French Country · Encyclopedia · Jewelry and Accessories
Antique Brooch
Decorative pins in gold, silver and paste.
Jewelry · Indicative US retail $20–$5,000
At a glance
- Family: Jewelry
- Periods most often found: Most date from 1830 to 1960.
- Typical price: about $150; range $20 to $5,000 and more for exceptional pieces
- What drives value: Metal, stones, maker
What it is
Brooches have fastened clothes and announced taste for centuries. Georgian brooches with paste and foiled stones, Victorian mourning brooches with hair or jet, cameo brooches, Art Nouveau enamel brooches by René Lalique and his followers, Art Deco platinum and diamond bar brooches, retro gold brooches of the 1940s and costume brooches by Trifari and Coro are major types.
How to identify and date it
The clasp dates a brooch: older ones have a simple C-clasp and a pin extending beyond the frame; safety catches appeared around 1900. French gold carries the eagle-head hallmark, silver the Minerva head. Test stones and metal with a jeweler, and check for missing stones, repairs and replaced pins.
Periods and styles
Most date from 1830 to 1960.
How much is it worth?
On the US retail market, most antique brooch examples ask around $150. Simple or worn pieces start near $20, while documented, signed or exceptional examples can pass $5,000. The main value drivers are: metal, stones, maker. These are indicative ranges, not an appraisal; see our price guide for French antiques for the method.
Questions buyers ask: faberge spider brooch worth; valuable antique brooches worth money; vintage brooches worth money; valuable vintage brooches. The answer depends on the points below, which are worth checking before you compare prices.
Before you buy
- Check clasp and hallmarks
- Test stones
- Inspect for repairs
Living with it
A brooch on a lapel, a hat or a scarf adds a vintage flourish.
How we write these guides: identification notes are general guidance written by French Country; a style name, a region or a resemblance does not by itself date or attribute a piece. Price ranges are indicative US retail asking prices for antique and vintage examples in sound condition (dealers, specialist marketplaces and auctions), estimated and rounded as of November 2026; check recent sold results before relying on a figure. They are not appraisals or offers to buy or sell: condition, provenance and documentation can move a value far outside the range. For insurance, estates or sales, ask an independent, qualified appraiser for a written valuation.