What is it?

by Kendra
(Tasmania, Australia)

Hi there, I really would appreciate any help you can offer. I bought a brooch at a junk shop a few years ago and all my research to date has not helped.

The brooch is a rough oval shape about 50mm wide and 30mm deep. fairly fine filigree, gold coloured metal (not gold), it looks like it was once plated in silver (silver colour, not sure if it was actually silver, theres really not much left) in the centre is the crowned salamanda emblem of Francois 1, this is sort of stuck on over the filigree base and is about 15mm high & wide. the back of the brooch has a hinged pin that fits into a small cylinder and to secure it in place another cylinder (with a decorative end) slides inside the first.

I think it's probably a souvenir from France, but would love to know for sure, also how old?