1940s to 1950's Reverse Carved Lucite Brooch - Crinoline Lady

 This is a superb example of reverse carved Lucite jewellery.  Dating from between the 1940's and 1950's this lovely brooch would have been hand-carved.   It shows a Crinoline Lady with a picture hat gathering a few blooms.  You can imagine a Scarlett O'Hara type scene with our Lady in her yellow gown and pink hat wandering in a walled garden... this is lovely and romantic and is just the thing that was greatly treasured in the past!  It is a great collectable for anyone interested in Bakelite era and early plastics too.  Lucite was Dupont's trade name for their acrylic plastic material which they patented in the 1930's and is usually the name given to brooches and pins of this type.  The most common theme for them is flowers, some abstract and Art Deco in design, others very detailed - so you can tell exactly which flower is being depicted!  It is more unusual to have a Crinoline lady as the subject, but this is a very popular design for the Art deco and 1940s, 1950's eras.  This is a good size being approximately 2 inches by 2 inches.  The shape is a diamond rectangle but it is enhanced by a further cut on two of the corners.  The whole thing gets a kind of 'rainbow rim' reflection effect where some of the colours are reflected in the edges of the brooch.  It has a brass pin back with a secure roll over type fastener.