Elzac Squirrel Brooch in Excellent Condition

Elzac ceramic squirrel brooch in superb quality! Unique piece. Extremely collectible. Also adorable. Elzac of Hollywood produced eclectic and unique figural costume brooches during the 1940s. Today these brooches are among the most popular and collectible of all vintage costume jewelry. They were featured in the Sears catalogues of the day. (See image.) The company, founded in September 1941 (shortly before Pearl Harbor), was named for the two founders: Eliot Handler (the husband of Ruth Handler, the inventor of Barbie), an artist, and Zach Zemby, an investor. The war impacted most US businesses with labor and material shortages. Therefore, costume jewelry made from ceramic or wood and plastic was a welcome addition. To combat labor shortages, their company mixed and fired their own clay, and employed women to hand paint each piece before embellishments were added. Flowers, animals, and faces were the most common designs. Elzac jewelry was not signed. Pieces were marked with paper or foil tags which were removed before wearing, but the designs are distinctive. Smoke-free, cat-friendly home. Reasonable offers welcomed.