American Graffiti

An unusual and wonderfully androgynous, American-made Tailles D'Épargne brooch in 14k gold with a slightly burnished finish. This beauty is ready to be a pendant, a brooch worn innumerable ways, the extra length on your short chains that brings you all the versatility, the anchor for a complicated neck mess, the extra little bit of power on your suit jacket. 

Tailles D'Épargne*, also known as black enamel tracery, translates from French as "the saving cut", and it is a version of the better-known champlevé in which lines are etched into the surface of metal creating a hollow that is then filled with enamel. It was very popular in Europe from 1850-1870, and taken up by American artists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which is where we find this beautiful piece. 

While the symbolic language of this piece is something of a mystery--the central shape seems to indicate a scroll and images in the pattern are reminiscent of a mezuzah or of freemason symbolism but are not quite either--we can tell that it was made to indicate a special reminder of purpose, and even without knowing which spiritual language it belonged to, we can appreciate its beauty and what it adds to our own visual language of expression as we wear it. That resonance across time is how language continues to grow and change, and we re so darn lucky to be a part of it. 

Details:

• Late 19th to early 20th century American, likely 1890-1910
• 14k gold (tested) with black and white enamel over burnished finish
• Taille D'Epargne technique in which enamel is applied to a pattern that is first engraved into the surface of the gold 
• 7.76g
• Original pin has been bent by earlier custodians in order to accommodate a clip on the back that allows the brooch to be easily attached to a chain
• 2 inches long by 1.5 inches wide

Insider tip: use an earring backing if you’d like to add extra security to your brooch pin by putting the backing on the pin and pushing it so it rests just on the inside of the clasp--as with all new techniques for wearing your jewels, please try it out at home before you go out to make sure you can troubleshoot in a safe place! 

*You can read about this technique a zillion times and still find hard to picture, but really it just means that the goal is to create an intricate pattern of enamel and metal, and that the best way to preserve the design longterm is to create a little riverbed in which the enamel will be protected from the wear of daily life by the metal that surrounds it. The intricate detail and complicated patterning created by tailles d'épargne artists is the reason it is so sought after today.