Vintage late 1940s sterling brooch from Georg Jensen USA channels the decade's lapel watch vogue, dangling a monogrammed locket from a bar-shaped pin made of two leaves joined horizontally by their spiralling stems. The double-sided, square locket has three interlacing initials (“GBE”) on front.

The double leaf brooch is stamped “Georg Jensen Inc USA, Hand Wrought Sterling, 113”, and was the design of Alphonse LaPaglia, a young silversmith who began to work for Georg Jensen USA in the early 1940s.

Founded in New York City by a Danish immigrant named Frederick Lunning, George Jensen USA sold Jensen jewelry imported from Denmark alongside the wares of the Danish emigré artisans Lunning delighted in introducing to an American audience. When WWII disrupted the flow of imports from Europe, Lunning began to source modernist silver jewelry “in the style of “ Georg Jensen from American silversmiths such as Alphonse LaPaglia. LaPaglia left Jensen USA in approximately 1949, set up shop with International Silver in 1952, and sadly died of a heart attack the following year.

The locket is stamped inside with a “STERLING” hallmark as well as the maker marks of the R. Blackinton Co. of North Attleboro, MA; the company made a number of lockets, in this and similar designs, for Jensen USA.

Leaf brooch measures 2.25” across, locket measures 1” square, and the two pieces together hang a touch over 2” long.

This period perfect brooch is in near-excellent condition, with a very slight bend to the pinstem.

Proud Member of the VFG Vintage Fashion Guild