Pansy brooch / pendant with enamel

Brooch / pendant in 14 carat gold in the shape of a pansy. With lilac, yellow and black enamel and in the middle an old-cut diamond. Signed, maker's mark illegible.

Pansy brooches, like many pieces of jewellery from the late 19th century, have a hidden meaning. 'Pansy' sounds very similar to the French verb 'penser', meaning 'to think'. Jewelry with pansies was often given to loved ones, and receiving one meant that the giver was always thinking of you. Enamelled violin brooches like this one were made mainly in England, France, the US and Germany in the late 19th century, by makers such as Cartier, Krementz, Whiteside & Bank, Hedges & Co and others. During the subsequent Art Nouveau period, most enamel violin brooches were made in the US.

U.S.A., circa 1900