Featured Mosiac Brooch - Age Please?

Hello - HNY
I bid on this brooch recently and won. I am trying to pick up jewellery pieces reasonably cheaply so I can continue my education in the history of jewellery. This piece appealed because of the vibrant colours, the mosiac design and it looks quite old. Italy is stamped into the metal and also another mark I can't quite make out. It looks like there has been some repair work around the clasp area. Any help with history, age etc would be very welcome. The pictures I have used are from the ebay listing. I haven't received the piece yet.
Thanks so much.
Tracey x

 

I'm probably guessing and wrong about this but I always thought the ALP mark was for the metal "Alpaca"?

 

What is Alpaca metal @blooey? ​

 

Just googled it. Thanks.!

Alpaca Silver is an alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc. Sometimes called Nickel Silver or German Silver, the usual formulation is 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc. ... Due to the copper content, the metal can darken over time.Apr 8, 2020

 

Here you go-

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/nickel-german-silver-alpaca-149118

 

just got back - you found it already - good!

 

Very interesting thanks. Is it a bit unusual the piece is marked 'Italy?'

 

Not at all. They are popular tourist souvenirs.

 

Are the stones generally glass,?

 

It's definitely nicer than the ones I bought as gifts for friends in 1968. I want to say 1930s for this one, based on no very concrete reasoning other than quality & type of hinge.

The tesserae of one like this would be glass.

 

It's pretty. It makes me happy when I look at it. When I receive it I will clean up the back and metal and see what it looks like.
Thank you all for your input.

 

These pictures, made from tiny canes of glass, are called micro-mosaics. There’s a short Wikipedia article on the subject.

 

Very pretty

 

Thank you @MT Vessel. Really quite interesting. I also watched a couple of Utube videos so I now know how they are made. Lots of patience I suspect

 

Mosaic, rather than micro mosaic, although they do get sold as such.

I'm inclined to just before or just after WW2. My later ones are usually very bright brass frames. ALP is the maker, whoever it is.

 

Thanks @Ownedbybear. Could ALP possibly indicate Alpaca silver?
Thanks.

 

I doubt it. I've never seen Italian stuff use alpaca.

 

Thanks. I will be really interested to check it out when it arrives.

 

You are right. True micro-mosaics use extremely fine tesserae and achieve amazing detail and gradation of tone.