Antique French Kiln-fired Enamel Mourning Brooch, Seed Pearl and Star, Sterling Silver Vermeil

Beautiful seed pearl mourning brooch, blue kiln-fired French enamel. A mid-1800s (Napoleon III or Victorian era) mourning jewelry item, brooch with seed pearl and star.  Thick sky blue kiln-fired enamel on the body’s exterior. The look of gold, but the body of the brooch tests as sterling silver with an 18k layer (vermeil). 

Very good to excellent condition for age and type, the brooch is nearing 170 years of age, and still so beautiful. The enamel on the brooch has a couple of minuscule surface abrasions you won’t see at all in the hand, and along one outer edge, a small group of hairlines in the old enamel, evidence of it having once been dropped. In wear, it doesn’t seem damaged, but if you tilt on side, you can see it. I’ve marked it on photos with an “x” for your review. Beautifully crafted, certainly has appearance of karat gold but it is French silver with 18k gold vermeil surfaces showing.