Featured Interesting Face Brooch, Modernist Style

This is such a cool brooch but I've had no luck trying to sell it on ebay. I am unsure how to describe it. It is stamped 925 and some other set of numbers/letters on the back, so it's sterling with a brass border. It could be religious (Virgin Mary?), or just a modernist face of a woman similar to Modigliani. Do you have any ideas that could help sell it? Thanks.

 

Modigliani was my first thought, could be taken from an actual Modigliani sketch or painting. Or as you say, possibly a Virgin Mary in Modigliani style.

 

Thanks - it's good to know you agree. I'm still wondering about the age and possibly origin. Is it 1960s era?

 

What are the letters and numbers, other than the 925?

 

I can't tell. They are blurred.

 

Id guess 1960s. My very first thought was the Madonna as well.

 

Woman looks African to me and I would label it "African Woman". Much more niche for eBay.

 

Yes, she could be a stylized African woman. Kind of like the Hagenauer mid century sculptures. I found an image of a Carl
Hagenauer wood/bronze sculpture that has a similar face.

 

Ooooo I LIKE that !

 

My first reaction was "Madonna"; the modernist ones were popular for a while.

 

New England, a cropped close up of those numbers or letters-- even if blurry, would be a good thing to post here. Sometimes a boardie will recognize that kind of thing.

 

It does look like an alien from a 1950s sci fi film! I had it listed for $80.

 

Here's a closeup. It looks like numbers..... could it be that the original 925 stamp was messy so they stamped it again?

 

Looks like B (flower?) S. Maybe someone knows it.

 

It either ends in a 9 or starts with a 6. There was an off chance it was a gold mark, but I'm not familiar with a caratage that would start with a 6 or an 8, and it looks like brass. It may be a design number.

 

People like quirky and unusual.

 

Well, I know I like quirky and unusual. It's always exciting to find something unique at a consignment shop or church sale. These days, it takes a bit of work to sort thru all the xmas tree shop/chinese junk items to find the good stuff,but it's there!

 

• Because of the elongated face, Modigliani immediately popped into my head too.
• I do not see the Madonna here but definitely see how you could.
• While I can make my eyes see something like B&S for the other mark, my gut says it is manufacturer's model number.
• You could probably describe it as resembling an African mask & stay within the bounds of accuracy.
• My observation for quite some time now is that you can barely give away silver, sterling or not. I know someone who got what must be the all-time killer steal on an eBay cameo, in part because it is set in silver.
• I'd go with 70s for time period, but...?

 

Thanks for taking the time - I think you are correct about silver. Unless it's a signed designer piece, it's tough to sell.

 

Or ethnic silver, we're still doing fine. And they call it a niche market.....