Antique of the Month July - this glorious flower spray brooch.

This exceptional brooch has been selected as the LD Antique of the Month for July.  It is an extraordinary piece for the design, make, origin and function.

Estimated to have been made in the 1950s, in France, it obviously heralds from a supreme French jewellery house.  It is lovely quality with a hinged, double-pin, typical of a high jewellery piece with a specific lock mechanism to secure closed.  It features multi-French marks across the pin to affirm its origin.

A piece that has clearly been designed to be seen across the room, it is heavy, it is Platinum & diamond.

The flower spray concept emanates from romantic jewellery made in the form of flowers and branches entwined with leaves, which had become fashionable in the early years of the 19th century.  It was developed by French jewellers like Oscar Massim and Octave Loeulliard and the Russian, Carl Faberge.

The glorious moss rose, pictured below, first discovered in Holland and later a prominent English flower, said to mean, the 'confession of love'. 

This became the sole influence of the 'Moss Rose' brooch, designed by Massim in 1863 which was so popular that the design was repeated for over twenty years, seems to have been conceived under the influence of contemporary English design.  

Oscar Massim, based in Paris drew inspiration from the beautiful English 'Moss Rose' to create the famous flower spray brooches which became his specialty.  Flower spray brooches and some 'en tremblant' with spring mounted parts, continued to be his focus for the better part of the Century.  Prior to discovering his niche, he designed and made the diadem, set with the famous 'Regent' diamond, which the Empress Eugenie wore at the opening of the Exposition Universelle in 1855.  

This is definitely the inspiration behind this incredible diamond and Platinum jewel, made near 100 years after the first of its design and available at Lannah Dunn, Australia.