Micro mosaic and gold lion brooch, c.1860-70, by Castellani, priced £90,000 by Symbolic & Chase.
The gallery focuses on 20th century European works, but also offers a wide selection of historic jewels.
For example, this micro mosaic and gold lion brooch, c.1860-70, is one of the Castellani pieces made in homage to ancient jewellery, the micro-mosaic made under Luigi Podio, who presided over this part of the workshop from 1851-88.
The dealership compares this piece to one depicting Medusa now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and another Medusa head jewel which sold at Sotheby’s New York in 2017 for $137,500. This example is offered for £90,000.
