Brooch
19th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The star is made from the shell of turtles. The jewellery makers softened the shell of the turtle (usually the hawksbill turtle) by boiling it in salt water before moulding it in heated dies. They then engraved the floral patterns and finally inlaid them with tiny flakes of precious metal.
This decoration is known as 'piqué' after the French term for pricking the tortoise shell. Piqué work seems to have originated in Naples in the 18th century. The technique was perfected in France and brought to Britain by Huguenot craftsmen. The Huguenots were Protestant refugees who fled from France to avoid religious persecution.
This decoration is known as 'piqué' after the French term for pricking the tortoise shell. Piqué work seems to have originated in Naples in the 18th century. The technique was perfected in France and brought to Britain by Huguenot craftsmen. The Huguenots were Protestant refugees who fled from France to avoid religious persecution.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Picqué, tortoiseshell inlaid with silver and gilt metal |
| Brief description | Piqué brooch in the shape of a five-pointed star, tortoise-shell inlaid with silver and gilt metal, England, 19th century |
| Physical description | Piqué brooch in the shape of a five-pointed star. Made from tortoise-shell inlaid with silver and gilt metal. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Arthur Myers Smith |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | The star is made from the shell of turtles. The jewellery makers softened the shell of the turtle (usually the hawksbill turtle) by boiling it in salt water before moulding it in heated dies. They then engraved the floral patterns and finally inlaid them with tiny flakes of precious metal. This decoration is known as 'piqué' after the French term for pricking the tortoise shell. Piqué work seems to have originated in Naples in the 18th century. The technique was perfected in France and brought to Britain by Huguenot craftsmen. The Huguenots were Protestant refugees who fled from France to avoid religious persecution. |
| Associated objects |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.55B-1916 |
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| Record created | March 17, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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