Leaf Rhinestone pin..

That seems most likely. But if so, it's amazing that none of them have fallen off. Or at least I see no obvious blank spaces for missing ones.

 

Maybe the set the stones in when the plastic was still soft? yes those little bumps are just on the top, they look like little silver dots? im baffled with this.. the box it came in says ROMA on the top white bottom clear top.. I doubt its the original box.. I'll take pics of box when I get home tomorrow.

 

I did wonder whether the smallest dots, like those on the stem, might be molded into the piece & then coated.

 

I would like to see pictures taken in sunlight.

 

I will take more photos this week..
I appreciate everyone's help..

 

That was one reason I was wondering about them... because that would leave out certain materials like mother of pearl for sure, right? (Although from the discussion I think that MOP has already been left out of consideration.)

 

Pretty much, I'd say.

 

not sunlight, I'll do that tomorrow but here's a few more pics..

 

Very bling-y, isn't it? Does it look to you as if the metal "blobs" are glued onto the surface? Or are they embedded around the edges? Or both? I think I'm seeing embedding. (Embedment? )

 

Maybe celluloid? Here are two vintage buttons that have a pearlized look and I've always called them celluloid, but I'm not an expert. Celluloid does tend to deteriorate if stored where air can't circulate, and maybe that's what is happening to the back of your brooch. If your brooch is celluloid, it shouldn't be stored in a plastic bag or tightly sealed container, or near other celluloid items that are starting to deteriorate because they emit gases that can cause the other items to deteriorate.

 

Could this be a Leah Stein, or similar? She worked in lucite like this and those stones wouldn't surprise me. We don't see much of her work in the USA though, so I've never had any in hand to know for sure. The leaf looks like was sawn out of one sheet of plastic; I don't think they'd do that with celluloid on second glance. Lucite is a distinct possibility.

 

Leigh Leshner wrote in her book, Collecting Art Plastic Jewelry (2005), that Lea Stein made her jewelry with multiple layers of celluloid or cellulose acetate. The book shows other jewelry pieces identified as celluloid that were cut/sawn out of sheets of celluloid, and says celluloid comes in over 200 colors and can be buffed, polished, carved, and molded.

 

IOW, celluloid is back in again as a possible.

 

i no longer think this to be a natural material...

 

I wish it were.. But all of steins brooches have smooth edges...