Galalith Chrome & Galalith Dali Eye with Dangling Tear Brooch

Description

Galalith Chrome & Galalith Dali Eye with Dangling Tear Brooch
This is a magnificent brooch, recently purchased from seller natparis who has a fabulous “store” on Ebay that sells authentic costume jewelry crafted in the Art Deco Galalith style.  Clearly, this pin depicts the classic Salvadore Dali “eye,” not only as a clock, but the designer even adds the black teardrop.
Crafted of Galalith and chrome, it measures 90mm by 55mm and weighs a substantial 27.1 grams.
As written up in the jewelry manufacturing journal,
Ganoksin
, here is the history behind this bakelite-like jewelry:
“Galalith – the word is formed using the Greek words for milk and stone = milk stone – that was used in the nineteen twenties and thirties as a jewelry stone was, as is so often the case in the world of inventions, discovered by accident. In 1898, Wilhelm Krische, owner of a factory that made history books and a stone printing shop, patented one of the first plastics. But he had no way of knowing that thirty years later, Coco Chanel would take the “milk stone” Krische had developed and would help it make a final breakthrough in the costume jewelry industry.
The numerous advantages of galalith soon became apparent. The milk stone could be cut, drilled, embossed and even dyed in any way without difficulty, thus producing gemstone imitations that looked strikingly real. No other plastic at the time could compete with this wealth of favorable characteristics.
In 1926, when Coco Chanel created the legendary “little black dress,” fashion turned to eye-catching, witty jewelry that complemented the fashion. Coco Chanel was by no means the inventor of costume jewelry, but it was she who freed it of its bad reputation as a shabby imitation and transformed it into something truly independent. In this way, galalith, which was practically ideal for the production of costume jewelry, finally broke through into the fashion industry in 1926/28.
During the nineteen twenties, Auguste Bonaz, a French merchant, was one of the first to produce unusually beautiful chains and brooches made of galalith, chromium and bakelite. In Germany, the production and processing of galalith blossomed, especially in the metal ware factory of Jakob Bengel in Idar-Oberstein. At the time, Jacob Bengel was particularly expert in the aesthetic combination of galalith with the industrial material chromium with its silver-grey sheen juxtaposed with the soft, matt glow of the vivid plastic galalith.”
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Please examine all the photographs provided here as they are an integral part of the descriptions, and feel free to ask any questions
before bidding
.  There are
NO RETURNS
, unless I have failed to mention a flaw or variance, as I am not a professional jeweler. Also be aware that all computer monitors register color in slightly different ways.
All items listed are pre-owned and therefore may have light surface wear and/or some tarnish that is easily cleaned and/or polished by your own jeweler.
I only accept payment via Paypal.
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SHIPPING:
1st class shipping is free on all US jewelry orders. NO INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING. No shipping to APO addresses. U.S. Continental addresses only. I will only ship to registered PayPal addresses. ACTUAL ADDRESSES ONLY--No P.O. Boxes please.
I DO NOT ACCEPT OFFERS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
Payment is due within 24 hours of an auction’s close – no exceptions.  If a buyer neglects to remit within this period, Ebay will be notified immediately and the item will be re-listed.
*Quarter not included.  Please allow slight variance due to manual measurement.
Type: Brooch
Weight: 27.1g
Size: N/A
Measurements: 90mm x 55mm