Vintage Israeli Bezalel Turquoise Sterling Silver Pin Brooch with Technion Emblem

This is a very interesting pin. The emblem atop the turquoise is that of Technion. Technion was the first university(primarily civil engineering) of the Israeli people and was founded in 1924 (Haifa). It became instrumental in the development and building of Israel's infrastructure.

In addition to the Technion emblem, the pin is marked in Hebrew - the English translation is Bezalel.

The name Bezalel originates in the Bible. He was the chief artisan of the Tabernacle. Modern day, Bezalel, is the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design (Jerusalem) and it was the first cultural institute of the Israeli people, founded in 1906. Their focus on the arts and architecture also made them instrumental in the development of Israel's architecture and artistic culture.

So there are the 2 stories of this one pin. Somehow combined, most likely in the 1950's post WWII. I find the use of turquoise versus Eilat interesting...and it's a gorgeous piece of turquoise!

Pin measures 2" by 1" or 51mm by 25mm. Turquoise measures 25mm by 23mm at longest edges.

Weight: 17 grams

Markings are as follow:

Made in Israel

Bezalel (in Hebrew), The Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design

925

I have found no others like this...truly a unique piece both in design and history.

The perfect gift for the engineer and/or artist in your life.

Excellent condition and secure clasp. You will notice the color variation (one more blue and one more green) between the top and bottom portion of the turquoise and the presence of a fine line. There is no "seam" to the touch and the it may be a case of 2 individual pieces of turquoise fit together. Possibly an intentional variation.

Thank you so much for stopping by and as always, please feel free to contact me with any questions.

~Pam

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Item ID: RLBCH168