Mother-of-pearl brooch with gold-filled or gold-tone metal frame and seed pearl accents

This brooch exemplifies the Victorian and Edwardian era fascination with mother-of-pearl jewelry, which peaked between the 1880s and 1920s. Artisans prized mother-of-pearl for its iridescent luster and carved it into cameos, buttons, and brooches, often setting pieces in gold-filled or rolled gold frames with seed pearl or paste stone embellishments. The navette (pointed oval) shape and decorative corner motifs are characteristic of late Victorian and Art Nouveau design aesthetics. Such brooches were worn on lapels, collars, and shawls as symbols of refinement and femininity. Mother-of-pearl jewelry remains highly collectible among vintage jewelry enthusiasts, costume jewelry collectors, and those interested in Victorian decorative arts. These pieces are valued for their craftsmanship, historical significance, and the timeless beauty of natural materials combined with period metalwork.