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1230
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Vintage Unsigned Jewelry Pin Pink Flamingo Bird Rhinestones
A nifty vintage pin that should appeal to lovers of the elgant pink flamingo bird. This is a pink flamingo pin made of metal with hand painted details and rhinestones set/glued onto/into the body of the bird. It is definitely an old or vintage item as the clasp is the open "C" type rather than the more modern security closure (this "C" clasp has a more angular, box type approach). Likely glue set into the body of the bird are 8 small round what we would call rhinestones, although some might call these glass pieces (we are not jewelry experts and don't know the difference). Near these are raised round bumps in the metal design, giving the body an overall "bumpy" look. There is two-toned hand-painted pink and deeper rose colored paint on the metal feathers (with some of this paint also mistakenly placed onto the side of one leg and the back of the piece in two spots) and white and black paint for the beak and a red dot of paint for the eye. We're not sure of the age of the piece, but might guess it to date from the 1930s or 1940s, but we don't know for certain.
The pin measures almost two inches from the top of the bird's head to the bottom of the foot, and about 1 1/8 inches in width. We've provided seven images including one with a quarter for size comparison. This is an unsigned piece, with no evidence of the artist who painted it or the manufacturer. The metal used for the brooch is gold-toned but not gold or a precious metal...this is truly costume jewelry. Although a magnet does not stick to the metal, it does not look like brass to us but we don't know what the metal is. The metal color is not a light bright gold, but a deeper gold tone, maybe a kind of deeper brass burnished color that is still shiny, more of a medium color type (not real light but not real dark either). With the 8 rhinestones or glass pieces, 7 seem to have a pink color similar to the lighter painted pink color, with one more silvery in color, the one stone near the feathers at what one would call "10" on a watch face. We don't know why this stone is slightly different in look, perhaps it was replaced at some point but we did not replace it. It seems to us as if the stone was glued in backwards and you're looking at the silver backside of a rhinestone, as the topside surface of this one is pointed like the bottom of a rhinestone rather than having the flat facets that the other 7 stones have. The difference to this stone versus the others doesn't jump out at you at first look, but you will notice it if you look closely. Please note that the white "hot spots" in the images are lighting reflections from the camera on the glossy pin surfaces. The images include closeups of the body/rhinestones, head, feet and closure as well as the back side of the pin.
An eye-catching old piece, but it is not mint. Beyond the rhinestone difference and excess paint already pointed out, there is some slight evidence of age/wear/tiny rubbed spots on the topside metal...nothing bad at all. The painting is not perfect on the beak (you can see some metal coming through in spots) and same on some edges of the painted feathers, and there may be some tiny indents in the metal on the legs (we're not sure if this is as meant or flaws from age/etc.). The backside looks very good, with a bit of wear on the back of the head portion. Overall, nothing bad here, nor anything that we think someone would notice when it is worn.
A wonderful piece of antique jewelry which would look great worn. This would also make a neat gift for someone who collects things relative to pink flamingos or as part of a pink flamingo collection.
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