Wonder from Down Under

Antique Gold Brooch with Opal & Diamonds by August Brunkhorst, Adelaide c. 1900

€ 3,980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Antique Gold Brooch with Opal & Diamonds by August Brunkhorst, Adelaide c. 1900

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

Did you know that jewellery featuring Australian precious opals has not been around for very long? The first European to discover opals in Australia was the German geologist Johannes Menge. He found opals north of Adelaide in 1841, but little attention was paid to these finds as they were not precious opals of jewellery quality. The first documented precious opal finds date back to 1872, with commercial mining only beginning in Queensland in the 1890s. Further opal fields were discovered in Lightning Ridge in 1905, in Coober Pedy in 1915, and in Andamooka in 1930. Australian opals were exported around the world and made into jewellery. However, this antique brooch was crafted in Australia itself. It showcases a particularly high-quality stone, which has been cut into a shimmering cabochon. The stone reflects wonderful light in all colours of the rainbow above its milky-white base colour. Transverse knife-edged bars of high-carat gold and small diamond roses accompany the stone, creating a typical collar brooch that almost every lady would have owned around 1900. According to the hallmark, the brooch is the work of August Ludwig Brunkhorst. Born in Hamburg in 1849, he emigrated to Australia in 1870, where he opened a jewellery store in Rundle Street, Adelaide. A respected member of the community, Brunkhorst was even elected to the city council, where he lived until his death in 1919. Brunkhorst was renowned for the craftsmanship of his work, as evidenced by this brooch. The fine workmanship magnificently brings out the opal’s special character. The brooch, which arrived with us from France, has been wonderfully preserved in its original case. Where will its journey take it next?

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Before the discovery of precious opals in Australia, the opal mines in Dubník, Hungary, were the only European source of precious opals. However, following the discovery of opal deposits in Australia, the Dubník mines, which had predominantly produced small stones since the 15th century, were unable to compete with the new, larger Australian finds and were closed in 1922. Notable finds and pieces of jewellery featuring Hungarian opals can now be seen in the Natural History Museum in Vienna and the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest.

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Size & Details

Wonder from Down Under

€ 3,980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

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