Antique Victorian Large Orangey-Red & White Stripey Carnelian Agate Brooch With Fine Brass order Plaited Rope Border

Here is a fabulous antique Victorian stripey Carnelian agate brooch - very pretty indeed !! A brass-framed oval brooch, with a beautiful orangey-red and white stripe carnelian agate stone that has a translucent appearance when held up to the light. The oval stone is framed with a fine plaited brass rope border and we know this is Victorian as it has the classic T-bar hinge, curly C-clasp and extra long pin - essential for staying done up on the heavy fabrics of the Victorian dresses. This pin was used right on into the Edwardian period too, but this has all the look of a classic late Victorian design.

This is a large brooch at 3.7cms x 5.4cms wide (1 1/2" x 2 1/8") and has a large curly C-clasp, in the traditional Victorian manner !! I love the gorgeous orangey red block of colour of real Carnelian Agate, which goes halfway along this handsome brooch and then gives way to the translucent white colour on the other half. The Victorians prized interesting agates and the stripey ones were the most highly prized of all order - the bolder the colours the better.

There are no hallmarks on this or signatures of any kind. The brass is probably the cheaper alternative to gold invented by Mr. Pinchbeck, which is often called Pinchbeck Gold. However, there is no gold content in this brooch !!

CONDITION:
This brooch is in pretty good condition for its great age. There is no problem at all with the pin which seems to have been replaced at some stage, as it's very silver in colour and could be steel. The plaited rope border is in good condition and the tube hinge works well. There are a few slight dents here and there in the frame on the back but nothing that shows from the front.

CARNELIAN
Carnelian is the red, orange, or amber variety of Chalcedony. Though often a solid colour, it can also be banded, in which case it would be jointly classified as both Agate and Chalcedony. Carnelian is an ancient gemstone, having been used as decorative and jewellery material since antiquity. The Ancient Egyptians were very fond of it and used it for all their rusty-red coloured gems.

Carnelian is translucent, although it can be nearly opaque but will still let light through when viewed from the edges. Though Carnelian is often a solid colour, it may contain stripes like this one, or lighter and darker zones within a single stone, or cloudy areas.

I personally love all the different agates and thus I really love Victorian and Edwardian jewellery like this, for its agate content, especially when combined with sterling silver or silver-plated metal, which suits it particularly well.