Lot #16: 835 Silver Marcasite Gondola, Vintage Lot of 5 Figural Statement Brooches

Vintage Lot of 5 Figural Statement Brooches – 835 Continental Silver Marcasite Gondola, Rhinestone Serpentine Dragon, Enamel Marcasite Welsh Leek, Carved MOP Fish & Novelty Pin Showcasing mid-century tourist souvenir design, exquisite silver filigree work, and hand-carved natural materials. This collection offers a beautiful range of styles, from sparkling Art Deco revival pieces to unique regional novelty statements. Grand Rhinestone & Ruby-Eye Serpentine Chinese Dragon BroochMaterials: Silver-tone metal embellished with micro-pavé clear rhinestones and a single faceted red rhinestone or glass eye accent.Design & Motif: Features a highly detailed, coiled Chinese dragon with an intricate scaly texture, fierce open-jaw profile, and detailed claws. Venetian Gondola & Gondolier 835 Silver BroochMaterials: Stamped 835 Continental Silver (83.5% pure silver content). Accented with circular-cut marcasite stones along the canopy and gunwale.Design & Motif: A dimensional, openwork Venetian gondola boat propelled by a detailed silhouette of a gondolier.Collector Note: The "835" stamp is a classic hallmark indicating mid-20th-century European craftsmanship, most commonly used in Germany, Italy, Austria, and the Netherlands for high-quality export and souvenir silver jewelry. Vintage Enamel & Marcasite Welsh Leek BroochMaterials: Silver-tone base metal finished with cold-painted green enamel and a clean row of pavé-set marcasites across the shaft.Design & Motif: A realistic figural representation of a spring leek or scallion.Collector Note: Circa 1940s–1950s. The leek is famously the national symbol of Wales, making this a highly collectible regional piece of vintage botanical and novelty costume jewelry. Mid-Century Silhouette Gondola Novelty BroochMaterials: Black-finished base metal frame with painted pink/coral enamel highlights on the canopy and background structures.Design & Motif: A stylized, graphic silhouette depicting a romanticized harbor scene with a gondolier and a tiered architectural background. Hand-Carved Mother-of-Pearl Shimmery Fish PinMaterials: Genuine hand-carved Mother-of-Pearl (MOP) shell featuring a shifting iridescent pink/gold finish, accented with a tiny red glass eye.Design & Motif: A stylized marine animal, likely a koi, goldfish, or betta, featuring finely incised linear grooves detailing the gills and fan-shaped tail fin.Collector Note: Shell-carved animal pins are a major sub-category of vintage nautical jewelry, often exported from coastal artisan workshops or Pacific trade hubs during the mid-20th century. Pickup category timeslot {A}