A Vintage Flower Garden

I've found the loveliest gardens.....gardens of friends who own pretty old flower brooches.

Some like to find them in flea markets and antiques shows; others find them at yard sales.  Most are from the 60's and we can remember our mothers and grandmothers wearing them on their pretty spring suits, along with pill box hats and sometimes, white gloves.

Those days are gone....but the flowers are still blooming.

They were made of brass stampings that were assembled by riveting on large commercial kick presses, or sometimes, soldered.  The color was applied by enameling, many times in what they called the old 'cold paint' style.  Cold paint was rather like a very excellent form of spray painting that held up very well.

Others still may have heat enamel, or even a bit of resin enameling.

Mary Deis of The Rose Sword offered up some fabulous photos of her collection at The B'sue Boutiques Creative Group:

Dunno bout you, but that blue one in the middle is calling my name....

See that stemmed rose at the bottom, the pink one?   We carry the flower head at B'sue Boutiques  You could apply color just like this, with some of the new Vintaj-Ranger patina ink-paints.   We carry those, too!

http://www.bsueboutiques.com/paints_pearl_ex_mica.shtml

Right now, I'm actually thinking I'd like to paint some with the Vintaj inks, which are more like enamels than anything....and make some charm bracelets with them!  Maybe combine with some of the other flower drops we carry:

http://www.bsueboutiques.com/brass_roses.shtml

Here's another photo from Mary's garden:

I'm overthe moon for that cherries brooch at the bottom!  I bet it has a signature.  I love vintage fruit jewelry, especially cherries.   You know, you can take the inspiration from a piece like this, some old beads, some polymer clay beads and handmade leaves....and mock a look like this nicely.   Make it into a pendant, if you're not into brooches.

A sweet sea of yellows and ivories....so happy.   This set was a special treat:

Someone probably received this set as a special gift, once upon a time.  It still has the paper swing tag:  never worn.   Sigh.

Deb Beechy of Beetique  shared this little flower pin with us, too:

You know, I have bits and pieces of stuff like this on the website, and in my own personal stash, too!

Here's the back so you can see how it was assembled:

You know, you could so something like this with wire and crimps!  I did....sort of:

My friend, Wendy Baker, made me this necklace by wiring and pinning flower brooches and vintage parts she picked up here and there---some of them, mine!--to a series, or grid, of chains.   She does not damage the brooches:

Pretty spiffy!

I hope you feel inspired.  Some folks also gather up the old brooches and make bridal bouquets from them, by carefully wiring them.

When you find brooches like these, please don't just view them as a new stash of designer components.  Look for signatures, some may be valuable!

If you would like to rework them into a new design, see if you can't leave them intact and find a way to wire them into your work, rather then break off the backs and glue them.  ;-)

The brooches are part of American design history.   The parts that made very many of them, are also still made and not terribly expensive.   We carry many styles at B'sue Boutiques

Just think what you could do with the vintage style components, colorized your way....you're the designer! 

Comments

[Leigh]

I love those! I am a vintage fanatic, so these greatly appeal top me!

[Terry]

Beautiful flower garden, Mary :)
And the necklace Wendy made is just sweet!!

[Mitzi Curi]

I love the cheerful colors of the old enamel pins. My grandma always wore them!

[Linda Younkman]

Pins were very popular when I got my first job in the late 60's. I had quite a little collection and some of them were the enamel ones. Unfortunately over the years with moving and garage sales they are no longer in my possession. I love see these and makes me so wish I had mine back. I love the necklace your friend did. I've seen several where a lot of the vintage enamel brooches were used and I love them. Thanks for sharing.

[Linda Abellera Fletcher Mountain Creations]

I wonder if the little pink double rosebud is Coro or Sandor...certainly is gorgeous!! And I agree with B'sue that the blue center floral brooch is to die for! I just thought that I would add this, there are a few really great books out about vintage jewelry, and the photos are outstanding! I have gotten most all of them, but I am partial to Julia Carroll and Ann Mitchell Pitman. The books that these gals have taken the time to put out are not only for drooling, but a very comprehensive guide to costume jewelry, how to identify and what to look for in pieces that are too valuable to take apart and use as findings. If you are a flea market, garage sale junkie like I am, these books became invaluable to me to decide what to resell and what to re-purpose. And, this is the best part, if you happen across a piece too valuable or collectible to tear apart, sell it and take the money and buy more goodies at B'sue's Boutique!

[Brenda Sue]

Julia Carroll's books are the best of all and I highly recommend getting ALL three volumes. You will not regret it!

[Kim]

I hve a few of these that need touch ups on their paint -- what is the best enamel paint to use to match the colors -- metal model airplane type paint?

[vintage engagement rings]

These really do look incredible! I got a few pieces of old brooches from my grandmothers and I really do enjoy them! Never though of making something new out of them - with my conservative approach. I loved the idea of making a wedding bouquet out of them (something old).