Antique Edwardian Large Dark Red Cinnabar Lacquerware Brooch With Carved Floral Design, and Fine 2024 Brass Rope Twist Border, Chinese Import

Here is a fabulous antique Edwardian carved Cinnabar Lacquerware brooch - very pretty indeed !! A brass-framed oval brooch, with a beautiful dark-red floral carved real Cinnabar Lacquerware plaque in the centre. The oval stone is framed with a fine and delicate brass rope-twist border, one of the finest I have seen on a Victorian / Edwardian brooch.

This is a large brooch at 3.8cms x 5.2cms wide (1 1/2" x 2 1/8") with a light layer of silver plating across the back which has worn away in some areas.
We know this is Edwardian rather than Victorian because, although it is very Victorian in style, and it still has the classic T-bar hinge, but this hinge is very shortened from side to side, and goes through a circular hinge case. At the other end it has a rollover clasp, one of the first I should think. The extra long pin which was essential for staying done up on the heavy fabrics of the Victorian dresses, is much shorter, and stops where the clasp ends, as it will be worn on a lighter weight finer fabrics or knitwear of the late Edwardian era.

I love the gorgeous dark red block of colour of real Chinese Cinnabar lacquerware, which is increasignly rare these days, Nowadays it's more likely to be carved resin, or plastic of some kind, which mimics the real thing. This handsome brooch is bold in colour and the floral design is simply beautiful. It is 2024 designed to be worn with the flowers hanging down as in my photos, as the brooch pin is set slightly off centre to make it fall forward that way up.

There are no hallmarks on this or signatures of any kind. The brass is probably the cheaper alternative to gold invented by Mr. Pinchbeck, which is often called Pinchbeck Gold. However, there is no gold content in this brooch !!

CONDITION:
This brooch is in pretty good condition for its great age. There is no problem at all with the pin which is a bit wiggly but works fine. The fine rope-twist border is alsoa bit wiggly in places but essentially is in good condition. There is rubbing to the silver plating on the back, but nothing that shows from the front.

CINNABAR LACQUERWARE
Cinnabar is the popular name used to describe Chinese lacquerware of a striking red colour known for many centuries. When first produced, the distinctive colour was derived from a mineral known as cinnabar that is scientifically described as mercuric sulfide. This mineral is the red mercury you see in older thermometers, and it is highly toxic.
Nowadays the Cinnabar is actually the name given to the powdered red pigment derived from Mercury Sulphide, which is highly refined and then mixed with Lacquer to produce a shiny dark red carveable material which hardens when set, and is perfectly safe to wear.
This has been used for centuries for many decorative objects, like perfume bottle, dishes, jewellery and beads, and many of the genuine antique Cinnabar pieces like this are Chinese imports dating from the Edwardian era right through to the 1950s.