Garnet Pearl Brooch, Biedermeier 1815 – 1848

Garnet Pearl Brooch, Biedermeier 1815 – 1848
Highly decorative, set with 19 dark red Bohemian garnets and 9 small half-orient pearls, all in 14K /585 yellow and white gold, 5.9 g

Hallmarks: None.

Stock Number: 2076

Dimensions: 5.5 x 3 x 1.5 cm

The Biedermeier period was an era in Central European art and culture between 1815 and 1848 during which the middle classes grew in number and artists began producing works appealing to their sensibilities. The period began with the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 and ended with the onset of the Revolutions of 1848. The term originated in popular literature, before spreading to architecture, interior design, jewellery and visual arts.

Immediately after the wars of liberation against Napoleon, precious metals were scarce and the finances of those who commissioned them were limited. Goldsmiths responded to this with a wide variety of pieces made of so-called “foam gold”. They saved material by forging brooches, necklaces and bracelets from thin sheets of gold and then filling them with resin or plaster to give the pieces the necessary stability. The most popular pieces of jewellery from the Biedermeier period include necklaces, brooches, medallions, bracelets and earrings, which still delight us today with their floral elements and filigree decorations.