€4,500 - €5,500
MISSIAGLIA: A FINE EMERALD, DIAMOND AND RUBY BROOCH, CIRCA 1960 Designed as a stylised hornet in repose, the thorax and abdomen formed of two carved emerald cabochons, each embellished with foliate engraving, the four wings decorated with brilliant-cut diamonds within millegrain-setting, the head set with circular-cut ruby cabochon eyes, to gold antennae with brilliant-cut diamond terminals, mounted in 18K gold, diamonds approximately 2.00cts total, signed Missaglia, length 3.8cm, width 4.9cm Founded in 1846 by Angelo Missiaglia, the house of Missiaglia occupies a distinctive place in the history of Venetian craftsmanship. Described by the firm as the oldest jeweller in Venice, and still in the hands of the same family, it belongs to that rare class of makers whose identity remains closely bound to the city that shaped it. Its history is rooted not only in jewellery, but in a broader tradition of precious objects defined by hand craftsmanship, continuity, and an enduring sense of refinement. That Venetian lineage is especially resonant because Venice itself was no ordinary setting. Situated within the lagoon at the head of the Adriatic, the city became the centre of a maritime republic, the greatest seaport in late medieval Europe, and a crucial commercial and cultural link to Asia. From that geographical and historical position emerged a visual culture of exceptional richness, shaped by trade, ceremony, and cosmopolitan exchange. In such a context, a house such as Missiaglia may be understood as part of a specifically Venetian tradition, in which luxury, workmanship, and imagination were cultivated side by side. Across generations, Missiaglia has sustained that tradition by uniting high jewellery and silverware within a single aesthetic world. The house presents its collections as inspired by its heritage and by "the sublime beauty of Venice," and its work indeed reflects a distinctly Venetian taste for ornament, elegance, and transformation. These are objects that do more than display luxury; they evoke a city in which material splendour has long formed part of both private life and public ceremony. This sensibility is perhaps most vividly expressed in Missiaglia's silverware. Functional objects are reimagined as sculptural forms — artichokes, shells, pomegranates, gondolas and related motifs — rendered in sterling silver with wit, fantasy, and technical precision. Such works transform the table into a setting for display and conversation, and suggest a house concerned not merely with utility, but with the art of living Since September 2016, the house has presented its jewellery and silverware together in its Accademia showroom, reaffirming the unity of its vision. Rooted in the nineteenth century yet still animated by the history, geography, and visual richness of Venice, Missiaglia stands not simply as a historic jeweller, but as a living expression of Venetian taste in precious form.
Emeralds: carved with foliate detailing, some pits visible under 10x magnification, translucent Diamonds: approx. 2.00cts total, bright and lively Signature and 750 for 18K gold located on the reverse of the brooch Very nice craftmanship Clasp for pin closes securely Normal signs of wear, commensurate with age, overall in good condition Total gross weight approx. 22g
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