow symbolizes that these two lovers will always find their way back to each other in this life or the next.
While it's no secret that the vast majority of Victorian era jewelry is rife with symbolism, sentiment, secret messages and subtle professions of adoration, sweetheart brooches similar to the one seen here were mostly popular from the 1880s to about 1915. These intricately detailed pieces were always crafted in sterling silver and sometimes incorporated rose and yellow gold overlays.
This beautiful brooch would be a lovely, symbolic gift to give a newly wed couple.
Additional Details
Date: 1911
Materials: Birmingham sterling silver, rose and yellow gold overlays
Measurements: 1 9/16" x 15/16"
Markings: S.Bros. (for Sydenham Brothers), Birmingham city and date marks
Condition: Very Good
This piece was in quite a dirty, sorry state when we received it, We have done our best to clean and polish it to bring it back to life. However, there were a few nooks and crannies that we were unable to get to without jeopardizing the gold overlays, so there are a few tiny spots where it's a little dingier than the rest. There is very slight overlay loss, and that is mostly only visible using magnification. To the naked eye, it is quite colorful and shining.
Cleaning and Care
Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Do not scrub and do not immerse in harsh chemicals as it may remove the gold overlay. Silver can be polished carefully with a polishing cloth.
