The King's Eagle Brooch

Louis XIV owned the Eagle Brooch and may have acquired it from Marie-Louise de Gonzague who was the widow of two Polish Kings when she died in 1667. The body of the brooch is made of garnet and has been adorned with square rubies with the exception of two rubies on the tail piece - these are heart-shaped. The eagle is holding both the sceptre and the orb which are both symbols of royalty. The rest of the body is painted in white enamel except for the feathers in black enamel. Despite the possibility of having belonged to a Polish Queen the style of the brooch indicates that it might have been made in Paris.