Vintage 1920s Chanel Art Deco / Modernist Turtle Millinery Hat Pin Mini Brooch

Exceedingly rare vintage Chanel turtle pin with a snakeskin back, strass eyes, and a trombone clasp from the art deco era. Really fabulous piece of fashion and costume jewelry history. A 1927 issue of Women’s Wear Daily describes the, then new, Chanel “turtle with back of snakeskin set with strass” as a “millinery novelty.” Originally designed to be worn on a hat, it’s adorably sized - about an inch and a half or so in length, and about an inch and a quarter or so in width. Fabulous collectors piece, particularly as Chanel got her start in millinery, and as an incredibly early example of a Chanel turtle (as with many motifs in Chanel design, Chanel’s use of turtles relates to one of her lovers — a fisherman, who told Chanel that turtles were good luck as they indicated fish were nearby). Some light wear consistent with age and use. Marked made in France and otherwise unsigned, consistent with the era; Chanel did not begin signing their jewelry until 1954, and only started signing all of their jewelry in 1971. I have had the piece professionally authenticated (and will pass certificate information on to the buyer), as well as independently appraised.