Posted 9 years ago
Elisabethan
(284 items)
Hand brooches deliver a message. In victorian times a hand holding a fan stood for flirtation. This brooch is made of some sort of early plastic. The brooch is very light weight, almost feels a bit like holding a larger macaroni :). The brooch is much more yellow in color than it shows in the photo.
This brooch was probably made at the end of the victorian era (1900-1901) based on the fast that it's probably casein.
Found this similarone online:
http://www.morninggloryantiques.com/imagesLZ/Victorian/vict27251.jpg
Bakelite precursor to plastic possible.
celuloid?
Thankyou for loving and liking this cecis, efesgirl, Nicefice, mikelv, Manikin, Geodejem, Ho2cultcha, vetraio and bladerunner.
Thanks for coments and ideas Nicefice, Geodejem and Ho2cultcha. I'm not sure what kind of plastic it is. I doubt it's bakelite. Might be celluloid or casein?
Thankyou martika, racer4four and Aura!
Thankyou kyratango and Sean!
Thankyou jscott and caperkid!
Interesting, has a C clasp, which typically makes it an older piece, and the style as you say is Victorian. A molded plastic that looks fairly "soft" has to be kind of rare, no? I would not have said Bakelite as it would have yellowed. Maybe some sort of milk protein, casein, or Galalith, if you are in Europe. Beautiful brooch! :)
Katherinescollection, thanks for taking the time to write and love this post. I agree it's not bakelite. Although the piece is yellow but it doesn't show in the photos. The plastic is thin and I think it's more brittle than soft. Feels like "food", like dryed pasta. I also think it's some kind of protein. They show a very similar one att morninggloryantiques.com.
Thankyou also kyratango and Trey!
Well it is a beautiful brooch, just my sort of style! :)
Thankyou Katherine :)!!
Also thanks Sean!
I love this!
Thankyou bettyb00!
Thankyou newtimes, agram, manikin, freyheit, and ho2cultcha!
Vegetable "Ivory"
I used to collect buttons (antique) and this is what we called it. I am NOT saying that your pin is made of it, because VI is a bit yellower. Many small things were made from it--but buttons looked less smoothly formed than your pretty item. You can look up "vegetable ivory" at Google and maybe they show vintage buttons, etc. made with it.
Looking at it again--I see that the back looks machine formed--so scratch Vegetable Ivory ( made from some kind of nut) as a suggestion! Not!
An early use of vegetable ivory, attested from the 1880s, was the manufacture of buttons. Rochester, NY was a center of manufacturing where the buttons were "subjected to a treatment which is secret among the Rochester manufacturers", presumably improving their "beauty and wearing qualities."[2]
Vegetable ivory is naturally white with a fine marbled grain structure. It can be dyed; dying often brings out the grain. It is still commonly used in buttons, jewelry, and artistic carving.
Thankyou for ideas postcardcollector. I know about vegetable ivory. By now I'm pritty sure this brooch is made of casein, a milkprotein based early plastic.
Thankyou everyone!!