A 2026 Guide by Sellingantiques
Worn heavily throughout the nineteenth century as an everyday accessory for men.
Early antique stickpins held neckcloths firmly in place during the Georgian period, serving a highly practical role before aesthetics took over.
Look at how they shift from pure function to decoration.
Gentlemen eventually moved them from ties to lapels as stiff collars replaced voluminous cravats.
Unmarked examples dominate the trade, made by countless provincial bench jewellers.
Firms like Murrle Bennett & Co produced distinctive Arts and Crafts silver examples.
Watch for pieces by Carlo Giuliano, known for detailed enamel work on gold mounts.
The 2026 retail price guide for Antique Stickpins is drawn from a proprietary archive of over 1.1 million retail prices indexed by Sellingantiques since 2003. This guide relies exclusively on their own internal data; no external sources or auction records are used.
Analysing nearly 25 years of UK antique market history alongside current retail values, the data indicates that typical UK retail prices for Antique Stickpins range between £100 and £600. Entry-level prices generally fall under £100 and premium examples upwards of £600.
They're often made with a twisted stem to stop the pin slipping out of the fabric.
Elaborate decorative heads sit at a right angle to the straight shaft.
Note the small detachable safety guards found on late nineteenth-century versions, designed to cap the sharp end.
Early heads were often soldered directly onto thick, hand-drawn gold wire by the jeweller.
Machine-rolled stems appearing in the late nineteenth century as production modernised.
Examine the back of the finial for hollow die-stamped construction which replaced solid casting.
"Some Victorian examples feature tiny hidden compartments holding woven hair behind a glass panel."
"Novelty sporting motifs like hunting horns and foxes were highly prized by country gentlemen."
"Keep an eye out for micromosaic finials brought back from Italian grand tours."
Based on almost 25 years of Sellingantiques UK antique market data, Antique Stickpins appeared 137 times (out of 1,100,000 antiques) which gives it a rarity score of 97/100.
This score measures scarcity within the Sellingantiques archive only and is not a survey of the entire antiques market, so these statistics may not be indicative of the general availability of Antique Stickpins elsewhere.
Most people pin them through the buttonhole of a jacket lapel. You push the shaft through the fabric and secure the sharp end behind the cloth.
Some wearers group several pins together on a heavy wool coat. They work well on thick scarves too.
Those chains connect to a small metal guard. You push the pin through your tie or lapel, then cap the sharp point with the guard.
They stop the pin working its way out of the fabric during the day. The chain ensures you don't lose the tiny cap when taking the pin off.
A jeweller can swap the stone if the setting allows it.
Claw settings are relatively easy to open. Bezel settings present a harder task, as lifting the metal edge often damages the gold.
That twist is deliberate. Jewellers call it a corrugation. It creates friction against the threads of the cravat or tie.
Smooth shafts tend to slide up and down with movement. The twist anchors the pin exactly where the wearer placed it.
Sometimes you will find two twists on a longer shaft. They serve the same purpose on heavier fabrics.
Please note: This Antique Stickpins guide and its associated pricing data are provided for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute formal financial, investment, or appraisal advice and should not be relied upon as the sole basis for any commercial activity, purchasing, or sales decisions. Sellingantiques.co.uk accepts no liability for any actions taken in reliance on this information. Always consult with a qualified professional or independent appraiser.
