Rare Brooches
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Brooches
Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s Italian Retro Brooches
Ruby, Turquoise, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1920s British Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Platinum, Enamel
Early 20th Century Danish Art Deco Brooches
Sterling Silver
20th Century French Brooches
Vintage 1950s French Contemporary Brooches
White Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1960s American Brooches
Gilt Metal
Mid-20th Century French Retro Brooches
Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 20th Century Italian Retro Brooches
Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1980s Art Nouveau Brooches
Vintage 1980s Art Nouveau Brooches
Late 20th Century Modernist Brooches
Enamel
Vintage 1950s American Retro Brooches
Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1950s American Retro Brooches
Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Brooches
Silver
Vintage 1920s Swiss Brooches
Diamond, Jade, Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Brooches
Late 20th Century Italian Brooches
Cultured Pearl, 18k Gold
Vintage 1940s American Retro Brooches
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
1990s French Brooches
Gold Plate
Vintage 1940s American Retro Brooches
Crystal, Ruby, Sapphire, Gold Plate, Gilt Metal
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
Gilt Metal
Antique Late 17th Century Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold, White Gold
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Brooches
Base Metal
Mid-20th Century American Brooches
Diamond, Freshwater Pearl, 14k Gold, Gold
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Brooches
Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 10k Gold
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Natural Pearl, Gold Plate
Vintage 1950s American Brooches
Gilt Metal
1990s French Brooches
1990s Swiss Brooches
Peridot, 18k Gold
Vintage 1940s American Retro Brooches
Crystal, Sapphire, Rhodium, Base Metal, Enamel
20th Century Italian Brooches
20th Century French Brooches
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Brooches
Coral, Sterling Silver
Vintage 1980s American Brooches
18k Gold
Vintage 1970s American Brooches
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s French Artisan Brooches
Late 20th Century French Contemporary Brooches
Crystal, Gold Plate
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium
20th Century Unknown Retro Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1970s French Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Brooches
20th Century German Brooches
20th Century French Brooches
Vintage 1950s French Contemporary Brooches
Diamond, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Brooches
1990s French Modern Brooches
Gilt Metal
Vintage 1910s French Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold
Vintage 1960s Brooches
Early 2000s French Modern Brooches
Antique 19th Century British Victorian Brooches
Ruby, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Brooches
Diamond, Onyx, 18k Gold, Platinum
20th Century French Brooches
Antique Late 19th Century Brooches
Garnet, Gold
20th Century French Brooches
20th Century French Brooches
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Rare Brooches For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Rare Brooches?
Finding the Right Brooches for You
Vintage brooches, which refer to decorative jewelry traditionally pinned to garments and used to fasten pieces of clothing together where needed, have seen increasing popularity in recent years.
While jewelry trends come and go, brooches are indeed back on the radar thanks to fashion houses like Gucci, Versace, Dior and Saint Laurent, all of which feature fun pinnable designs in their current collections. Whether a dazzlingly naturalistic Art Nouveau dragonfly, a whimsical David Webb animal, a gem-studded bloom or a streamlined abstract design, these jewels add color and sparkle to your look and a spring to your step.
Given their long history, brooches have expectedly taken on a variety of different shapes and forms over time, with jewelers turning to assorted methods of ornamentation for these accessories, including enameling and the integration of pearls and gemstones. Cameo brooches that originated during the Victorian age are characterized by a shell carved in raised relief that feature portraits of a woman’s profile, while 19th-century micromosaic brooches, comprising innumerable individually placed glass fragments, sometimes feature miniature depictions of a pastoral scene in daily Roman life.
At one time, brooches were symbols of wealth, made primarily from the finest metals and showcasing exquisite precious gemstones. Today, these jewels are inclusive and universal, and you don’t have to travel very far to find an admirer of brooches. They can be richly geometric in form, such as the ornate diamond pins dating from the Art Deco era, or designer-specific, such as the celebrated naturalistic works created by Tiffany Co., the milk glass and gold confections crafted by Trifari or handmade vintage Chanel brooches of silk or laminated sheer fabric. Chanel, of course, has never abandoned this style, producing gorgeously baroque CC examples since the 1980s.
Brooches are versatile and adaptable. These decorative accessories can be worn in your hair, on hats, scarves and on the lower point of V-neck clothing. Pin a dazzling brooch to the lapel of your blazer-and-tee combo or add a cluster of smaller pins to your overcoat. And while brooches have their place in “mourning jewelry,” in that a mourning brooch is representative of your connection to a lost loved one, they’re widely seen as romantic and symbolic of love, so much so that a hardcore brooch enthusiast might advocate for brooches to be worn over the heart.
Today, find a wide variety of antique and vintage brooches for sale on 1stDibs, including gold brooches, sapphire brooches and more.
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This Gem-Encrusted Boucheron Brooch Is a Symbol of Mid-Century Glamour and Clever Design
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