This is a generous-sized, antique late Victorian-era brooch, exquisitely crafted in warm-toned pinchbeck, a popular 19th-century alloy designed to resemble gold. Its mount cradles a beautifully hand-carved oval shell cameo.

This is a generous-sized, antique late Victorian-era brooch, exquisitely crafted in warm-toned pinchbeck, a popular 19th-century alloy designed to resemble gold. Its mount cradles a beautifully hand-carved oval shell cameo, showcasing impressive artistry and classic mythological subject matter.

The cameo depicts the Greek goddess Eos (known as Aurora in Roman mythology), the divine personification of dawn. Eos is portrayed gracefully steering her celestial chariot, drawn by two spirited horses. Her flowing garments and raised arm clutching a trumpet or conch shell — perhaps symbolizing the call of daybreak — evoke a vivid sense of movement and power. The details are finely carved, from the musculature of the horses to the rippling folds of her drapery, displaying the cameo artisan’s skillful mastery over the layered shell.

The frame itself is a warm, softly textured pinchbeck with a subtle scallopep pattern along the bezel, securing the cameo in place with sturdy dog-tooth style prongs. The back of the brooch reveals an old-style trombone pin-and-catch mechanism, consistent with a late 19th-century dating. Its oval shape, generous scale, and harmonious mythological theme are all in keeping with high-Victorian cameo jewelry, which was prized for its romantic, neoclassical revival aesthetic.

Eos/Aurora was the goddess of dawn, who opened the gates of heaven each morning to let in the daylight — a powerful symbol of hope, renewal, and the passage of time.

Measurements :The brooch measures 4.7cm x 3.5cm.The cameo measures 4.2cm x 3.1cm.The brooch with a weight of 8.8grams.