1940s Marcasite outlet Leaf Brooch with Rhodium

1940s Marcasite Leaf Brooch
This delightful palmate leaf shaped brooch
is studded with marcasite
and probably dates from the late 1940s.
The detailing is beautifully executed with clear veins
on the visible surface set with rows of the marcasite pieces.
The reverse also has the veining detail carried through
- a sign of the quality of the piece.
The brooch is plated with rhodium.
The brooch measures 1 1/2 inches by 1 1/4 inches

 
What is Marcasite?
The mineral in marcasite jewelry is not in fact marcasite but iron pyrite. Because of iron pyrite's resemblance to marcasite, jewelry from this mineral became known colloquially as marcasite jewelry. Iron pyrite has a bright sheen, a metallic finish, and a hardness that allows it to stand up well to scratches and dings over the years, and thus gives consumers the ability to find quality vintage pieces in good condition years after their creation.
 
Victorian Era Marcasite Jewelry
After the passing of her consort, Prince Albert, Queen Victoria wore black for an extensive period of mourning. Naturally, her jewelry choices during this time tended towards pieces in darker colors, making marcasite jewelry a popular choice for outlet the Queen. This started a major trend that would define much of the Grand Period of the Victorian Era. Women around London and beyond became avid collectors of marcasite pieces, from rings to brooches. Marcasite was often used to create filigree-style borders on pendants and brooches, and popular motifs of the time were floral and organic shapes. Victorian vintage pieces also used a good deal of antique design features from Greco-Roman times.
 
Art Deco Marcasite Jewelry
With the rise of the machine age, jewelry transitioned from the organic forms of the Victorian Era and the Belle Epoque era to more structured and geometric forms. Vintage Art Deco jewelry typically uses silver or platinum along with diamonds or crystal to create the main structure of a piece and then use darker materials such as sapphires, onyx, or marcasite to create a sharp contrast with these lighter tones. The popularity of the light-and-dark motif in Art Deco jewelry design made Marcasite once again one of the more sought after materials during this style era. Art Deco marcasite pieces can be anything from a geometric statement necklace to tennis-style bracelets.
 
 
How to Care for Vintage Marcasite Jewelry
Once consumers find an ideal piece of marcasite vintage jewelry for a collection, they should also learn a few tips on how to care for it well so that it remains in good condition in the long term. Generally speaking, it is always a good idea for individuals to put jewelry on at the end of the grooming and dressing process so that the vintage piece is not exposed to chemicals in perfume, hairspray, and other substances. Marcasite owners should also keep their pieces as dry as possible since water can loosen the minerals.
In terms of cleaning, owners of a marcasite piece should never use modern jewelry cleaners, be they chemical or ultrasonic solutions. The best bet for cleaning marcasite jewelry is to use a slightly damp cloth and wipe it dry immediately with a soft cloth. The silver in a piece can be rubbed gently with a jewelry cleaning cloth, using the polishing side to buff the entire piece lightly.


Allergic reactions to earring wires are usually caused by sensitivity to nickel. Nickel is mixed with most metals used in making jewelry. There can even be small amounts in jewelry made of silver, gold and even platinum. Rhodium plating lessons the likelihood of metal sensitivity.