Friday 28 April 2017

LEA STEIN BROOCH - THE TREE - GOLDEN BROWNS & EMERALD GREEN

Lea Stein fakes/copies are everywhere - and have recently been on Amazon - please do not buy them.  Lea Stein has spend her life building her company and designing her jewellery - and it is copyrighted.  This wonderful tree brooch is one of the more difficult ones to get and I love it!  It does, of course, have the right markings on the back of the pin - Lea Stein Paris.  This helps to identify a genuine Lea Stein - although I understand some fakes are appearing with this marking.  If you take a good look at the copies, though, you will be able to tell the genuine from the fake.  The amount of work in a Lea Stein brooch - which is often made of lots of layers/parts/patterns/inserts - is very different from the one layered plastic fakes. This tree has so many different textures.  It is made up of 8 different pieces of cellulose acetate.  4 different colours on the front and 3 on the back.  Each different colour has to be joined/attached to the others.    Such a lot of work!  This one is £65 reference 3053 C65/12
Lea Stein Brooch - The Tree - Browns & Green

Tuesday 25 April 2017

LEA STEIN BROOCH - THE PENGUIN - BLACK, MOP & GREEN

This is the Lea Stein penguin brooch.  It is a genuine Lea Stein - not a cheap Chinese import copy.  Lea Stein has been designing since the late 1960s and built up a business that has followers world wide.  Her designs are brilliant. Unfortunately there are companies who cannot be bothered to design pieces themselves and copy other people's work in cheap plastics.  As these are very cheap people buy them without a thought for the effect this has on the people whose designs are copied.  So many companies have gone out of business because of cheap import copies of their work.  I do not want this to happen to Lea Stein - so I urge people not to buy the copies!  Usually you can tell it is a copy because it does not have the Lea Stein Paris logo on the back of the pin.  However I understand some have been seen with this on them.  If you put a genuine Lea Stein next to a copy there is just no comparison!  Anyway love this penguin - and he is the real deal!  ref: 3052 C65/8  Price £65
Lea Stein Brooch - The Penguin - Black MOP & Green

Friday 21 April 2017

CZECH GREEN MOULDED GLASS & BRASS VINTAGE APPLE & FLOWERS DRESS CLIP

This is an C1930s Czech. green moulded glass and brass dress clip. The glass stone is decorated with a flowers and apple motive.  It is in really good condition for the age.  There is a full description on my web site.  I love this period and style and always try to have a few pieces in my shop at Grays Antiques - in central London.  Price £88 Ref: 3050 C61/24
Czech green glass &brass vintage apple dress clip

Tuesday 18 April 2017

STRATTON VINTAGE COMPACT - BLACK WITH DIAMANTE STONES

This vintage Stratton compact is on gilt metal with a black front covered with diamante (rhinestones).  It dates from between 1970/1990.  Very stylish - can be for loose or solid powder.  Full description on web site.  Price £68 ref: 3049 C64/31
Stratton Vintage Compact - black with diamante stones

Friday 14 April 2017

BLACK V-SHAPED EARRINGS WITH RED BALLS - PIERCED

These are probably hand made and not old - but I love them because of their eccentricity!   Love the v shape and the small red balls.  There is a full description on my web site.  Be different!  ref: 3048 C54/29 Price £38
Black v-shaped earrings with red balls - pierced

Tuesday 11 April 2017

BUTLER & WILSON DIAMANTE & PEARL LARGE POODLE BROOCH

Love this Butler & Wilson poodle brooch - but do not know the date.  It is on white metal with faux pearl and diamante. It is quite bit being approx 3 1/2 x 3 inches.  The ears dangle and it has the mark on the back.  In very good condition.  Full description on web site.  Price £88 ref: 3047 C60/12
Butler & Wilson diamante & pearl large poodle brooch