1890s krementz pearl/diamond/ruby pin.

[Catmom]

Oh I’m not it’s bad or actually indicative of old age. In fact it’s fabulous and I’m loving it. Just musing about the “stereotype” I seem to have landed in.

LOL, I was just kidding with you. I am old and I definitely fall into those stereotypes!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

LOL, I was just kidding with you. I am old and I definitely fall into those stereotypes!

I think it's funny, this brooch is really one of my least expensive bling purchases, and yet I feel the most protective of it and like I shouldn't wear it since it's so old and I really want to keep the enamel intact. I just want it to be in a tiny museum glass box to admire! Meanwhile, my expensive colored gems and diamonds are out in the world getting banged up and I don't feel that bad about it.

 

[LightBright]

Oh My goodness, this is so special. I love the various ways you can style it too. Thanks for sharing.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Oh My goodness, this is so special. I love the various ways you can style it too. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks, I continue to be so charmed by the freakin leaves! As I've looked up other Krementz pieces for sale (because of course I'm no obsessed), I've realized how special it is to have found one with such minimal enamel loss.

 

[LilAlex]

I think it's funny, this brooch is really one of my least expensive bling purchases, and yet I feel the most protective of it and like I shouldn't wear it since it's so old and I really want to keep the enamel intact. I just want it to be in a tiny museum glass box to admire! Meanwhile, my expensive colored gems and diamonds are out in the world getting banged up and I don't feel that bad about it.

This all the time! You feel the need to be a good steward of it. It is all about how replaceable/commoditized something is -- or isn't. It's a lovely brooch!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

This all the time! You feel the need to be a good steward of it. It is all about how replaceable/commoditized something is -- or isn't. It's a lovely brooch!

I know. I’m wearing it “short” as a pendant cause I’m so afraid I’d knock it on something if it was on a long chain.

Layering it today with a 1920s Simmons watch chain. I figured out awhile ago the vintage watch chains tend to be 14” ish and choker length on me. Guy at the flea market was amused when I was rifling through pocket watches and chains and started trying to fit them around my neck…

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Fantastic pin! I love how you style it. That star sapphire is AMAZING!!

I was there too, with another PS friend. I knew a lot of PSers must be there, but I didn't know which they were. I did overhear someone introduce David Atlas to someone, but I didn't want to intrude. I didn't buy anything.

However, a few weeks ago I did buy a similar enameled pin from that period by one of the Newark manufacturers on ebay. Mine is not as nice as yours, I'm not 100% sure the pearls on it are original, and it isn't a watch pin (= doesn't have a hook for a pendant) or a loop to make it convertible into a pendant.

Lots of Newark manufacturers made these lovely enameled pins, and they often didn't mark them. I can't find a mark on mine. Is yours marked?

@Dreamer_D and @glitterata
What do you think of this pin? It looks like a krementz that had its pin replaced so no makers mark like you described about yours. I made an offer of $150 so we’ll see, I feel like it’s reasonable based on their listing price.

It looks very similar to other krementz I’ve seen.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I am most definitely NOT an expert but the quality looks very high! Have you tried a google image search? Might turn up others like it that will narrow the field?

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I am most definitely NOT an expert but the quality looks very high! Have you tried a google image search? Might turn up others like it that will narrow the field?

For the price I don’t mind too much about proof of provenance. Once again I just am in love with the leaves!!
Mostly just my own curiosity. The seller accepted my bid, having it shipped to a friend since I’m going to be out of town for 3 weeks

I did find this one on Etsy that’s very similar but not exactly the same.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1673423656/antique-edwardian-art-nouveau-14k-gold?click_key=3be2064170a1668f59db823f1f3077de4266ef50%3A1673423656&click_sum=7efb2563&ref=user_profile&frs=1

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I know. I’m wearing it “short” as a pendant cause I’m so afraid I’d knock it on something if it was on a long chain.

Layering it today with a 1920s Simmons watch chain. I figured out awhile ago the vintage watch chains tend to be 14” ish and choker length on me. Guy at the flea market was amused when I was rifling through pocket watches and chains and started trying to fit them around my neck…

oh to have a young and slender neck again
i rocked chokers back in the day !
nowdays im having everything extended

that is a rather divine look @MakingTheGrade

 

[glitterata]

@Dreamer_D and @glitterata
What do you think of this pin? It looks like a krementz that had its pin replaced so no makers mark like you described about yours. I made an offer of $150 so we’ll see, I feel like it’s reasonable based on their listing price.

It looks very similar to other krementz I’ve seen.

Beautiful! Yes, it could be Krementz. But there were hundreds of Newark jewelry manufacturers at that time--that was where most American jewelry was manufactured then--and many of them made enameled pins like this, many of just as high quality as Krementz. It's clearly one of them. Which one? Who can say.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Thanks for the insights! yeah at the end of the day the brand/mark doesn't matter that much to me as I'm not a collector in that sense. I'm definitely getting a little obsessed with these pins though!

 

[glitterata]

Thanks for the insights! yeah at the end of the day the brand/mark doesn't matter that much to me as I'm not a collector in that sense. I'm definitely getting a little obsessed with these pins though!

They are lovely, aren't they? I have one that my grandmother gave me when I was a little girl--someone in the family gave it to her when it was new, when she was a little girl herself. Since then I've bought myself two or three more. They're fragile; be gentle with yours.

Interestingly (well, maybe not THAT interestingly), the one you just bought was on the "you may also like" display in an email I got from ebay a few weeks ago when a seller sent me an offer on yet another of those pins, which I'd put on my watchlist, as I often do. (Whew! Loong sentence. Did you follow all that?)

All this talk about Newark pins inspired me just now to buy a (nonenameled) Newark art nouveau stickpin with a pearl in it, which I've been watching for a while. So thank you, I guess!

 

[Dreamer_D]

It’s obviously high quality. Look at the texture and ombré on those leaves!

 

[glitterata]

Here's the one I had on my watchlist that's similar to yours. I was drawn to the green enamel leaves and the peridot, but I didn't like that it's missing a pearl.

14K Art Nouveau Peridot Pearl Green Enamel Leaf Pin/Brooch Yellow Gold *81 | eBay

Center Gem Stone: 1x=Peridot. Composition: 14k Gold Marked. Gem Stone: 1x=Seed Pearl. If you ever have an issue, we want to take care of it! Our Policies.

www.ebay.com

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Haha I have that on my list too! I'm considering it, or rather considering what offer I'd make. I was thinking maybe I'd just switch out both pearls myself if I could manage it. Though would be thrilled if you got it and saved me from temptation

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

at about 100mm that is a nice size
i was thinking of i had brought it it would turn out to be tiny ! but a 4 inch nail is 100 mm so i would have been ok to get this one

 

[glitterata]

Haha I have that on my list too! I'm considering it, or rather considering what offer I'd make. I was thinking maybe I'd just switch out both pearls myself if I could manage it. Though would be thrilled if you got it and saved me from temptation

The thing is, the pearls would probably have been river pearls from species that are now extinct. New pearls wouldn't be completely mind clean for me, somehow. And you'd need a very good jeweler (if you're not one yourself) to safely work on this delicate enamelwork, which would add to the expense. Anyway, that was my calculation; yours might be quite different!