GOLD JEWEL, PROBABLY GIACINTO MELILLO, CIRCA 1860

In the Archaeological revival taste, designed as a tassel of foxtail linking accented with texture spherical beads terminating in pipkin drops, the surmount embellished with a pair of winged figures representing Nike, later converted to a brooch, French import marks to brooch pin, unsigned, later fitted case.

Cf: Geoffrey C. Munn, Castellani and Giuliano, Revivalist Jewellers of the Nineteenth Century, Trefoil Books London 1984, page 106 and plate 124 for an example of a similar brooch by Giacinto Melillo, from a prototype in the Campana Collection, found at Bolsena, now in the Louvre, Paris.

Later brooch pin to reverse French import marks for 18ct gold, please refer to Geoffrey C. Munn, Castellani and Giuliano, Revivalist Jewellers of the Nineteenth Century, Trefoil Books London 1984, page 106 and plate 124 for an example of a similar brooch by Giacinto Melillo, from a prototype in the Campana Collection, found at Bolsena, now in the Louvre, Paris for an illustration of how the brooch may have originally appeared, one figure of Nike with small fracture to the gold on the neck and central ball surmount possibly later replacement, some small dents to pipkin drops, overall good condition.
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