Silver Art Deco Dress Clip Green Bakelite & Rhinestones

A striking and unusual Art Deco dress clip crafted in 935 silver, featuring a dynamic geometric design typical of 1920s modernism. The back of the clip is finely finished, reflecting high-quality craftsmanship.
The composition centers on a costume pearl framed by angular bands of pale green Bakelite, contrasted with rows of clear rhinestones set in silver. Strong chevron and stepped motifs evoke the architectural elegance of the Machine Age, while the refined metalwork and precision detailing suggest the Austrian region, known for its finely engineered Art Deco jewellry. A single grey rhinestone set to the right side of the clip situates this piece firmly within the Wiener Werkstätte context, reflecting the workshop’s ethos of subtle, deliberate design gestures.
In 1920s Vienna, designers and artists associated with the Wiener Werkstätte often expressed their ideals of creative freedom through small, intentional deviations - an unusually coloured bead or a single contrasting rhinestone, a gesture of individuality and artistic defiance within a highly refined design language. These details symbolised liberation from the strict perfectionism of academic art and the social conventions that had long constrained women’s fashion. On this piece, the grey rhinestone exemplifies that spirit,  a deliberate variation rather than discolouration, affirming the designer’s creative intent.
Originally designed as a dress clip, this versatile jewel could adorn a dress, hat, lapel, or scarf — worn singly or as part of a mirrored pair. A beautiful example of 1920s Deco innovation in both material and form, this is a very rare and collectible item.
 
Materials: 935 Silver, Green Bakelite, Costume Pearl, Clear and Grey Rhinestones
Date: 1920s
Style: Art Deco
Origin: Austrian
Condition: Excellent vintage condition 
 
Ref: B397