Uzi’s Mother’s Pin, front

Uzi’s Mother’s Pin, back

… dried flowers in a basket! On second thought, are they dried? This is a job for my photographer’s loupe, but even with a closer look, I can’t really tell. Some look dried, and some look like they are made of tiny pieces of felt, crepe paper, or even leather. The pin enclosure on the ivory yellow plastic backing looks old. The basket is painted on the underside of the lucite dome. This brooch is not made of resin — the flowers look glued onto the backing and capped by the convex lucite. I spent a bit of time seeing if I could find a similar piece online. There were no identical matches, but brooches that seem somewhat alike — and with similar pin fasteners on the back — are dated from the 1940’s to the 1950’s. It’s an unusual piece, and it belonged to a dear friend’s mother. I would love to know what the flowers are made of. Anyone out there have any idea?