Is this silver item a brooch.

[weschris]

I have been lucky to have been left some items of jewellery but I am unsure what this piece is. It measures approx 1.5cm x 3cm has a large stone and set with marcasite. It has the mark 935 on the back which I believe means it is silver. The clasp looks quite vicious with 2 sharp prongs. I would be grateful if anyone can tell me what it is. I also have a couple of other items with the same sort of clasps.


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[JLDoggett]

It is either a shoe or coat clip. the agressive teeth are to hold it onto thicker material. It should have a mate.
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[weschris]

Thank you, I think if anything it must be a coat clip. I have a couple of other items with the same sort of clasp and there is only one of each of them.
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[JLDoggett]

Finding only one usually means they were shoe clips. Being on shoes it is easy to lose one of the pair. When worn on a coat it would be easy to keep track of them while for many if one came off their shoe it would not be noticed until the shoes were being removed.
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[fiona]

It is definitely an Art Deco period dress clip. Usually worn in each corner of a square necked evening dress (if you had a pair), or occasionally in the centre of a plunge neck dress. If you can find a period picture of movie stars such as Clara Bow or a young Joan Crawford, you will see examples of them being worn. Dates probably to about 1930, or the early 1930s, clear crystal jewellery was popular then. The sharp "teeth" kept a firm hold on your clothing so the clips were not easily lost. Shoe clips usually - although not always - had a cloth strap to attach to shoes. Sharp backed spring loaded clips like this were not comfortable on either evening or day shoes of the period (as I found out when I tried this out with dress clips on my vintage shoes when I was younger...).

Fiona
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