Featured Old China Stone Brooch

Discussion in 'Jewelry' started by KevinM, Apr 9, 2016.

  1. KevinM

    KevinM Active Member

    This is an old brooch that I purchased a couple of years ago. It's about 2 7/8" in length and about 2" in width and is stamped "China" and has a small design on the stick pin.

    There are a lot of different stones in it, some I think are turquoise, coral, quartz, I think jade and others that I don't know. There is one stone that looks like it has old button holes in it (think pinkish one) so I think that stone may have been re-purposed to use in the brooch.

    Does anyone know what the other stones are, and how old the brooch may be? I was thinking it could be mid-century or earlier.

    Thanks!
    Kevin

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  2. GaleriaGila

    GaleriaGila Hola, y'all!

    Breath-taking! Very memorable. Good luck with it.
     
  3. KevinM

    KevinM Active Member

    Thanks GaleriaGila!
     
  4. evelyb30

    evelyb30 Well-Known Member

    My WAG would be early 80s Chinese export ware. It was probably made new of new parts and made to look older. Stone necklaces made the same way were popular. A lot of those were agate, but other stones found their way in too. What the metal is...no idea.
     
    Aquitaine likes this.
  5. cxgirl

    cxgirl Well-Known Member

    Kevin, I don't know much about jewels so I can't help but wanted to say your photos are great:)
     
  6. KevinM

    KevinM Active Member

    Cxgirl, Wow, thank you for the kind complement! Evelyb30, thanks for the WAG! :)
     
    yourturntoloveit and cxgirl like this.
  7. Hollyblue

    Hollyblue Well-Known Member

    Most of the stones appear to be some type of quartz.White stone with blue specs maybe calcite with lapis, turquoise(mystery dyed something).The pink button may be old San Diego county tourmaline which was favored by the Chinese empress in the late 1800's-early 1900's. http://www.gia.edu/tourmaline-history-lore
     
  8. moreotherstuff

    moreotherstuff Izorizent

    It looks to me like the settings must have been custom made for the stones - all those irregular shapes. What a lot of work! I think the use of a button is really cool.
     
    cxgirl, Aquitaine and Lucille.b like this.
  9. Lucille.b

    Lucille.b Well-Known Member

    Very nice piece, I agree --the use of the button is unusual and would suggest this is not a mass produced item.

    It's unique. Love it!
     
  10. KevinM

    KevinM Active Member

    Hollyblue, thanks for the ID on some of those stones. You may be right, the pink stone does look like it could be tourmaline. The link you provided was interesting. Thanks all for the comments!
     
    cxgirl likes this.
  11. Brenda Anna

    Brenda Anna Well-Known Member

    I think the deep orange-red stone in the top left of the first photo is carnelian. The one on the lower left may also be. The re-purposed purple stone may be amethyst. It's difficult to tell without seeing them up close. You might want to check with a local gem & mineral dealer.
     
  12. KevinM

    KevinM Active Member

    Brenda, thanks! I was thinking those 2 stones might be carnelian.
     
  13. GaleriaGila

    GaleriaGila Hola, y'all!

    Maybe that dark blue stone is lapis lazuli.
     
    Brenda Anna likes this.
  14. KevinM

    KevinM Active Member

    GaleriaGila, I think you may be right, sure seems like a nice variation of stones accumulating here, thanks!
     
  15. Woodrow

    Woodrow New Member

    Is there something written on the pin stem or is that just scratches?
     
  16. KevinM

    KevinM Active Member

    There is a design on the stick pin.
     
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