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harleymaxx · May 23, 2009, 09:52 PM

Hi I am still chasing any details I can get on this brooch I have. It is my nana's but I am not too sure where or how she came across it. My heritage does include a late estate that was around in the early 1800's in england. From the pics you can see that the brooch is some kind of coat of arms with writing along the bottom. There seems to be name on the centre painting. "gragonard" of Fragonard" can't quite make it out. There is also the crown marking on the back with the marking C986. Any help on this would be great thanks

BIGBOPPER · May 24, 2009, 12:28 AM

I hate to break this to you, but it is not as old as you think. Looking at the clasp, I can tell that is is more modern than the 1800's.
However, I did Google the name Gragonard, and found a very similar item on E-Bay.
LOVELY VINTAGE PORCELAIN TRANSFER GRAGONARD CAMEO PIN - eBay (item 220418175982 end time May-26-09 14:57:08 PDT)
I would try to find a jewelry dealer in your area, that might be able to appraise it better than what the seller is asking for on theirs. I think yours is worth more, in my opinion only, because it is more ornate. I think it's very pretty, and because it is unique to jewelry of today, it might be worth something if you decide to sell it.

BIGBOPPER · May 24, 2009, 12:34 AM

I just noticed, it is missing a "pearl" on the left side. But that is easy to fix. Just go to a craft store and find an appropriate sized "pearl" and glue it on.

harleymaxx · May 25, 2009, 03:30 PM

Thanks for the reply. I will look more into the name and also go to a dealer to find out more info. Much appreciated :o)

lil_k_001 · Jun 1, 2011, 04:35 AM

Oh my god? I have almost the same brooch. It is all identical except the cameo is different. Hallmarks, front everything the same. We also have been trying to track the history of it as it was a gift to my grandmother as a child from her older brother who apparently won it in a game of cards? They are very unusual pieces and every antique or jewellery dealer I have taken it to has had no clue what to make of it. Please keep me updated of your finds and I will do the same : ) my email is [email protected]

lil_k_001 · Jun 1, 2011, 06:00 AM

OK... so I got a professional dealer to look at mine (which is exactly like yours) and this is what she said- You have a piece of costume jewelry from the 1930s. The "C986" is the manufacturer's design number. The brooch is not gold, but is gold plating over a base metal alloy. The pearls appear to be what is called wax bead pearls, which are plastic beads covered with a pearlized covering.

She valued it at $100 and said if there is any corrosion of the gold plating to add some ketchup? Not the best new I know... as I was expecting a much older and interesting past, however ours has been in our family for as long as I can remember and my mothers and we all love it dearly so I guess at the end of the day worthless or not... sentimental value is still sky high! Hope that helped answer some questions :)