Victorian kilt pin in the form of a dirk in gold, circa 1890

Highland Fling

Victorian kilt pin in the form of a dirk in gold, circa 1890

€ 1,190.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

No person was more important for fashion in Victorian England, including in the field of jewellery, than Queen Victoria herself. Scottish pebble jewelry in particular is directly linked to the Queen: in 1847, Albert purchased Balmoral Castle in Scotland for Victoria and had it completely renovated, where they spent their summers from then on. From then on, jewellery with semi-precious stones from the Highlands became a souvenir for English travelers to Scotland, who associated it with the wild romance of the landscape. This jewellery was produced in all shapes and colors - mostly in silver, but sometimes, as in this case, set in gold. It is estimated that as early as 1870, around a thousand people were involved in the production of this "Scottish Pebble Jewellery". The pin has a typical Scottish function: As a so-called kilt pin, it is intended to weigh down the outermost layer of a kilt so that it cannot blow up. The needle is shaped like a dirk, a traditional Scottish dagger. It is set with semi-precious stones typical of the Highlands: grayish veined, green and rust-red agate together with red jasper adorn the scabbard, while the handle is made of a citrine, known in Scotland as "Cairngorm" after the place where it was found. The unusual cut is otherwise only found in pieces of jewelry in the shape of a Scottish thistle, where the gemstone cut in this way represents the blossom of this Scottish national flower. The handle is also a national reference in the shape of the thistle. Scottish Pebble Jewellery was extremely popular throughout the second half of the 19th century. Kilt pins in this form, as well as other "Scottish Pebble" jewelry, are unfortunately rarely marked with full hallmarks with date letters. However, as the peak of enthusiasm for this type of jewellery was in the last decades of the 19th century, we assume that this high-quality, large brooch was also created during this period.

Size & Details

Highland Fling

€ 1,190.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

Learn more

Highland Fling

Brooches & Pins

Privacy settings