An astonishingly rare genuine 12th Century Gilt Silver handmade Penannular (Annular) Ladies brooch.
This tiny piece of history takes your breath away. Custom made at the time most likely as a gift it has interesting symbolism. The pin itself is in the shape of a dirk which is a short sword used by highlanders at the time. The ring component of the brooch appears to be decorated in four petal flowers or four leaf clovers and to the side there were once two praying hands.
As you can see in the magnified photographs this piece is in amazing condition for it's age and authenticity but does show some loss and wear to be expected. The gilding is worn in places. There is strong surface patina and oxidation to the silver where the gilding has worn away. One hand of the two hands has broken. The pin itself is missing about 1 mm or perhaps 1.5mm from the tip. Visually looking at the brooch without any magnification you cannot see these defects.
It is a dainty piece of jewelry. Measured with a jewelers gauge it is 16.59mm wide by 10.08mm tall by 3.38mm deep across the hand.
Few people would have been able to afford to own or be given any gold or silver at the time so this piece is an extremely rare find.
There are similar sized penannular brooches in renown museums worldwide including the British Museum.
It does hold on cloth as it is. I think to wear it today I would get a delicate tracer chain in silver or gold and have a jeweler attach it so it sat as a pendant on the delicate chain.
This is a really mysterious and amazing piece of jewelry history.
We will send it in a presentation box ready for gifting.
