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in the form of a diamond-set owl with cabochon ruby eyes poised on a diamond-set crescent moon.
Owls, with their sharp vision, are traditionally associated with wisdom. They are also inextricably linked with the moon because of their nocturnal habits, and the presence of both elements combined contributes to the charm of this skillfully executed jewel.
Illustrated
See page 51 of ‘Victorian Jewellery: A Complete Compendium of over four thousand pieces of Jewellery‘ (Hinks, 1992) for a reproduction of a 1901 Goldsmiths and Silversmiths catalogue which advertises a near identical brooch, reference number 21,459.
See no.248 (pg 227) of ‘From Function to Fantasy, The Brooch: From 1200 BCE to the contemporary’ (Wartski, 2025).