Ascending the ladder of love.
Whimsical Victorian gold and silver mounted brooch depicting a white pearl mouse with tiny cabochon ruby eyes climbing a turquoise and pearl ladder.c.1890.
2 1/2 inches by 1/2 inch wide.
Other examples of ladder brooches can be found in Geoffrey C. Munn’s book The Triumph of Love 1530-1930 which includes a fly climbing a ladder by Carlo Guiliano.
The mouse represents courage and persistence against all the odds and the ladder symbolises the aspirations of love.Such amusing novelty jewellery of this fine quality with hidden secret messages was popular in the 1880s and 90s.The meaning and humour of such charming compositions are hard to decipher 140 years later but their charm remains.