Featured Silver mark on tiny brooch

Tiny little thing only 19mm across. Blue glass and marcasite. I can’t figure out the marks though, could they be French? This is the best pic I can get of them. Any ideas please on marks, where made and when. Thanks.

 

Here’s another, other way up.

 

It is sweet, Houseful. French boar mark for .800 and lozenge shaped maker's mark?

 

And late 19th.

 

Love love love!

 

Thanks to all for your info. It was £8 from a Charity shop, I splashed out a bit (for me) as I’m rebuilding my hoard as quite a bit of it has gone to Auction. Felt a bit better after buying something.

 

You and I are cut from the same cloth! Anything more than £2 and I’m twitching, over a fiver and I need resuscitation
I’m sure you will soon build up the hoard of lovelies again

 

I refer to myself as a bottom feeder.

 

What a lovely little thing. Since kyratango didn't contradict AJ, you know she's spot on. The placement of the marks on the outside of the C clasp is also characteristic of French pieces. Even without the marks I would have guessed it was of French manufacture, just for the quality with which it is made. Looks to be in excellent condition, except maybe missing a single marcasite?

I have found some great things on the bottom.

 

Yes, it is missing a marcasite Bronwen. I buy bits of costume with stones missing to repair better pieces like this one.
I must confess I didn’t even see the silver marks when I bought it. I just thought it was silver and didn’t think to look on the catch.

 

I second that emotion! Even if I know for a fact that it’s a good investment *and* a real bargain I start hyperventilating when things get to two digits… and outraged when anything (aside from jewelry) costs more than my first car.

Also, that’s a gorgeous piece, and while I’m very happy for you, I confess to a teensy bit of disappointment that it didn’t end up being a modern piece common enough that I could afford it

 

So glad you were able to find a little pretty!!

We are all cut from that cloth.

It comes from years of buying at thrifts, boot sales, charity shops & auctions at much less than retail costs.

It pains us terribly to have to pay full price.

However, if an opportunity presents itself I know I will pony up the money for something very special. Case in point. I stumbled across a listing on eBay a couple of days ago for a very unique c.1928 DeVilbiss atomizer. The bottle is tiny & sits inside a little brass stand. I bought a similar one back in 2012 & paid $225. I then found its brass stand back in 2020 & spent another $106. I looked just now & there are other watchers so I know I will have to pay more than the opening bid which is less than $25.

I have never seen either bottle outside of photos in a catalog & judging by the price noted in the catalog there were not likely to have been sold in large quantities. The catalog price for it in 1928 was $30 which would be equal to $489 today.

I am surely hoping I can get it for much less than that though.

 

Good luck with the Auction atomiser Bercrystal.

 

Good luck! I saw a nice cameo today, one of the Floras... as someone else was buying it....(waahhhhh)

 

Yea, buying at thrifts, flea markets and yard sales has forever ruined me for shops

 

I'm a bit of a scrounge, when I'm not being a tightwad. I'll splash out if something's good enough, but....

 

On the rare ocasions I walk into a Real Shop (tm) , I spend most of my time uttering the immortal words " YOU WANT HOW MUCH? ARE YOU MAD? " Often followed by sod that, I can get it for less at a car boot sale.

 

Just yesterday I clicked on an ad for a cute looking black ruffled skirt, only to find that it cost *more than ten times* what my first car cost, was mostly polyester, and - drum roll please - needed to be dry cleaned!

 

I haven't walked into a regular store in a few years. The only things I buy retail are shoes (I wear a USA 10.5/11 medium with a AAAA heel ... just try finding that.) and underwear. Other than that, rummage sales are the way to go.