Posted 9 years ago
AnnaB
(85 items)
This is another freebie i got from my garage-sale-loving relative. I've wanted to know more about this brooch for years, but only now got a chance to go through my jewelry stash and do some research. The center "stone" of the brooch is also puzzling. It's meant to look like opal, but i think it's glass set and glued to what looks like a piece of foil...
I'll appreciate it if someone can shed some light on it =)
*Title Updated
I wonder if its coro craft, I have an advertisement from 1947, which this reminds me of. Also thought of Juliana ? Will post the ad.
coro usually imprinted their name and it doest seem to be there. Also the metal appears to be quite thin, almost tin like. Its mid to late century as you can tell by the clasp and the opal whilst a stunning example is not opal. They would never have put an opal in this metal...I dont even think it is a triplet or doublet as they just woulnt have done it...
Very pretty, enjoy it as a lovely piece of costume jewellery. I don't believe to belong to the big makers as the claws around the stones don't look like anyones work I've seen...it's just so pretty, almost on fire ...
It is very pretty, but not possible to ID it. It doesn't have the quality of big name costume jewelry makers. I don't imagine they would have used a saw tooth setting for a center stone.
isnt that what I just said??
Bladerunner, thank you for your response, i'll look up coro craft and will appreciate if you can post the ad =)
Anne and Efesgirl, thank you for your comments. I agree that most likely it's not a big name maker because the way the center piece was set is sloppy, with hard amber-colored glue visible around the edges, although the overall effect does look pretty. The metal is indeed light tin-like but not bendable. I still wonder how they achieved this opal look...Maybe it's opalite put on wrinkled foil?
Anne, i think mid-20 century sounds closer than late-century. I believe in late-20 century they already had ways/technology to produce cheap jewelry looking more professional than this...?
Thank you to all for stopping by and the loves, i very much appreciate it!
Those opal like glass pieces are very pretty, still made today, they are called faux fire opal foiled glass :-)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0053D6X82/ref=pd_aw_sim_sbs_201_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=31uGFz5XCtL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL100_SR100%2C100_&refRID=1ZSTTMY23F1Y1554QJMY
AnneLanders - am I not supposed to voice an opinion which is the same as yours?
Kyra, thank you for this info! I've never heard of this kind before. I'm curious to research now how they make them look like this.
no one would put an opal in this metal......period....and yes I do like to be acknowledged if I called something and the next person wrote exactly the same...but none of this is helping AnnAb. I'm talking late as in 60's 70's....
They use black foil yo create the midnight opals. We sell loads of real ones here in Australia as our mines were pretty much the only ones who had them. And black and green were popular...they use the same principal on making triplets and duos, real opals but just bits rather than a solid opal and placed on the foil. A very common method...
Thank you Anne, Efesgirl, rucklczglass so very much for contributing your time and knowledge to this post, it was very educational for me, and hopefully useful to someone else too, and your knowledge of jewelry is pretty impressive.
I did look up faux opal foil glass and am sure now that that's what it is. I never really thought it was real opal (as much as i would love it to be =) but just didn't know what exactly it was. Now i have to educate myself on duos and triplets... =)
Based on the info received here, i' going to update the title to reflect more accurately the posted item.
Thank you all again for contributions, stopping by and the loves!
You're welcome! I hope to see more jewelry postings from you.
Kyratango, i forgot to include you in my thanks to the contributors, so very sorry about this! I always appreciate you sharing your knowledge, time and expertise, and learn so much from you! Thank you =)
well done AnnaB.
Research is the only way we learn. It stays in the brain longer rather than someone telling you. And it's so rewarding.....
Hope to see more of your items.
I used to get a bit sniffy about costume jewellery but its beautiful and so much can be done with it. Your brooch is divine and you are very lucky to have it...