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Mosaic marked Italy?

Discussion in 'Jewelry' started by Tricia Harr, May 21, 2019.

  1. Tricia Harr

    Tricia Harr Well-Known Member

    hi, is this mosaic? stamped italy.. is this a banjo?
    tia 2019-05-21-17-37-53.jpg 2019-05-21-17-38-11.jpg
     
    scoutshouse likes this.
  2. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

    Tricia, it's what's referred to as a mirco mosaic, a traditional jewelry medium in Italy. More likely a mandolin which is an Italian instrument. (The banjo is not.)

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micromosaic

    Debora
     
  3. Ownedbybear

    Ownedbybear Well-Known Member

    I agree, a mandolin. It isn't strictly micro mosaic, that uses minute tesserae, making pictures that you can hardly tell aren't painted. Mosaic: 1970s ish from the back. These were first made as Grand Tour souvenirs by nuns in Florence supposedly.
     
  4. Jivvy

    Jivvy the research is my favorite

    So few people make that distinction these days! I'm so glad you did. :)
     
    kyratango, Sandra and scoutshouse like this.
  5. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

    Innocent questions... If it's not micro-mosaic, how would you describe it then? And wouldn't you consider those elements tesserae?

    Debora
     
    scoutshouse likes this.
  6. Jivvy

    Jivvy the research is my favorite

    If I was selling it on eBay, I'd absolutely call it micro mosaic -- because everyone does. And yes, the pieces are tessarae, but they're quite large compared to a true micro mosaic.

    Big_100_2821.jpeg

    Vatican_Micro_Mosaic_Large_Pin_l.jpg

    2382443_l.jpg
     
    BMRT, Any Jewelry, KSW and 3 others like this.
  7. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

    That's what I thought... Even though much less finely made than antique ones, modern micro-mosaics would still be described as such. There's no other term to describe them.

    Debora
     
    kyratango and scoutshouse like this.
  8. Jivvy

    Jivvy the research is my favorite

    They used to be called just plain old mosaics. Which is what I still call them.

    But I don't have to sell anything. ;)
     
  9. KSW

    KSW Well-Known Member

    Jivvy likes this.
  10. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Jivvy likes this.
  11. Ownedbybear

    Ownedbybear Well-Known Member

    Good point on the body shape: mind you, jewellers are as bad at music as they are botany!

    Just for clarity. Not saying they aren't tesserae, they are, whether it's a pavement or an earring.It's the size I mean - the micro mosaic ones are literally that. Jivvy is spot on with some lovely examples. Selling, they get called micro mosaic, which is as badly used a term as Mary Gregory. Or Murano. Or Bristol.
     
    Jivvy, Any Jewelry and gregsglass like this.
  12. Kathy Anderson

    Kathy Anderson Well-Known Member

    Italian mosaic pin, brooch.
     
    Jivvy likes this.
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