A mid-eighteenth century Queen Anne paste brooch, comprised of two oval purple pastes faceted and foil-backed set in a brass crimped setting, accented by two similar rectangular pastes, originally to form a pair of earrings, later converted to a brooch, circa 1760. 

Queen Anne jewelry, misleadingly named, as it was made in the mid-eighteenth century rather than during the reign of Queen Anne (1695-1714), is distinctive in its style and readily identifiable. Necklaces were usually non-graduated rivieres mounted in gilt metal with vibrantly foiled collet-set pastes, typically with a distinctive pear shaped drop. These necklaces were often worn high on the neck as chokers and were finished with ribbons, tied at the back of the neck. Queen Anne earrings consist of two oblong pastes, the lower one slightly larger than the upper, usually with smaller pastes flanking the conjoined area. These earrings were worn close to the earlobe and had thick back-to-front earhooks, often with the addition of two metal loops with the dual purpose of providing stability to the earring and allowing ribbons to be fixed into the hair to provide support for the weight of the earring itself.