Vintage Early Léa Stein Turtle Brooch
This vintage turtle brooch is a wonderful example of Léa Stein's laminated acetate jewellery. Each piece is unique - this one features blue, brown and pale pink gold lined diamonds with mesh patterns peeking through the clear diamonds. The pattern is actually fabric mesh that has been sandwiched between the plastic layers. So clever! It's nice and lightweight so is easy to wear and will work with many fabric types. The turtle's head and feet are blue to match the blue in the body of the shell.
Stamped 'LEA STEIN PARIS' on the typical v-shaped fastener hardware. This cute brooch fastens with a roll clasp which is in good working condition.
Léa Stein has produced modern pieces but those are said to have the fastener riveted in place. From my research I would estimate this brooch to have been produced in the 1970s.
This one is in excellent condition with just a bit of smudged plastic on the back where the fastener has been set.
Léa Stein
Léa Stein is most known for her plastic creations, particularly cute and colourful plastic brooches. Having begun her working career in 1957 in the French fashion industry she developed an interest in plastics as a fashion material. Working together with her chemist husband they developed a process of layering and laminating cellulose acetate to form rigid sheets which could be cut into shapes. The layering technique allowed other materials to be sandwiched in between creating unique patterns and textures.
Her brooches were produced over two time periods with vintage brooches made between 1969 and 1981. Later production began in 1991. It is thought that one way to identify a modern vs a vintage brooch is to look at the way that the fastener has been attached. Modern brooches may have the fastener riveted in place while the vintage pieces had the fastener melted onto the plastic.
The quirky designs, bright colours and light weight of the plastic make these very wearable and collectible.
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.
