French antique 18K gold diamond chimera pin brooch

Daring, fantasy and fearless, this beautiful Art Nouveau era French chimera pin brooch offers us a unique combination of very high quality of craftsmanship and imagination. The chimera has his wings decorated in rose cut diamonds and he is holding a natural seed pearl in one of his claw. The tail twisted at the bottom, is made of a refine textured gold to imitate his scales. The pin brooch has a safety stopper at the end. The chimera pin brooch and the gold chain are made in 18K yellow gold while the stopper and the pin next to it and attached to it with a seed pearl are made in metal.

Chimera is probably one of those most mysterious creatures we can have in the antique jewelry: it was a fire-breathing creature with the body and head of a lion, a goat's head rising from its back, the udders of a goat, and a serpent for a tail.

Toward the close of the 19th century French jewelers created a golden bestiary of fantastic creatures and mythical animals. This richly detailed chimera is a wonderful example of the work of the French fin de siecle jewelry artists.

We see this pin brooch a perfect piece to add into your antique pin collection and also a wonderful gift as a jewelry gift for gentlemen.

The box on the photo is for display only and the second chimera pin brooch on the photo is for sale and listed in the shop as well.

Measurements and condition

In very good antique condition with slight traces of use on the gold.

Several traces of hallmarks + maker’s mark.

The pin as well as the chimera are acid tested for 18K gold.

The stopper and the separate pin with a little pearl are made in metal.

The chimera measures 20mm*20mm

Length of the pin: 6.8cm

Weight: 2.5g