A brooch is a decorative item fastened to a piece of clothing using a hinged pin and catch.
Brooches were popular throughout many jewelry periods, such as the Georgian, Victorian, Art Nouveau, Edwardian, Art Deco & Retro eras.
Brooch Safety Catches
HANDMADE C-CATCH PRE 1910
Handmade c-catch on an antique brooch
Prior to 1910, brooches were fastened by a pin that extends far beyond the handmade C-catch, with a tube hinge.
TROMBONE CATCH 1850 - 1910
The push-pull "trombone" safety catch was patented in 1850, in Great Britain. They didn't become popular in jewelry made in the United States until much later.
LEVER SAFETY CATCH 1900-1930s
The lever safety catch was first used as a brooch fastener around 1900.
MODERN SAFETY CATCH POST 1911
The modern safety catch used to fasten brooch pins was invented in 1911. The modern pin catch features a rotating mechanism that secures the pin, preventing accidental slippage. This style of safety catch is still widely used today.
Brooch Hinges
HANDMADE TUBE HINGE 1850-1870
This type of handmade tube hinge was frequently seen between 1850-1870.
HANDMADE TUBE HINGE 1870-1930
This type of handmade hinge has two tubes soldered to a pad, which is easily soldered onto the reverse side of the brooch. The third (middle) tube is soldered to the pin.
MACHINE-MADE ROUND HINGE POST 1930
The round hinge was developed around 1930. Usually machine-made, these parts saved jewelers both assembly time and labor costs.