Gold brooches were fashionable for centuries and Art Nouveau brooches are particularly beautiful. Nymphs and fairies were created in gold and set with precious stones as well as naturalistic floral brooches, insects and animals.
Below are some examples and price guides of Art Nouveau gold brooches including a gold, opal and enamel brooch in the form of a fairy and a Faberge stylized tree brooch.
This hollow gold brooch with a profile head of Minerva is set with three diamonds on the helmet and four diamonds set in silver as a choker around the neck. It was designed by: Louis Armand Rault (medallist and sculptor) and dates to around 1900
Reference: © The Trustees of the British Museum
ART NOUVEAU OPAL, ENAMEL AND PEARL PENDANT / BROOCH, MASRIERA Y CARRERAS Oval cabochon opals, plique-à-jour enamel, drop-shaped pearl, gold, 8.6 cm, circa 1900, signed Masriera Y Carreras
Sold for GBP 13,750 at Christie’s in 2018
Art Nouveau Gold, Plique-à-jour Enamel, Diamond and Conch Pearl Brooch The green enamel loops supporting delicate pastel colored plique-à-jour enamel leaves accented by 2 old European-cut diamonds, suspending 4 conch pearls to green enamel stems, ap. 8.51 x 6.58 to 6.65 x 5.35 mm., circa 1900.
Sold for $15,000 (includes buyer’s premium) at Doyle in 2020
ART NOUVEAU, YELLOW GOLD, CONCH PEARL AND PLIQUE-A-JOUR ENAMEL BROOCH Consisting of a swirling foliate motif with five conch pearl buds and green plique-a-jour enamel leaves.
Sold for $6,000 at Hindman in 2021
A Fabergé gold, diamond and sapphire brooch, Moscow, circa 1890 in Art Nouveau style, the stylised tree inset with brilliant-cut diamonds and sapphires, within gold interlacing frame, struck on the reverse withindistinct workmaster mark KF in Cyrillic, 56 standard
Sold for 7,560 GBP at Sotheby’s in 2020
Enameled Gold Brooch set with opal
The vivid colours of this brooch reflect the preference for brightly hued stones and enamel found in both Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau jewels. It was made by the New York firm of Marcus & Co., which was one of America’s most important producers of fine Art Nouveau jewellery.
Reference: © Victoria and Albert Museum
