A rare and beautifully executed Victorian stickpin, c.1880, centred on a hand-carved tiger's eye stone in the form of an Arabian head — a subject that reflects the strong Orientalist taste of the period, when the art, culture, and imagery of the Middle East and North Africa exerted a powerful fascination on European decorative arts and jewellery. The carving is rendered with striking depth and character, the chatoyant quality of the tiger's eye — its shifting, silky lustre — giving the face a luminous, almost living quality. A halo of rose-cut diamonds set in silver frames the head, with a delicate gold bow motif at the base. Tests as 18ct gold; unknown maker's mark present. Head 1.85 × 1.35cm; pin length 8cm.

The Details

• Circa: 1880
• Head dimensions: 1.85 × 1.35cm
• Pin length: 8cm
• Hallmarks: Tests as 18ct gold; unknown maker's mark
• Materials: Tiger's eye (carved), rose-cut diamonds, silver, 18ct gold