Art Deco Celluloid Brooch Basket, Carved Chrysanthemums, Ivory, 1930s.

Art Deco Celluloid Brooch Basket, Carved Chrysanthemums, Ivory Cream, 1930s. 

Vintage celluloid jewellery is often described as “carved”, especially the floral items. When it comes to celluloid this is not usually accurate because the majority of such jewellery was moulded (casein plastic, however, was indeed carved because it physically could not be moulded). However, the intricacy of the moulds was so successful at duplicating the fine carving of the antique ivory and horn pieces that it was intended to imitate, that the technically incorrect description “carved celluloid” has become common usage and there was certainly some hand-trimming of each piece after it was removed from the mould and before it began to be painted.

Japanese celluloid jewellery is usually seen in one of two forms, either a uniform solid colour “as manufactured”, or as the ivory/cream as-manufactured base colour (True “pearlescent” celluloid is a different process and is part of the materials-manufacturing cycle rather than the materials-finishing one.)

Item Code - JEW11C482CAZ5C1

Width: 2 1/2"  Height: 1 5/8"  Depth: 5/8"  Weight: 11 g