Stickpins and Tie Pins: The Cheapest Way Into Antique Gold
A stickpin is a small good jewel with a spike attached. Because almost nobody wears a cravat any more, the market values them at a fraction of the equivalent ring, which makes them the last genuine bargain in period gold.
The stickpin held a cravat or a tie in place from the Georgian period onwards, reached its peak in the second half of the nineteenth century, and disappeared with the collar and tie fashions that supported it. What survives is a very large number of small, well-made jewels: pearls, old cut diamonds, coloured stones, enamel, carved hardstone, horseshoes, foxes, insects, hands and hearts, mounted on a gold or gold-topped pin. They were the everyday male jewel, made in quantity by good workshops, and they are now the cheapest way to own genuine period goldsmithing.
Reading the construction
The head is the jewel; the pin is a fitting. Two constructions dominate. Solid gold throughout, common on better pieces, where the pin itself is gold and often marked near the head. Gold head on a base metal or gold-topped pin, common on trade goods, which is honest period practice and not a fault, but changes the metal value.
Look for the twist or kink partway down the shaft: a small S-bend or a coiled section that gripped the fabric and stopped the pin sliding. Its presence indicates a working pin rather than a converted one. Look also at the point: original points are tapered and often slightly blunted by use, while a sharp modern point on an old head suggests a replacement.
Dating
| Feature | Period |
|---|---|
| Long thin pin, minimal head, closed-back stone | Georgian into early Victorian |
| Naturalistic and sentimental motifs, seed pearls, garnets, enamel | Mid to late Victorian |
| Insects, horseshoes, sporting subjects, fox masks | Late Victorian, still very collectable |
| Fine millegrain, platinum-topped gold, single old cuts | Edwardian into the 1920s |
| Art Deco geometry, calibre-cut stones | 1920s and 1930s, the last flourish |
Marks are inconsistent. British examples may carry a full hallmark on the pin, which dates them exactly, but a great many are unmarked because of their weight, which is normal rather than suspicious. See why small pieces often escape marking.
The conversion question
Because the form is unfashionable, stickpins are converted constantly: heads become pendants, rings, tie tacks and earrings, and pins are removed or shortened. A conversion is not a fake, but it is a different object with a different value, and it belongs in the description. The reverse also happens: brooch or earring fragments mounted onto pins and sold as stickpins. The article on marriages and conversions sets out the tells, of which the most useful here are solder that differs in colour from the surrounding metal, a head whose back was clearly finished for another purpose, and a pin that does not match the head's quality.
Judging and buying
Check the stones for the cut appropriate to the claimed date, since an old head reset with a modern brilliant is common. Check enamel for chips, pearls for skin condition and drilling, and the head's back, which on good work is finished properly even though nobody was meant to see it. Check the pin for straightness, since bent pins have often been straightened and are weak at the bend.
Wear them anywhere the original use no longer applies: a lapel, a hat, a scarf, a knitted collar. They are also, honestly, the best value engagement present in the antique trade, because a stickpin set with a good old cut diamond costs a fraction of the same stone in a ring, and the stone can be moved later if the owner wants it moved.
Frequently asked questions
What is a stickpin?
A small decorative jewel mounted on a long pin, worn to hold a cravat or tie. They were the standard everyday men's jewel from the Georgian period until the early twentieth century.
Are stickpins solid gold?
Some are gold throughout; many have a gold head on a gold-topped or base metal pin, which was normal trade practice. Check for marks near the head and test the pin separately.
How can I tell if a stickpin has been converted?
Look for solder of a different colour, a head whose reverse was finished for another purpose, a missing or mismatched pin, and a pin quality that does not match the head.
Why are stickpins so inexpensive?
Because almost nobody wears the fashion they were made for. The same stones and workmanship in a ring or brooch cost several times as much.
Are stickpins hallmarked?
Sometimes. British examples can carry full marks that date them exactly, but many are unmarked because of their small weight, which is normal for the period.
What is the twist in the middle of the pin for?
It grips the fabric and stops the pin sliding out. A period twist or kink indicates a working pin rather than a later replacement.