Blue Jewelled Flower Costume Brooch signed ‘Sherman’ 1960s designer costume jewellery

This brooch is typical of the designer signed jewellery that you see in all the best books about collecting antique and vintage costume jewellery.  It is in mint condition and has the quality that you would expect from 1960s high end jewelry.  Made by Sherman of Canada  this silver tone brooch is like an open flower set with facet cut lead glass crystals in two shades of blue.  The central blue glass stone is a mid blue colour and is a little larger than quarter of an inch in diameter.  It is held in place by 12 individual claws; there are a further five mid-blue glass crystals in baguette petal shapes each  being three quarters of an inch in length and a quarter of an inch across at their widest part. These stones are all surrounded by iridescent small gems which sparkle in glorious colours and are perfect to surround the central stones and the edges of the five petals. (These smaller stones have just four claws each.)  Vintage Brooches from the top makers were always hand assembled with every claw being shut by hand in much the same way that precious stones and diamonds are set.  The  diameter of this vintage brooch is 2 inches. The brooch fastens with a secure roll over type clasp.  There is a plaque with the designer signature mark of “Sherman” to the reverse.  This brooch would be perfect to wear and would hold its own in a collection of signed and designed vintage jewellery. It has been particularly difficult for me to get the exact colours right in the photos but I am sure that this vintage costume brooch will delight who ever purchases it.

Here is a little potted history about the makers:- 

G. Sherman and Company - Costume Jewellery

In 1949 Gustave Sherman, known as Gus, started his high end costume jewellery company in Outremont, a borough of Montréal, Québec, Canada. Here for three decades he designed and manufactured ranges until stopping production in 1980. 

The company used only the finest materials available including genuine Austrian crystals and the best findings available.  Their superior craftsmanship, including individual hand setting,  innovative plating techniques and use of colour resulted in very beautiful jewellery. The process focused on each unit as its own piece of art. Every piece was signed, Gus was proud of what his team had crafted under his watchful eye and wanted everyone to know the  jewels were by Sherman, because his name stood for luxury. 

Sherman’s advertising tag was “Made to Last a Lifetime” and for Gus this was not just a gimmick it was a guarantee!  Signed “Sherman” jewellery is highly desirable and remains extremely wearable today.