Colorful Italian Micro Mosaic Pin

I have seen these highly detailed Italian pins at various shops, and was excited to find this one.  It is goldtone and I love the coloring and details.  It is a "micro mosaic" pin which is a complex and patterned style made up of small glass mosaic pieces known as tesserae.  This pin has a maker's mark stamped on the back that I cannot find online.  It is marked "Italy" with a triangle above it, filled with lettering that is difficult to decipher. 

Micro mosaic jewelry was most popular in the mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth century, but pieces have been found dating back to the 3rd century BC!  Micro mosaics are still sold today in Italy, especially to touists.  Tourist designs are much less valuable and artistically cruder than earlier pieces made prior to the twentieth century.  Delicacy of the design, overall condition, and unique subject matter are three factors that also influence the value of a micro mosaic item.

Feel free to contact me if you are interested in purchasing this piece.  Questions, comments, and additional information are always appreciated.  My online shop on http://www.ebay.com/ is coming soon.

Thank you to the following website(s) for the historical content of this blog post:

Vintage Jewelry Lane. Retrieved 2/15/2011 from http://vintagejewelrylane.com/information/micromosaics.htm