Posted 6 years ago
rednoel94
(139 items)
Never seen a brooch like this. Not sure what it’s made from. I like the mosaic type feel. The pin is broke. There isn’t a way to make it in to pendant. No markings that I can see.
UPDATE! The last two photos are what it looks like now that I cleaned it! Thanks nutsabotas6! Warm water, dish soap & the toothbrush worked wonderfully! I did have to ever very, very carefully take a small safety pin the get some of the grime out of the crevices cuz it was so stuck down in there.
These are called 'micro-mosaics'. Yours has really been through the wringer.
CW has an article about these which you should find interesting:
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/fine-jewelry/micro-mosaic
Gillian, right?? It’s dirty mostly. It’s only missing one piece of the mosaic. Really small piece from the white ring in the middle.
Nutsabotas6 that’s an idea! Knowing my luck I’d be afraid I’d break it. Haha. I’m hesitant to clean it because I don’t want any of the stones to fall out. I’ve been told soap & water. There’s so many tiny crevices. Should I use a tooth brush?
nutsabotas6 Dish soap? Warm, cold water? Or does it matter?
nutsabotas6 thank you :)))))
This is nice rednoel, and looks a lot like Ken's(nutsabotas6). :^D
I always use Oxy-clean, you can mix it in warm water, and use the foam if it's delicate, or just dip your piece few times in the warm mix, and rinse. Anything that didn't come off, you can use a small watercolor paintbrush, in the crevices, to work it out. This works for me, for cleaning, but you still may have to polish the metal, but always dry it very good, when finished. Have you ever used Oxy-clean, Ken? Thanks for posting, and good luck! :^)
Here's some thing similar, and looks like it's been turned into a necklace pendent as an idea, for yours! :^D
https://www.etsy.com/listing/573956593/vintage-micro-mosaic-necklace-micro?show_sold_out_detail=1
I think that yours could look this good when cleaned too! :^)
I haven't had a problem with it Ken, the dirt comes off so quickly, dip it a few times in the warm water mix, say a teaspoon Oxy. to 1/2 cup warm water, depending how big the piece is, or use the foam that comes to the surface of the water after mixing(if you need more foam just use a little more Oxy. in the water), and a small paint brush, you can even hold the piece, and pour the mix over it with a spoon, or small turkey baster and back into the mix bowl, so you can reuse it, until the piece is clean, then rinse with clear water, and dry completely. If there's any dirt left, it can be brushed clean with a dry soft toothbrush, or just dip and rinse again, but it normally will come clean quick! :^)
All that said, and apparently it's not a good idea, according to How to clean jewelry, search. So all my clean jewelry, that I did with Oxy-clean, isn't clean and sparkling. I'll keep doing it, no one else should though, or check first! :^)
Good Evening, rednoel94, here is one similar, just in better condition and mark "ITALY" I post it one year ago, i still have this brooch.
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/221759-vintage-broochitalycirca-20-century
Nutsabotas valentino97 Gillian thanks for the cleaning tips! I don’t have any oxy-clean. My father thinks Windex cleans everything. That & Dawn dish soap mixed with white vinegar. ????????
Will the water & soap polish the metal as well?
billretirecoll, The necklace on Etsy is gorgeous! Love those blue beads with it.
Alan2310, so pretty. I hope when I clean mine up the colors come through better. I love how pigmented the colors are.
Gillian nutsabotas6 valentino97 Alan2310 billretirecoll
The last two photos are what it looks like now that I’ve cleaned it all up! I had to take a small safety pin to pick some of the grime out from between the crevices. The gunk was really in there!
Thanks valentino97 for the cleaning tips! :)
Wow isn't that amazing! B^D Great job rednoel, I love it! :^D I always forget to take before photographs, afraid that I might break or mess the thing up trying to fix it, and then I'm sorry I didn't when everything comes out great, and can't show what the thing looked like before, because nobody would believe, I could make it look that good! Well you did, that's for sure! WOW again! :^)