On Twitter I came across MuseumBadge/Brooch Day, initiated by Museum 104. A day dedicated to brooches. Browing through all the image I came across this pug brooch. This week I’m quit into pets (cat Plumo is staying at my house for a week) so a post about pets would be very suitable.
This pug brooch was made in 1875 by a guy named William Ford. During that time apparently it was very popular to have pieces of jewellery with animals depicted on them. Since the Victorians believed that no house was a home without a dog or cat in residence, it’s not surprising at all.
Ford was a student of William Essex who also painted miniatures of dogs and other animals. Many of the miniatures were worn set in tiepins or brooches, and they still exist in relatively large numbers.
Funny to see that the dog portraits were painted in a large number, but simple cat portraits are hard to find. I did manage to find two cat brooches, but both feature a lady as well.
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