Purple Crystal Brooch By Maryse Blanchard
This vintage brooch is a real piece of costume jewellery history and a rare find. Maryse Blanchard produced jewels for the top fashion designers in the 1960s and 1970s but signed Blanchard pieces are much fewer in number.
This beautiful brooch is set with high sparkle, high quality Austrian crystals in fantastic blues and purples. The larger crystals are prong set in the gold tone frame while the smallest clear crystals adorn the accenting 'leaves'.
You'll notice that the crystals around the perimeter are inverted so that the pointed base faces up. This was a technique employed by some of the top costume jewellers, most notably Schreiner, which was thought to increase the sparkle of a stone and add interest to a piece
The larger crystals are unfoiled and sit in open settings allowing the light to shine through. This brooch is beautiful viewed from the back as well, where its fine craftsmanship is apparent.
Stamped on two plaques attached to the back: 'Modele Maryse Blanchard Paris' and 'Made in Austria'.
Measures 5cm in diameter. In excellent condition, the rollover clasp closes securely. A slight kink in the pin is visible but doesn't affect the operation.
Maryse Blanchard
Maryse Blanchard was a parurier working in Paris between the 1950s and 1970s. She designed costume jewellery for many of the top couturiers and produced her own branded jewels as well. Signed pieces are a very rare find.
How do you rate the condition of a piece?
Excellent - No visible flaws to note but items may exhibit some signs of age related wear
Very Good - Some visible flaws which aren't considered to impair the wearability of the piece
Good - Some more notable flaws but the piece is still in collectible condition
All items are vintage and have lived a previous life, therefore signs of age related wear are to be expected. I do my best to bring attention to any faults in the description and by using the condition scale.
When will I receive my delivery?
We aim to send packages out the following business day after an order is received. All items will be carefully wrapped in a Gadelles box, finished with a ribbon and placed in a discreet bubble lined envelope, or small parcel box if the order contains multiple items.
UK Mainland Delivery - £2.95 Packages will be sent, insured, via Royal Mail's Tracked 48h service
International Delivery - £12.95 Packages will be sent, insured, via Royal Mail's Tracked International service.
This service is stated to take 3 - 5 business days for delivery to Europe and 6 - 7 business days for delivery to other destinations, however, customs processing time at the destination country is additional to the Royal Mail's estimate.
Please be aware that international deliveries may incur import taxes, to be paid by the purchaser, in their destination country.
How will my purchase be packaged?
Great care will be taken in the wrapping of your vintage jewels to protect them in transit and make the unboxing process pleasant for the buyer.
Your piece of jewellery will be wrapped in our Gadelles material, tied with a ribbon and placed in a Gadelles kraft box.
If the item that you've purchased comes with its own original packaging then your item will be sent in that box, wrapped in kraft paper and tied with a ribbon.
Very fragile items will be protected with extra bubble wrap.
International Buyers
We welcome international orders. Please be aware that orders from outside the UK may incur customs duties for which the buyer is responsible to pay on receipt of purchase. These charges vary by country so please review the rules with your relevant customs authority before purchase.
