Editor’s Note
This story of a serendipitous find—a $25 brooch turning out to be a rare 19th-century jewel by famed Victorian designer William Burges—reminds us that treasure often hides in plain sight. It’s a delightful testament to the enduring value of craftsmanship and the thrill of the hunt.
An Italian woman who loves jewelry has become the center of attention after it was revealed that a brooch she bought for $25 at a small antique shop in the UK is a rare piece from the 19th century. A UK classic jewelry expert who appraised the brooch stated, “It is one of a series of jewels made by William Burges, the most famous architect and designer of the Victorian era.”
The owner, Flora Steel, an Italian woman residing in Rome, purchased the unusual silver cross-shaped brooch for £20 (about $25) at a shop in the Midlands, UK, in 1988. She was immediately drawn to its beautiful colors and design and bought it on the spot. She kept the brooch for over 30 years before recently discovering its true significance.
The video in question was an edited clip from a program tracking lost pieces of Burges’s jewelry.
The brooch is a metalwork piece designed by William Burges (1827–1881), a representative architect of the Victorian era in 19th-century Britain. His works are permanently exhibited in the jewelry gallery of the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum, the UK’s premier design museum.
After watching the full BBC video, Steel flew to London and visited the V&A’s Victorian craft exhibition hall. There, she saw William Burges’s exhibited works and marveled at their beauty and outstanding form.
Antique jewelry expert Geoffrey Munn, who closely examined the brooch Steel had kept for over 30 years, appraised it, saying:
Munn added,
Meanwhile, the jewelry specialist auction house Gilding, which will soon put the 19th-century brooch up for auction, has set an estimate of $19,000 (on the high end) and described it as a very special and rare craft item of great value.
Gilding plans to auction the brooch along with other rare jewelry around March or April. Attention is now focused on what the final hammer price will be.