Given the importance of Queen Victoria across the British Empire during the nineteenth century, it is surprising that very few commemorative pieces of Australian made jewellery have survived.
Apart from this brooch, the only other “Jubilee” brooch recorded is in “Schofield” p.42. Here, this brooch is mistaken for a miners’ brooch from Western Australia.
Presumably, “Jubilee” was thought to be the name of a mine. This impressive gold brooch commemorates Queen Victoria’s “Golden Jubilee”.
The use of precious stones in Australian Colonial jewellery is uncommon. The cost and the difficulties in importing them saw to this.
We find pieces with just a few local precious stones but this brooch has a significant number of precious stones. This brooch, which incorporates diamonds, rubies and sapphires, set in gold, is indeed very special.
It was an expensive piece of jewellery in its day and crafted by a Colonial jeweller, who’s business name continues to this day, in Bourke Street Melbourne.
The brooch is presented in a “W. Farmer & Co” box. They may have been the purveyors.
Maker: Simon Kozminsky Melbourne (est 1851)
Marks: “S.K.”
Weight: 7.3 gms
Height: 2.3 cm
Width: 4.8 cm
Date: Circa 1887
Condition: Very good.
Price: $25,000.00
Trevor Hancock,
Director.
