Fabulous Signed Pennino Sterling and Rhinestone Sunburst Brooch
Finding costume jewelry from the 1940s that is still in good condition is always a treat. I was thrilled to find this piece a few months ago. I left it in the box it arrived in until last week when I took the images.
Click on the image for a larger view and description
When I went to do research on it, I
started with my usual books and then decided to look in Carla and Roberto Brunialti's American Costume Jewelry Art & Industry book. Well, there is was with a vermeil wash on page 8 of the N- Z volume!
I think of the Brunialti books as the
bible of costume jewelry, so I love when I find a piece that is included in
them. Sometimes, I purposely seek them out after looking through the book. This time, I picked the piece first and then found it in the above mentioned book.
This gorgeous and weighty brooch can also be worn as a pendant. The metal is rhodium plated and the rhinestones are very high quality as is the case with most of their pieces. Rivet construction is used on the reverse.
According to the Brunialti book I mentioned, this brooch/pendant combo was named "Sunburst" and that the flower section design was used at least twice more. Once
as a pin/watch and the other a brooch without the spiral tendrils at the bottom.
Although the company was named Pennino Brothers, Oreste is said to be the only of the three brothers that designed the pieces. Many jewelers during this time, as they still do today, had their pieces designed and or produced by others. It is believed that the Pennino's did not. I mention this because often when pieces are jobbed out, you can get jewelry of differing quality. Jewelry with the Pennino hallmark, that I have handled, is consistently well- made with above average materials.
Click to Visit the Pennino Gallery
Happy Valentine's Day!
© All Rights Reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment