A fine and distinctive Victorian serpent stickpin in 18ct gold, c.1880, formed as a gold snake gracefully entwining a blue-turquoise enamelled sphere — a more unusual format than the coiled snake, the globe giving the composition a planetary, almost celestial quality. The serpent was one of the most potent symbols in Victorian jewellery, associated with eternal love and protection, and made fashionable as a romantic motif by Queen Victoria's own serpent engagement ring from Prince Albert. The turquoise enamel of the sphere provides a warm, vivid contrast to the yellow gold of the snake, the two elements working together with considerable elegance. The head tests as 18ct gold (the hallmark reads as 19ct, almost certainly a misread of 18ct); the pin tests as 9ct — a common arrangement in Victorian stickpins. Head 1.5 × 1.7cm.

The Details

• Circa: 1880
• Head dimensions: 1.5 × 1.7cm
• Hallmarks: Head tests as 18ct gold; pin tests as 9ct gold
• Enamel: Blue-turquoise (sphere)