JOHN W. CHARLTON Antique Deco Platinum Old European Mine Cut Diamond Bow Brooch

An exceptional early Art Deco bow brooch, impeccably hand-fabricated in platinum and fully set with a sophisticated arrangement of old European-cut, old mine-cut, and rose-cut diamonds — a rare and telling combination that places the piece at the very forefront of the Deco era, when jewelers were transitioning from Edwardian styles into the geometry and brilliance of the 1920s. The brooch bears the “Charlton” signature, identifying it as an early work by John W. Charlton himself, created before the firm evolved into the far better-known Charlton & Co. Charlton was an important New York jeweler whose early atelier produced pieces noted for their refined platinum work, balanced design, and exceptionally well-matched stones. His later partnership expansions led to prestigious Fifth Avenue, Palm Beach, and Paris salons, but pieces from Charlton’s founder-period — signed simply “Charlton,” as this one is — are especially coveted for representing the original hand and vision that built the house’s reputation.