This must be one of the best Victorian Scottish hardstone brooches I have ever seen. Queen Victorian set the fashion for silver brooches set with Scottish hardstones and agate and they were made in all shapes and colours. This one is in the form of a fern leaf and is set with banded agates that tone wonderfully with the silver setting. The fern leaf curls in two directions giving the appearance of movement to the piece.
On the back there is an impressed Victorian registration lozenge which would allow the piece to be accurately dated and a maker identified. The brooch measures about 7.3 cms long. One of the tiny agate panels is actually vacant but it tones so well with the brooch that is is difficult to see this.
