LATE COLONIAL VICTORIAN LION CLAW, DIAMOND AND GOLD NUGGET BROOCH

For Sale: $3,000

I had a couple of lion claws pendants before. As of this writing, I sold them at least 2 years ago. When I got them I thought they were wonderful artifacts. And they are. Click here to see them. However, the brooch shown on this page is so much better. It is like comparing a Mercedes Benz E-Class automobile with a Rolls Royce. Not only that but in this case, I know the story of the jewel, which for this kind of artifacts, it is just as interesting as the piece itself.

Gold Lion Claw Description

This lion claw brooch is made of two symmetrically matching claws from the same animal. The caps are 18K yellow gold, well detailed, and with a coronet fringe pattern. Between the caps, at the top, sits a gold nugget. At the bottom, also between the caps, is a close to 0.82-carat old miner’s cut diamond. At the back is the brooch pin, also in 18K gold. Also at the back is a safety chain and pin, also in 18K gold. See images below and appraisal.

Gold Lion Claw History

This lion claw brooch was commissioned by Joseph Henry Dennis to be made in South Africa in the late 1890s.
He was a mining engineer from Moonta, South Australia who was working for De Beers in South Africa, prior to the outbreak of the Second Boer War. When he knew he was returning to South Australia he selected the diamond and commissioned the brooch for his wife to celebrate his return home. Family legend says he had found the gold nugget in his work as a mining engineer. The lion’s claws were taken from a lion skin rug he had.

Joseph Henry brought back other jewelry for his wife as well. Most of it was inherited by my one his daughters Sadly, her house was broken into and it was stolen. Other items from that period are still owned by family Joseph’s descendants.

The above information was given to me by the gold lion claw owner. In turn, she got this information from her grandmother and her aunt. They are Joseph Henry Dennis direct descendant’s, are still around, and of course, knew him personally.

Lion Claw Gold And Diamond Brooch for Sale

The owner of this brooch is the great-granddaughter of Joseph Henry Denisse (see above). She has it in personal possession in Moonta, South Australia. The price shown above is American Dollars. If you are interested in buying this great lion claw gold brooch, please contact me, Oscar Morante, directly. I am the owner of Portland Gold Buyers, LLC. We will arrange for a way for the lion claw gold brooch to be legally imported into the USA.

Lion Claw Gold and Diamond Gold Price Analysis

The appraisal of this lion claw gold and diamond brooch is $6915 Australian Dollars. Below is the appraisal. Click on the link for a PDF.

From the liquidation point of view of the gold and diamond in the brooch, as of March 26th, 2019 the cost of materials is as follows.

$310 10 grams of over 18K gold. Estimated combined weight of gold nugget plus gold caps. Approximation based on my experience as a gold buyer

$900 0.82 carat diamond estimated wholesale value as of 03/26/2019

This lion claw brooch is not for sale as something to be taken apart, but at a great price as a jewel. I developed the above-mentioned sale price of this brooch based on how much better this brooch is in comparison to the already sold ones, and pro-rating accordingly. That is not a very scientific method, but a very reasonable extrapolation based on precedents.

Own a Piece of Late Colonial Victorian Jewelry

This lion claws gold and diamond brooch certainly a wonderful example of late Colonial Victorian jewelry, with a wonderful history. If you like it, it is ready for you to start enjoying it. Lets get a transaction going.