Antique Australian 9ct Gold Seed pearl & Red Stone Brooch T Willis Melbourne c1900

This piece of antique Australian jewellery is in very good condition.

The 9ct gold brooch is set with three red stones flanked by 2 seed pearls on either side. The brooch is clearly marked to the back with an Australian mark of a unicorn, 9, and a W.  This is the mark of T Willis & Sons Pty Ltd of Melbourne. The mark on the brooch was that used prior to Willis becoming a member of the Jewellers' Association of Victoria in 1903. Shown in Australian Jewellery by Anne Schofield and Kevin Fahy this is the first of two marks used by Willis. The second used the Jewellery Associations standard mark of a sheath of wheat instead of W.

The brooch presents beautifully. There are faint scratches from use with a tiny nick to the left edge of the central stone.

To the back has a steel pin attached to a tube hinge and there is a C type catch.

Australian jewellery pieces like this are hard to find in such good condition.

The brooch is 59mm long x 11mm wide and weighs 3.99gms.