Soviet Wooden Owl Brooch – Handcrafted Natural Straw Inlay Art (1960s-70s)
No box
About this piece
A charming Soviet-era brooch featuring an owl composed of natural straw inlay work set into a polished black enamel or lacquered ground. The craftsperson has carefully arranged straw of varying tones to create the bird’s body, wings and distinctive head with glasses; details including feathering and a small orange-red beak have been hand-incised or painted. The reverse shows the brass pin mechanism intact and functional.
This is folk craft of the kind Soviet workshops produced throughout the 1960s and 70s, combining accessible natural materials with patient hand-assembly. The owl’s whimsical expression—especially those oversized spectacles—gives it considerable character. The brooch shows light wear consistent with age and gentle use: the straw retains its warm patina, and the black ground has developed a fine surface texture. It would sit comfortably on a lapel, collar or bag.
Related products
Vintage brooch with natural malachite. About this piece This is a carved malachite brooch of considerable charm and tactile appeal. The stone itself is a substantial piece of natural malachite, worked into a smooth, organic shape and polished to reveal the mineral’s characteristic banded green patterns. Malachite’s swirling striations are on full display here, ranging [...]
Vintage Berre Bed Mark Silver Tone Dry Flower Brooch Box not included About this piece A charming brooch from Berre Bed, featuring a delicate dried flower preserved beneath a domed green enamel surface, set within an ornate silver-tone metal frame. The frame displays fine detailing with a leafy, scrollwork pattern typical of mid-20th-century costume jewellery, [...]
Brooches
Cat brooch About this piece This charming cat brooch showcases a finely detailed face rendered in textured brass with a warm, antique-gold finish. The ears are pointed and alert, the whiskers precisely etched, and the nose and mouth delineated with care. Two striking teardrop-shaped stones in emerald green sit proudly as the cat’s eyes, catching [...]
Mixed Lot of 3x Beautiful Vintage Brooches. Excellent Condition. About this piece A charming trio of vintage brooches, each distinct in design and character. The collection spans classic pearl and diamond styles: a four-petal brooch with four cream pearls radiating from a central diamond, its scrollwork frame rendered in what appears to be white metal; [...]
Brooches
New Brooches About this piece A charming collection of nine brooches, each capturing a different mood and era. From the delicate red dragonfly with its detailed wings to the trio of glossy cherries with golden leaves, and the vibrant enamelled bird clutching a turquoise stripe, these pieces span decades of design sensibility. The silver-toned wreath [...]
Brooches
frog brooch About this piece This charming frog brooch is crafted from silver-toned metal and decorated with vibrant cloisonné enamel work across its body. The enamel is divided into distinct panels in turquoise, red, blue, purple and green, each inlaid with small rhinestone accents that catch the light. A dark green stone forms the eye, [...]
brooch with three hand-painted matryoshkas, USSR-era About this piece A charming folk-inspired brooch depicting three nesting dolls in miniature, hand-painted with characteristic Soviet warmth. The wooden base is a warm mustard yellow, and each matryoshka is rendered with individuality: black linear details define their headscarves and collars, whilst their bodies are softly shaded in cream [...]
&url=https://foxnfound.co.uk/product/soviet-wooden-owl-brooch-handcrafted-natural-straw-inlay-art-1960s-70s/&media=https://foxnfound.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/1783627718-600x800.jpeg){kind=link}
Brooches
Butterfly brooch About this piece A charming enamel brooch shaped as a butterfly, with boldly coloured wings in deep blue bordered by a scalloped gilt edge. The upper wings showcase a vibrant arrangement of red, orange, pink and yellow flowers with emerald-green leaves, whilst the lower wings feature soft peachy and cream tones with the [...]