When were brooches invented?

As a practical way to hold your clothes together brooches have been around since at least the Bronze Age and possibly earlier. Prominently on display, such items quickly became a way to impart social wealth and stature through the choice of materials and design. Often Bronze, Silver or Gold was used as the main material as well as precious and semi-precious stones. As fashions changed so too did the look and style of the brooches. Today we no longer need such items for very practical purposes, but still enjoy them for their aesthetic appeal.

How do I know if my brooch is vintage?

When examining the authenticity of vintage brooches, you’ll want to look at the small details for clues of manufacturing date. Closely examining the clasps and hinges of antique and vintage brooches will help identify what specific period in time they were most popular in. If they were by a quality maker or made of solid Silver or Gold then there may be hallmarks present as well. Different eras have different styles of jewellery and stone cuts.

Are vintage brooches worth anything?

Vintage brooches can be valuable if either they were made of precious metal and stones or if they were made by famous designers. Indeed even vintage costume jewellery by the big name Couturiers such as Dior or Yves Saint Laurent can be worth considerable sums now. Because makers do not have to hallmark smaller pieces of gold or silver jewellery below 8 grams it is common for there to be no marks so it is worth taking your brooch to a jeweller to get checked. While most vintage costume jewellery was cheaper when new and remains cheap today, much still has a value for people who just enjoy wearing these fun designs from the past.

Antique & Vintage Brooches for Sale

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Antiques et Cetera

Vintage Miniature Gilt Emerald Green Brooch / Pin Boxed - Ideal Present / Collectable

£ 38

€43

$51

Vintage Miniature Gilt Emerald Green Brooch / Pin Boxed - Ideal Present / Collectable

£ 38

€43

$51

Antiques et Cetera

Antiques in Oxford

Art Deco Sapphire & Diamond Brooch

£ 490

€558

$654

Art Deco Sapphire & Diamond Brooch

£ 490

€558

$654

Antiques in Oxford

Art Nouveau Silver & Enamel Brooch

£ 695

€791

$927

Art Nouveau Silver & Enamel Brooch

£ 695

€791

$927

Antiques in Oxford

Victorian Garnet Cabochon Brooch or Pendant

£ 3,250

€3,699

$4,337

Victorian Garnet Cabochon Brooch or Pendant

£ 3,250

€3699

$4337

Antiques in Oxford

Edwardian Pearl & Garnet Brooch

£ 250

€285

$334

Edwardian Pearl & Garnet Brooch

£ 250

€285

$334

Antiques in Oxford

Doubloon

Silver Scottish Celtic Brooch

£ 100

€114

$133

Silver Scottish Celtic Brooch

£ 100

€114

$133

Doubloon

Antiques in Oxford

Georg Jensen Torun Gold 'Hidden Heart' Brooch

Reserved

Georg Jensen Torun Gold 'Hidden Heart' Brooch

Reserved

Antiques in Oxford

Miriam Haskell Parure

£ 625

€711

$834

Miriam Haskell Parure

£ 625

€711

$834

Antiques in Oxford

Underwoodhall

Silver Butterfly Wing Cavalier Brooch c.1940

£ 99

€113

$132

Silver Butterfly Wing Cavalier Brooch c.1940

£ 99

€113

$132

Underwoodhall

Antiques in Oxford

Edwardian Gold, Opal & Ruby Brooch

£ 275

€313

$367

Edwardian Gold, Opal & Ruby Brooch

£ 275

€313

$367

Antiques in Oxford

Victorian Carved Whitby Jet Brooch

£ 175

€199

$234

Victorian Carved Whitby Jet Brooch

£ 175

€199

$234

Antiques in Oxford

Kernow Furniture

Antique Victorian Mourning Brooch

£ 165

€188

$220

Antique Victorian Mourning Brooch

£ 165

€188

$220

Kernow Furniture

Century Antiques

World War 1 9ct Gold & Tortoiseshell Sweetheart Brooch - Norfolk Regiment - 1916

£ 95

€108

$127

World War 1 9ct Gold & Tortoiseshell Sweetheart Brooch - Norfolk Regiment - 1916

£ 95

€108

$127

Century Antiques

Artsubject

Vintage Modernist Sterling Silver Brooch Prehistoric Hunting Scene c.1970

£ 59

€67

$79

Vintage Modernist Sterling Silver Brooch Prehistoric Hunting Scene c.1970

£ 59

€67

$79

Artsubject

Doubloon

18ct White Gold & Diamond Ships Wheel Brooch

£ 345

€393

$460

18ct White Gold & Diamond Ships Wheel Brooch

£ 345

€393

$460

Doubloon

Victorian Silver Brooch

£ 59

€67

$79

Victorian Silver Brooch

£ 59

€67

$79

Doubloon

Underwoodhall

Silver Scottish Round Celtic & Viking Ship Design Brooch

£ 65

€74

$87

Silver Scottish Round Celtic & Viking Ship Design Brooch

£ 65

€74

$87

Underwoodhall

Silver Scottish Celtic & Viking Ship Pin Brooch

£ 65

€74

$87

Silver Scottish Celtic & Viking Ship Pin Brooch

£ 65

€74

$87

Underwoodhall

Doubloon

19th Century Indian Silver Brooch

£ 125

€142

$167

19th Century Indian Silver Brooch

£ 125

€142

$167

Doubloon

Underwoodhall

Scottish Silver Brooch - Edinburgh 1961

£ 75

€85

$100

Scottish Silver Brooch - Edinburgh 1961

£ 75

€85

$100

Underwoodhall

Doubloon

Large Victorian 9ct Gold Cameo Brooch

£ 165

€188

$220

Large Victorian 9ct Gold Cameo Brooch

£ 165

€188

$220

Doubloon

Edwardian 15ct Gold, Pearl & Turquoise Brooch

£ 245

€279

$327

Edwardian 15ct Gold, Pearl & Turquoise Brooch

£ 245

€279

$327

Doubloon

Wick Antiques Ltd

Commemorative Brooch by Edmund Johnson, in 18ct Gold with It's Original Case

£ 4,850

€5,521

$6,471

Commemorative Brooch by Edmund Johnson, in 18ct Gold with It's Original Case

£ 4,850

€5521

$6471

Wick Antiques Ltd

W&W Antiques

Art Nouveau / Jugendstil Silver & Blue / Pearl Guilloche Enamel Brooch by Norwegian Silversmith, Clement Berg c.1900

£ 425

€484

$567

Art Nouveau / Jugendstil Silver & Blue / Pearl Guilloche Enamel Brooch by Norwegian Silversmith, Clement Berg c.1900

£ 425

€484

$567

W&W Antiques

Art & Stuff

Celtic Silver Brooch by Robert Allison

£ 85

€97

$113

Celtic Silver Brooch by Robert Allison

£ 85

€97

$113

Art & Stuff

Artsubject

Antique Latvian Solid Silver Sakta Brooch with Butterscotch Amber Stone c.1950

£ 75

€85

$100

Antique Latvian Solid Silver Sakta Brooch with Butterscotch Amber Stone c.1950

£ 75

€85

$100

Artsubject

Doubloon

9ct Gold, Garnet & Pearl Brooch

£ 165

€188

$220

9ct Gold, Garnet & Pearl Brooch

£ 165

€188

$220

Doubloon

19th Century Indian Silver Brooch

£ 145

€165

$193

19th Century Indian Silver Brooch

£ 145

€165

$193

Doubloon

Bronze Lady Stickpin c.1880

£ 85

€97

$113

Bronze Lady Stickpin c.1880

£ 85

€97

$113

Doubloon

Penrose Antiques Ltd

Charles Horner Silver Sword Brooch - Chester 1899

£ 120

€137

$160

Charles Horner Silver Sword Brooch - Chester 1899

£ 120

€137

$160

Penrose Antiques Ltd

Doubloon

Silver Scottish Brooch

£ 85

€97

$113

Silver Scottish Brooch

£ 85

€97

$113

Doubloon

Pear Tree Antiques

9ct Gold Stick Pin c.1900

£ 89

€101

$119

9ct Gold Stick Pin c.1900

£ 89

€101

$119

Pear Tree Antiques

Artsubject

Art Deco Artisan Amber Brooch c.1930

£ 29

€33

$39

Art Deco Artisan Amber Brooch c.1930

£ 29

€33

$39

Artsubject

Phyllis Arnold Gallery Antiques

Gold Memorial Brooch, Enamelled

£ 340

€387

$454

Gold Memorial Brooch, Enamelled

£ 340

€387

$454

Phyllis Arnold Gallery Antiques

Gold Bright Cut Mourning Brooch

£ 325

€370

$434

Gold Bright Cut Mourning Brooch

£ 325

€370

$434

Phyllis Arnold Gallery Antiques

Doubloon

9ct Gold, Sapphire & Pearl Brooch

£ 145

€165

$193

9ct Gold, Sapphire & Pearl Brooch

£ 145

€165

$193

Doubloon

Chamade Antiques

Gem Opal Cameo Pendant / Brooch

£ 1,500

€1,707

$2,001

Gem Opal Cameo Pendant / Brooch

£ 1,500

€1707

$2001

Chamade Antiques