Brooch c. 1937

This is a design for a brooch, likely dating to the late 19th or early 20th century, rendered by Walter W. Jennings. It depicts a central red stone, perhaps a ruby or garnet, set in what appears to be gold. The brooch is shown from three angles, allowing the jeweler to visualize the piece in three dimensions. The inclusion of such details speaks to the changing landscape of jewelry design during this period. Jewelers began embracing industrialization to cater to a growing middle class with more access to luxury goods. Designs were often circulated in pattern books and trade journals, reflecting the increasing professionalization and commercialization of jewelry making. To fully understand this work, a historian would need to investigate the design trends, materials, and manufacturing techniques of the period, consulting archival pattern books and researching the practices of jewelry firms. The brooch reflects the social conditions that shaped artistic production.