Vintage Art Deco marbled yellow galalith buckle necklace with double strand antique gold tone machine age snake chains, front fastening

Vintage Art Deco buckle with a geometric Art Deco design made from beautifully moulded early plastic. My estimation is that the plastic pieces are galalith - an early casein-based plastic used a lot in European jewellery, particularly from Germany and France in the 1920s and 30s. These pieces are beautifully shaped and have a marbled effect in vibrant yellow and translucent tones.

This is such a piece piece, measuring about 2 inches by 2 inches. On the back it has brass fittings - a hook and loop clasp to attach the two halves together.

Buckles are very collectable but not so often attached to belts and actually worn, so this piece has adapted to become a machine age, Jakob Bengel style necklace. It's threading holes on either side have had gold tone jump rings threaded through and then an original Art Deco 1930s double gold tone snake chain necklace has been attached. This means the buckle itself has become the necklace clasp.

As the two lengths of snake chain are exactly the same length in the original machine age necklace, this does not sit that easily with the buckle at the front. The snake chains have to be manipulated a bit so that two are tucked in under the buckle at the front to look symmetrical (last two pictures). I think I prefer it worn in an asymmetric arrangement as shown in pictures 2, 11 and 12. Picture 13 shows it with the snake chains twisted around each other so the buckle sits flat.

It's an unusual and versatile piece! The buckle is in very good vintage condition. The snake chains are in good vintage condition with minor hints of discolouration in places in the antique appearance gold / brass tone hue.