Vintage Animal Figural Pins

Owl pin, 18k gold, enamel and diamonds, Italy, c. 1950s. 2.5" x 1". From Brian Stewart Gallery.

Among the world’s oldest jewelry type, pins and brooches date at least as far back as the Bronze Age. Along with the Ancient Greeks, Romans wore a pin called the spina, which was a thorn or thorn-like brooch used to hold up garments. Throughout the centuries, many cultures contributed to the aesthetic evolution of pins from the introduction of brightly colored enamel by the Byzantines to the ascendancy of animal/figural pins in Europe and America in the 1930s-1970s. By the 19th century, pins and brooches had become an intimate expression of oneself. Below are some of the most captivating animal pins of the mid-late 20th century from Brian Stewart Gallery, which can be reached here.

Enamel turtle pin, 18K gold and a ruby, Italian, 1960s. 2.5"L. From Brian Stewart Gallery.

Bird pin, 18k gold with turquoise, coral, emerald and diamonds, American, c. 1950s. 3.5" x 1.5". From Brian Stewart Gallery.

Coral turtle pin. 18K gold, coral and diamond. American, 1960s. 1.75" L. From Brian Stewart Gallery.

Enamel bird pin with 18k gold, Italy, circa 1950-1960. 4"x1". From Brian Stewart Gallery.

Turtle Pin. 14K gold plique-a-jour. American, 1960s. 2.25"L. From Brian Stewart Gallery.