Moonstone and Diamond Brooch

Moonstone has a storied history dating back to antiquity. Eastern cultures thought of it as solidified rays of moonlight. The Greeks and Romans often associated it with their Lunar deities. In the mid-18th century moonstone was one of the favorite gemstones of Madame de Pompadour, chief mistress of Louis XV. The brooch offered here dates to the last quarter of the 19^th century, when moonstone was widely used in a variety of jewelry designs in both in Europe and the United States. There are several newspaper advertisements by Tiffany & Co. from 1870 to 1900 which mention carved moonstones, and according to the Tiffany archives “design drawings for cameos with plain diamond mounts appear in the sketchbooks from the turn of the century.” There is a significant moonstone cameo brooch in the permanent archival collection of Tiffany & Co. catalogued as the “Louisiana Purchase” Brooch, circa 1903, with triple overlaying cameo portrait busts of the three politicians associated with the Louisiana Purchase: James Monroe, Robert Livingston, and François Barbe-Marbois.

The moonstone cameo brooches carved with bonneted busts of babies, sold by Tiffany in the late 19^th century, seldom appear on the market and are immediately bought up by collectors. Although this brooch is not signed it is certainly equal to the quality and craftsmanship found in those sold by Tiffany. Here we have a set of triplets; two apparently happy, and one with tears streaming down its cheeks. Perhaps this might have been a specially commissioned gift, considering that moonstone is associated with the third anniversary of married couples, and there are three babies. Whatever the case, moonstone is meant to bring about good fortune and feelings of love. In addition, it is supposed to make the wearer more accepting of change, balance emotions, promote a calm mood, encourage peace and improve confidence. Any parent with three babies would certainly benefit from these effects, so the choice of moonstone for this cameo could not be more appropriate.