Azur Malachite Bar Brooch

An azur malachite bar brooch finished with silver wire scrolls, one scroll set at the top of one side and the other at the bottom of the opposite side, this small piece works a deliberate diagonal asymmetry into an otherwise simple bar. The cool blue-green stone forms the body; the silver scrolls give it a turning, asymmetric movement.

The pairing of azur malachite with worked silver scrolls is the design's distinguishing feature, the wirework softening the rectangular stone. The brooch is recorded in Morrill's Maestros de Plata.

Worked in 980 silver under the joined "WS" mark Spratling adapted from his horse brand (Morrill, p. 39), the bar brooch turns on confirmation of the stone, the integrity of the silver scrolls, and a period hallmark.