Circa 1960s Powder Blue Enamel Chrysanthemum Flower and Bud Brooch with Green Enamel Leaves, Gold-Tone, Unsigned

DESCRIPTION

An unsigned mid-century enamel flower brooch: a full-blown chrysanthemum of layered pointed petals in powder blue enamel with a pale blue bead centre, a closed bud in the same blue, and two sprays of green enamel leaves on a long gold-tone stem. The petals are stamped metal, cold-enamelled and layered in tiers; the back is plain gold-tone with a rollover safety clasp.

WORTH NOTING

• Powder blue cold-painted enamel over gold-tone metal, with a pale blue bead at the flower's centre and matching enamel on the bud.
• Green enamel leaves in two sprays on the stem; the enamel is graduated from dark to light green.
• Era: circa 1960s — the layered enamel flower-and-bud form, the long stem and the rollover clasp are characteristic of American costume brooches of the 1960s to early 1970s; unsigned, so attributed by construction and style.
• Unsigned; no maker's mark. Non-precious metal per the seller.
• Size 3" × 1.5" (seller measurement); weight 18.7 g.
• The petal tips show enamel wear to the metal — see condition.

MEASUREMENTS

Approx. 3" long × 1.5" wide (seller measurement); the flower head about 1.5" across, the bud about 0.6" across. Weight 18.7 g.

CONDITION

Pre-owned, fair to good for age. Enamel is largely intact but the petal tips show darkening and small losses to the metal beneath, and the green leaves have light edge wear. The blue bead centre is present, the bud is complete and the pin and rollover clasp appear to function. Please review the close-up photographs.

FROM THE HOUSE

There is a whole family of these mid-century enamel flowers — pinks, oranges, whites — and the powder blue ones are the hardest to find because blue chrysanthemums do not exist, which is exactly why someone made one in metal. The bud beside the bloom is a nice touch; it makes the pin read as a cut stem rather than a badge.

Wear it on a lapel or high on a cardigan where the stem can angle across. The petal-tip wear is honest and visible in the photographs. Our storefront has more mid-century flower brooches; ask if you would like a look at the back. ~ Genevieve