Vintage Celtic Penannular brooch with faux gemstone

 Celtic penannular brooch with faux gemstone decoration.

Another vintage brooch find, but at a festival from a charity stall this time. Yes I do shop at other places not just at car boot sales. I do like this Celtic style brooch because it is sold and well made. Definitely vintage and unfortunately it is not signed. 

It is in a pewter jewellery coloured metal with small faux glass gemstones in green, blue and purple. The fake gemstones would have represented malachite, amethyst and possibly blue lace agate. Not a true penannular brooch as it has the pin in the centre fixed with a roll over clasp fastening at the back. 

It is a very nice piece of costume jewellery and one hat will be added to my own collection. I do not sell jewellery anymore and just showcase the pieces I collect. 

Have a look at the many other pieces that I find. 

Showcasing Celtic jewellery this Bank Holiday weekend!

Well a promise of a sunny Bank Holiday may not be on the horizon. So we have decided to showcase Celtic jewellery today. We have both vintage Celtic jewellery and previously owned pieces. Shrouded in mystery and with a mythical history, the ancient and alluring designs used in Celtic designs have a haunting past as well as being beautiful to wear.

The swirling triskelion and loops on this pretty pair of Celtic earrings have a meaning that has been lost in time. As with most of the patterns used in Celtic ornaments and decoration.
The Celts were in Europe and the UK around the Iron Age and Medieval period.They had a pre Christian culture and spread across Europe trading weaponry and jewellery.

The Celts wore long cloaks and so pins were used to fasten them. This Celtic brooch in a penannular shape was popular. Of course the most popular piece of jewellery favored by them was the torc necklace which were often made in gold.

Above is a huge Celtic brooch from St Justin of Cornwall. The swirls are so typical of Celtic art work and have the haunting beauty as so does many and of course they are instantly recognized. St Justin's in Cornwall have just taken over the Miracle company in Birmingham on the retirement of the owner. So we wait to see what happens to the Miracle designs, who are also famous for their Celtic and other reproduction jewellery.

Another multi coloured Celtic brooch by Mizpah. Miracle have the designs in their ownership and I wonder if they were part of the Miracle companies package to St Justin.
 

Celtic Penannular Brooches

A very popular design in Celtic jewellery is the penannular brooch. One original brooch was found in Ireland and was said to be from the Medieval period in history (6 - 7 AD). It seems that they were poplar in England, Scotland and Ireland during this period. But this shape brooch has been found in the Iron Age, Viking and Roman periods.

Originally the pin could move freely around the ring and was used to fasten cloaks and other loose woven cloth garments.  Unisex brooch that was favored by men on the shoulders to fasten cloaks and by women who wore this just below their neckline and in between their bosom. The pin part is worn facing upwards.

 

Today the penannular brooch is reproduced in one piece and represents the original brooch pin.  Made by many companies with the Mizpah signed ones most found for vintage designer jewellery. Who's designs are now owned by the company Miracle

Great Celtic piece of reproduction jewellery to wear on a coat lapel or a hat.