Ruby, sapphire and diamond brooch, 19th century

Possibly dating back to the Ottoman Empire, brooches of this style may have been inspired by the design of a diadem which was photographed being worn by Saliha Sultan daughter the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Abdulaziz. The centre of a diadem featured the motif of a bird with its wings splayed. Birds were very important symbols in the Ottoman Empire, symbolising the 'unity of being', meaning God created everything to be as one together. Brooches such as the one offered here were seen as the representation of humans and animals together in one existence. Many examples of similar brooches can be found in collections such as the one housed in the Sadberk Hanim Museum in Instanbul.