Antique Flemish Heart: A Symbol of Love

A Georgian brooch of exceptional craftsmanship, hailing from the historical crossroads of the Netherlands and 'The Southern Netherlands', circa 1750. Adorned with a "Flemish Heart", this silver piece, born as a pendant and later transformed into a brooch, is a testament to the era's romance and fashion. The heart, a canvas of 53 meticulously placed rose cut diamonds, symbolises the triumph of love, underscored by the theme of Georgian love and romance. This piece bears a Dutch hallmark 'v', indicating its authenticity and provenance.

Antique jewelry object group
brooch (born as a pendant but somewhere in its life changed to this brooch)

Condition
very good condition
more info on our condition scale

Country of origin
Either the Netherlands or "The Southern Netherlands" the former name for the current Belgium. (Belgium seceded from the Netherlands in 1831.)

Style
Georgian - Georgian style is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United Kingdom, and George IV of the United Kingdom—who reigned in continuous succession from August 1714 to June 1830.
See also: Georgian
more info on styles

Period
ca. 1750
Events & facts of this era, poetry of this era, fashion of this era.

Source of inspiration
Love and romance

Theme
Flemish Heart - One of the most peculiar and wide spread Flemish pieces of regional jewelry is a diamond heart pendant the so-called "Vlaams hart" (Dutch for “Flemish heart"). These hearts were fashionable in the 19th century and mostly made in gold backed silver (see also the silver on gold technique). A Flemish heart is a heart shaped field set with rose cut diamonds and/or senelles hanging under a crowning.

There are two sorts of crownings possible:
1) The crowing is a crown and then it is build up from horizontal, diamond embellished, tendrils that are resting on a smooth surfaced ajour cut band with flattened little rhombic bars. The tendrils from the top incline slightly over this ajour cut band towards the actual cross emphasizing the unity of the jewel.

2) The crowing as love trophy. A collection of four elements, a torch and quiver that are crossing each other, a bow that is horizontal mingled with them and all held together by a laurel. The slightly upwards direction of both ends of the bow refers to the St. Andrew's cross. Torch, quiver and bow are typical attributes to Amor (Eros) and the laurel refers to the triumph of love. This combination was already in use with the old Greek and Romans and later of course in the Renaissance and had a enormous success in France in the Louis XVI period (1774-1793).

Material
Silver (touchstone tested)
more info on precious metals

Technique
The rose cuts are set on foil. This is a special technique that was used to bring the lustre of the diamonds to its best quality.

Diamonds
53 rose cut diamonds and senailles . A senaille is a simplified rose cut diamond, a small diamond chip with perhaps a few polished facets. We do not have the weight of the rose cuts diamonds nor the senailles which is normal in our trade when it comes to rose cut diamonds and senailles.
All diamonds we offer are screened by the I.J.G.C. for whether they are natural or synthetic, and all diamonds in this jewel are 100% guaranteed to be natural.

Birthstones
Diamond is the birthstone (or month stone) for April.
more info on birthstones

Hallmarks
A Dutch hallmark representing the letter letter "v" (1814-1831) for foreign made articles given to be checked by the essay office (used from 1814 till 1831)
more info on hallmarks

Dimensions
4,87 cm (1,92 inch) x 3,34 cm (1,31 inch)
see picture with a ruler in millimeters and inches

Weight
12,00 gram (7,72 dwt)

Adin Reference Nº
23124-0015

Copyright photography
Adin, fine antique jewellery

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