scatter WHAT?

[pixzee]

    As in "Scatter Pin". I still don't have any idea what a scatter pin is suppose to be.

    Is scatter a word like "cozy"? You know, in Real Estate when they say, "cozy kitchen", they mean that you can't open the oven door all the way because it bangs into the counter on the other side. So, does "Scatter" mean small and insignificant, but the seller can't be honest and say that?

    Because it's like one of those meaningless words that dealers picked up on and just can't seem to let go of, like the sticky piece of paper in a clown act. It may mean the dealer is too tired and burnt out to stop and think of a proper descriptive word for the item they're selling? I really don't know.

    But I do imagine a seller up late at night after she put the kids to bed, sorting a tray of jewelry to post on Ebay when she accidentally knocks the tray over and they scatter all over the kitchen tiles. When she screams "OH SH*T", her husband comes running from a sound-sleep, steps on one of the pins, screams "OH SH*T", then hops up and down, one-footed, on all the other jewelry. Most of the brooches still work pretty good even if they are all bent looking   ...but maybe that's what some sellers might mean when say it's a "Scatter Pin". It's a pin that looks like it got scattered.

[scifidaughter64 · Accepted solution]

Looks like I'm not the only one that looses it at this hour of the morning. 

Actually scatter pins decribes a group of small pins/broochs either all the same or themed. Normally they are worn in a scattered group on a dress or coat. Some have a large brooch with small ones around it but most are just small ones, normally around 1" to 1 1/2" .I copied a couple of images off of Google for you.

[pixzee]

I don't know that I have seen it used that way in any of the items I've searched, But now I do know and if the pins aren't part of a group, I'll just assume that they were scattered in some other way.

[hertzgirlz]

Actually they were marketed that way (as "scatter pins") in the 50s or 60s.  I was around then and remember seeing them in the little groups or themes in the stores, mostly in dime stores.  Now I think sellers mostly use the term to apply to any really small pin.

[old.crows.nest]

I have seen some old Ads c1960 were companies like Coro used the term. I can imagine if someone wanted to collect a complete set they would want Sellers to make note in the title.

[rubiano98]

 I thought it meant a bunch of pins scattered around on the kitchen table to be sorted through.*

*just kidding

[thirry]

I have a small collection of scatter pins. Hated to sell the last ones I got a couple of months ago.

[dream*peddler]

This is a scatter pin vest I've been adding to for a while.  I have 5 more sets to attach and then I'll list it.  All a part of costume jewelry terminology like duette or parure, etc. .

[thirry]

Very nice, dream 🙂

I had a bunch of mine pinned to a small velvet pillow but it was stolen along with some of my depression glass collection about two years ago.  😞

Fortunately I hadn't pinned them all to the pillow.

[dream*peddler]

Yikes!  So sorry to hear that, thirry .  If you see any sets on the vest that were special to you, let me know and they're yours (a gift, of course ).

[thirry]

That's a very kind offer, but I'm 100% certain mine are tucked away at a specific location in Denham Springs, LA. I know who has my things but have no way to prove it. (Wretched woman.....)

[old.crows.nest]

Very nice dream

thirry, that is so sad 😞

For myself, I have a few coro singles, an almost complete set of a baseball team (4/5) and most recent is an enamel flower 🙂

[old.crows.nest]

[hertzgirlz]

Fabulous vest Dream--should be a real winner when you finally sell it!!

[dream*peddler]

Thanks, hertz!  It's got some pretty scarce pieces on it.  I'm just dragging my heels finishing it.