Art Deco Fox Head Hunting Horn Brooch in 18ct Yellow Gold

A characterful 18ct yellow gold and Essex crystal fox and horn hunting brooch. Expertly detailed; a characterful fox head takes centre stage in mid pant as if pausing for a moment from being chased. Showcasing exceptional craftsmanship a clear piece of rock crystal has been painstakingly reverse carved and painted (largely referred to as Essex Crystal). This has been set at the centre of a miniature gold hunting horn. Fox hunting can be traced back to the early 16th-century, and was a hugely important pastime for wealthy and noble landowners in the 19th-and-20th-centuries. The season ran from October to May, and hunts took place on nearly all the major country estates. Hunting parties have also long been associated with royalty with the future King Edward VII hosting many at his Sandringham estate in Norfolk. Mounted in 18ct yellow gold this brooch would have originally been worn by an elegant lady participating in a hunt, and would have been displayed prominently on the lapel of her jacket or used to secure her hunting stock/scarf.