Tuesday 17 May 2011

Pierre Bex and eBay

I'm not generally an ebay user but I was on the look out for something very particular the other day and ended up getting rather deeply sucked in...

The item I was searching for, I did manage to find - and win - hurrah! But it's yet to arrive in the post so I will save that story for another post.

However, my perusals ended in the purchase of more than one item, it must be confessed, and this was the first to arrive:



The brooch, obviously. The flower I picked on the way home so thought I'd throw it in for added interest. The bush was growing in my local churchyard so I figured it was okay to pick one for myself as I live in the local parish (Or do I? One to check out on the historic maps at work tomorrow!). I would have just snapped a picture of them all tumbling over the railings but I was sans camera, so a sneaky "pruning" it was.

But that's going off on a tangent. This lovely brooch I scored whilst searching under "art deco brooches". I feel a distinct gap in my wardrobe/jewellery collection created by lack of brooches so that was the focus of my hunt. And why not narrow it down to deco while we're there? This isn't exactly of original deco-era 1930s vintage but is, rather, by Pierre Bex. I'd not heard of him previously but I discovered (through a little googling) that he was doing a lot of this kind of thing in Paris between 1969 and the late 80s, and apparently using original 1930s moulds and tools.

After learning this, I discovered that he's got quite a lot of wonderful stuff awash on the internet for sale. (Try here or here or just ebay, like me!) Some of it is veering dangerously into kitsch and garish with the choice of colour combinations but there is some lovely stuff there as well, using more subtle colours complemented with a good smattering of rhinestones. And all with the wonderful geometric shapes so characteristic of deco. A lot of it is in new condition too because they just never made their way out of the factories. The one I nabbed is "pre-loved" but in great condition, and with the most wonderful, ingenious clasp on the back which I feel should last forever... (Famous last words...)

2 comments:

  1. Wow! That is beautiful and classic. I like that it is "pre-loved" - and will continue to be loved ;-) . Yep, a good clasp is VERY important. I've lost a treasured brooch through a less-than-firm clasp. I think you have displayed it beautifully with the church rose.

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  2. I have purchased multiple brooches and necklaces from Pierre Bex over the years. I stumbled on the website in the same fashion as you did - looking for art deco jewelry. Never have I owned and worn pieces that receive so many compliments from friends and from total strangers! I only wish that some of the items were still being produced. Many have been "sold out" for such a long time that I fear they will not ever come back. Nice rose; I wonder what type it is.

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