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Before Painting

Mother of Pearl Brooches

Here we have another totally unique and hand crafted artistic “wonder” from Russia. These are oval brooches made from natural “Mother of Pearl” shells and set in sterling silver. Each brooch has a finely detailed scene that is hand painted on the Mother of Pearl shell. Each scene is unique and utilizes the “natural” Mother of Pearl colors as part of the “total” painting. I have personally watched one of the artists making these brooches and I can only say that it was a truly amazing experience. They use special small sharp brushes and a strong magnifying lens to accomplish this amazing feat (I should also mention a whole lot of patience as well). The people that do these brooches are all very skilled artists and it has taken each one a long time to truly “master” this unique skill. It takes from one to three days to make these brooches (depending on the complexity).

After Painting