help with a suffragette brooch please...

Alison_86

Alison_86

Registered Guest
i was told when i bought this that it was a suffragette brooch due to the colours, so i'm guessing it's from around the 1910s but i'd like to know for certain. I'm no expert on that era or antique/vintage jewellery in general, so any help would be very much appreciated.

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Allison -

I have read that the green, purple, white "Suffragette" colors is a myth. My first impression of your brooch is later - C.'30's. It appears to have a modern safety catch which date to the 1920's and the one piece closure and the design look '30's to me. I think the violet is celluloid - but the fired enamel - the green leaf is throwing me because that looks newer.

Sometimes it's really hard to tell from a photo but I think it's C. 1930's.

Linn
 
Sigh. I'm going to be the naysayer in this (blah), but your lovely brooch is contemporary -- perhaps 10 to 15 years on it.

A pretty violet posie. :)

Just so that you know -- the suffragette colors are purple, white, and green (representing loyalty or dignity, purity, and hope). The common myth is green, white, and violet (for "G"ive "W"omen the "V"ote), but this was just a piece of latter day propaganda. :)
 
Is the finish of the gold-tone plating on the back smooth or textured? The pin stem looks too thick and a darker color metal than I would expect to see on a contemporary piece. The hinge looks older, too - and there is quite a bit of wear if it's only 10-15 years old.

I'm still thinking older but maybe as new as '50's. The violet and the plastic leaves look so much like those on older pieces. As I mentioned before, the fired green enamel looks newer - so.....

Linn
 
the gold tone plating on the back is smooth, does that mean it's more modern? thanks for everyone's answers so far. if any one else can help, then great!
 
Smooth plating means it's older. In the late '50's the process of making costume jewelry changed and most of the finishes you find from then on are textured. This is not a 100% rule because D&E aka Juliana and many other high end CJ manufacturers like Trfari have smooth plating through most of the '60's.

I will try and post a good example a bit later.

Linn
 
This is a 1930's Bakelite (acorn) and Celluloid (leaves) pin. The leaves on your piece remiind me of these. There is a lot of wear on my piece:
Celluloid%20and%20Bakelite%20Acorn%20and%20Leaves%20Pin.jpg

Here's a late '50's- early '60's piece with fired enamel and the textured back that you find in newer pieces.
Jomaz%20Lapis%20and%20Jade%20Brooch%20Finished.jpg


Jomaz%20Lapis%20and%20Jade%20Brooch%20Back.jpg


The flowers in these '50's earrings remind me of your violet:

Dark%20Red%20Plastic%20Earrings.jpg



Still not sure exactly how old your brooch is , but I don't think it's "new." Could you show a close-up of the hinge?

Linn
 
I thought the clasps that "rolled" - if that makes any sense- are 50s and newer and anything without that moveable part is typically older. I don't know the name of the other type of clasp I am talking about, but it doesn't have that little piece that slides that is shown that prevents the pin from opening.
 
This is an interesting thread. I was given this exact style brooch with earrings as a gift in the 1970s. They had earrings, bracelets, necklaces and pins. Mine were purchased new in a gift shop on Cape Cod. I see them now and again around here (Massachusetts) in vintage group shops. If this brooch is older, then the set I had must have been a vintage inspired reproduction. Mine is long gone so I can't show you a photo.
Is the enamel on the leaves acrylic or fired glass? You can tell by tapping it on your tooth. Acrylic has a dull tap ....fired enamel more sharp it will also be cold to the touch if it is glass enamel.

If the glaze is acrylic I doubt yours is very old.

Melody
 
i can see 70s on this... but not 1910-ish. (that's a 60 year difference, right there)

when i said contemporary, that was more my thought, that it is younger than 1910s era, but not that it was from last year, for example. sorry for any confusion i may have added.
 
Melody -

Good idea about checking if the enamel is acrylic or glass. I "assumed" it was glass. The "modern" safety catch with the moveable "thingy" has been in use since the 1920's - it's not a modern finding.

I think it's safe to say that it is not Edwardian - and that it may be from the '50's - '70's. I'm not seeing a really smooth finish on the back of the piece in your photos and the hinge and safety catch are modern. It does have a bit of wear but maybe it was well loved and worn quite a bit.

Sometimes it's really hard to tell from a picture!

Linn
 
i think it is glass enamel as it is cold to the touch and quite 'sharp' as you say. hmm, it's a tough one but i appreciate everyone's help, i've learnt a lot! thank you!
 
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