Featured Help to date and describe vintage (costume) brooch

Trip has some good key words.
And as said, not reticulated

You might find this helpful
http://www.langantiques.com/university/index.php/Taille_d'Epargné

 

If it helps, a piece can be all three: Chased, Reticulated/Pierced, and Repoussed.
As trip98 pointed out, Reticulated or pierced mean those open/cut out areas.
Chased work is when the decoration has been created from the front of the metal
Example of both chased and reticulated:


Repousee is when the the metal has been pushed up into forms/shapes from the back. For example:


And both chased and repousse work. the puffed shapes are the repousse work. The chasing is what is happening in the picture on the front of the work.:

 

Dlk, thanks for sharing that. I didn't know what repousse is, and now I do!

 

Hi Pat,
Remember the Statue of Liberty is repousse also.
greg

 

Greg, um, I think the process to create her had to be a bit different than what was shown here! Or else she was created by giants...

 

Hi Pat,
No, she was done by hand by guys with hammers. I have been up in her many times. There was a wonderful program on Channel 13 were it showed the old guys making her and the new guys restoring her. Repousse just means pushed out from the inside.
greg

 

Repousse babies, the latest thing!

 

I was kidding, Greg.

 

Hi Pat,
It was early, I was squinting without my glasses and just woke up. I thought you were chiding me.
greg

 

Oh, so sorry, Greg. I wasn't chiding you at all. I tend to have a dry sense of humor, so it doesn't always come through online, where you can't see the grin on my face!

 

Hi Pat,
I have the same dry sense of humor. My excuse is no glasses, no coffee and too early.
greg

 

And I always enjoy your dry sense of humor!

 

And I thank you wholeheartedly for all that good, illustrated information!

 

Okay. I have an update. My jeweler took the piece to West Reading Precious Metals. They tested it with a non-invasive, non-acid gold testing system. They said it was "all over the place," and "inconclusive." But they believe it to be 14K gold. I can't reach them at the moment to get more clarification. But fear I cannot put "14K" in the title line, even though I'm told they are conservative.

Any thoughts on this? And thank you, everyone.

 

I could understand an XRF reading from the front being confused due to the surface, but the back should give a clear analysis.

Just describe it as 'precious yellow metal'.

 

Thank you, af.

What does XRF stand for?

 

X-Ray flourescence.

THe gadget fires a burst of X-Rays into the metal and measures the frequency of the reflected flourescence to determine very accurately the metals present.

 

I just spoke with the fellow at West Reading Precious Metals. Turns out he doesn't have an XRF, and doesn't know anyone who does. He tested it "inconclusively" with what he called an auracle. He said the outside tests for gold, and that his best guess—guesstimate, he said—was that it is 14K. Sigh.

 

I'm re-reading this thread as I prepare to do the listing, and realize I never thanked you for this helpful link. TY!

 

northernridge - is this West Reading ... as in Reading, PA? Just asking, because there is a place called Crown Precious Metals with an XRF north of Pottstown.