Vinatge Teddy Bear Pin 18k Yellow Gold, Italy, Mara Buzio

Figural gold jewelry was an art form in Italian workshops of the late 1970s and early 1980s, and this tumbling bear pin by Mara Buzio is a confident example of why. Cast in 18K yellow gold with a high-polish finish, the bear is caught mid-play — head down, rump up, paws splayed, grinning. It's an animated, joyful composition that required real skill to pull off in cast gold without losing its spontaneity.

The casting is confident throughout. The body sweeps in a single fluid arc from haunches to shoulders, while the head is fully modeled with recessed eyes, rounded ears, and a ball nose. At nearly half an inch deep it has genuine three-dimensionality that reads well from any angle — not a flat pin dressed up with dimension, but a small sculpture with a pin back attached.

At 5.7 grams it carries real weight for its size, and the original patina settled into the recesses adds character that only comes with age — warm and authentic rather than artificially distressed.

Stamped 18K Italy. Good vintage condition with original patina.