This 18k yellow yellow gold lace pin brooch is shaped like an ouroboros, which clutching a rose-cut diamond in a closed, silver setting. Small brooches like these are known as lace pins or modesty pins, and were used to pin a scarf or stole around a decolletage, to prevent from showing more skin than desired.
The Ouroboros symbol of a snake biting its own tale has been known for millennia and was first used in ancient Chinese mythology. Similar symbolism is also found in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece, where it symbolized the circle of life, death, and rebirth. Through the centuries, the symbol has kept its significance in Western iconography.
General Information
Size: 24 x 10 mm.
Weight: 2.80 grams
Age: The tail is fitted with a French ram head hallmark, which tells us it was made in Paris between 1819 and 1838. It also carries a makers mark, which I could not identify.
Material: Hallmarked for 18k gold.
Condition: In great antique condition with only minor wear, consistent with age.
Please note that the antique box is for display purposes.