A fine and substantial Victorian stickpin in 18ct gold, c.1870, set with a large bull's eye agate — its characteristic concentric banding giving it a hypnotic, almost optical quality — within an Etruscan Revival mount of considerable quality. The Etruscan Revival was one of the defining jewellery movements of the 1860s–1880s, inspired by the rediscovery of ancient Etruscan goldsmithing techniques, most notably granulation — the application of minute spheres of gold to a surface to create intricate decorative patterns without solder. The fine gold work of this mount is a strong example of the style, the delicate detailing providing a rich frame for the bold, graphic quality of the agate. At 2.2 × 1.7cm this is a large head for a stickpin, and at 5.9g it has real weight and presence. The head tests as 18ct gold; the pin as 9ct — a common arrangement in Victorian stickpins where the pin was made separately.

The Details

• Circa: 1870
• Weight: 5.9g
• Head dimensions: 2.2 × 1.7cm
• Hallmarks: Head tests as 18ct gold; pin tests as 9ct gold
• Stone: Bull's eye agate
• Style: Etruscan Revival