A 15ct Victorian Etruscan revival brooch and locket, set with and Old mine cut Diamond

This brooch is a great example of the Etruscan revival jewellery. Also the aesthetics of the Victorians.  15ct was only made by the English and Australians form 1854 to 1932.  An amazing piece of history to wear and enjoy.  One can put a photo of a loved one in the back of the brooch for only you to see.

The Etruscan Revival emerged in Victorian jewellery from the mid-19th century, stimulated by archaeological discoveries in Etruria from the 1830s onward, particularly rich tomb finds at sites such as Cerveteri and Vulci. When these tombs were opened, the exquisite ancient goldwork – earrings, necklaces and fibulae densely ornamented with tiny gold granules and fine filigree – captured the imagination of the Victorian public.

The style resonated with contemporary fascinations for archaeology, history and elaborate ornament. Etruscan Revival pieces in this period characteristically employed high-karat gold, granulation and filigree, often combined with a matte “bloomed” surface that mimicked the soft glow of ancient gold. Some examples also incorporate coloured gemstones and other colour sources – such as turquoise, garnets, lapis, enamel and micromosaics – along with classical motifs including urns, rosettes and mythological figures.

Granulation – the application of tiny gold granules to a surface to create intricate decorative patterns – was perfected by Etruscan goldsmiths between roughly the ninth and fourth centuries BCE, and by the 19th century the original technique was considered a lost art. The jeweller most closely associated with reviving these ancient methods is Fortunato Pio Castellani (1794–1865) of Rome. After attending a lecture on ancient jewellery styles in 1826, he began experimenting with archaeologically inspired designs, and in 1836 he was invited to study the jewellery from newly excavated Etruscan tombs such as the Regolini-Galassi burial. Determined to understand Etruscan goldsmithing, the Castellani workshop ultimately gained crucial insight through collaboration with traditional craftsmen from Sant’Angelo in Vado, whose techniques had been handed down locally for generations. By integrating this know-how into their own practice, the Castellani developed highly convincing archaeological-revival pieces. Their decades-long pursuit of granulation and other ancient techniques ranks among the most significant contributions of the Castellani family to the history of jewellery.