Signed popular Vintage Unity Brooch Sterling Silver GFMW Azurite Earth Brooch Great Falls Metalworks Company Eliat Azurite Brooch
From a private collection, this lovely brooch is signed by the Great Falls Metalworks Company, GFMW and is sterling silver with a round cabochon center stone. The stone, appears to be azurite, or possibly elat or eliat stone, a stone that looks like a blend of lapis and malachit, and azurite.
This company* has been in business since the late 60s, and it is estimated that this brooch dates to the 1970s-80s, at the latest. The company is still in business but has not made brooches for a while.
The brooch is 1/5" in diameter and weighs approximately 10.3 grams.
The brooch is in very good vintage condition and is sold as found, unpolished, and ready to wear. Lovely detail to the silver finish, the stone is just beautiful and lush.
See pics for measurements and size and zoom in to see details. Photos are part of the description and it's assumed you've viewed them all. This is in very good to excellent condition and appears to be mint and like new. I am selling this as found, unpolished, and it's priced accordingly.
*GFMW vintage costume jewelry (copied from online research on this company)
The history of the company began in 1968, when the married couple Jan Palombo and her husband Michael Brothers founded their own jewelry workshop GFMW Inc. The Great Falls Metal Works was located in an old silk factory near historic Great Falls in Paterson, New Jersey. Their daughter Flora Anne Brothers, who has helped her parents create jewelry since childhood, later studied jewelry in Europe. Back home, she joined the family business and became the company's chief designer.
Traditionally hand crafted, all jewelry was made from 925 sterling silver, 14 carat gold, natural stones and minerals. The company is still operating, but there are no brooches in their range for a long time. Produced in the 1960s – 1980s, these popular high quality brooches demonstrate a very interesting design, exquisite workmanship and are collectible.