An 19th Century Egyptian Revival Pharaoh Brooch

An 19th Century Egyptian Revival Pharaoh Brooch

Description

An 19th century Egyptian revival Pharaoh brooch, the chalcedony realistically carved face of the Pharaoh in a millegraine setting, wearing an oval faceted ruby and rose-cut diamond-set band on his forehead surrounded by a white and red enamel nemes, the outstretched curved wings with green and red enamel work, all in 14ct yellow gold, marks for Vienna 1872-1922, circa 1880, measuring approximately 2.7 cm x 2.4cm, gross weight 6.25 grams.

This is a wonderfully detailed and intricate brooch was created in around 1880. In the 1860s, there were widespread excavations of Egypt done by teams of European archaeologists. A large collection of Egyptian antiquities was displayed at the 1867 Exposition Universalle in Paris. From that point onwards, Ancient Egypt captured the imaginations of nineteenth-century Europeans. This brooch features a perfectly and exquisitely carved chalcedony in the shape of the head of a Pharaoh. This Pharaoh’s face is captured in wonderful and miniscule detail. Surrounding the face is the pattern of outstretched wings, which are decorated in enamel, filigree, and micro granulation. Filigree and micro granulation were techniques used by ancient civilizations. This is an enchanting and memorable piece.