I just bought this bracelet on ebay and was going to disassemble it to sell but now I can’t decide if I want to sell it or keep it. It’s got ten enamel sterling silver European country maps including their flags in pastel colors. I’m a sucker for enamel charms.
I’m a big collector of Thomas L Mott vintage charms. As I sorted through my collection recently I realized that I have a few duplicates and have decided to offer them for sale. Most are bright and pretty enamels and some are sterling silver with a warm vintage patina.
I’ve seen these vintage shield charms for years and always wondered what company manufactured them. They are little souvenir colored shields in a sterling silver frame. The mark on the back reads sterling and has a Trojan Soldier looking guy with a spear and armor shield with an E in the center.
Maybe because there is a specific number of charms in each collection so I know when I’ve completed a series? Maybe because I’m an accountant and I’ve become accustomed to structure and order? Maybe because it was such a popular theme for vintage charm manufacturers and there are lots of different types to collect? Maybe [...]
The popularity of sterling silver jewelry, and in particular, vintage pieces, is growing quickly and has become a popular collectible category. There are a few reasons for its resurgence in popularity, in particular the affordability of silver, and the beautiful sheen that evolves from years of daily wear, called patina. Because silver is generally more [...]
Charms and amulets of one sort or another have been around for thousands of years. They are well documented in ancient Egypt, Rome, and many other historical eras as talismans worn to ward off evil spirits or bring luck. For this article I’m focusing on the rise in popularity of charms and charm bracelets in [...]
Beaucraft, Inc., known to many as “Beau”, manufactured sterling silver jewelry from 1947 through 2004 from its Providence, Rhode Island factory. The company was one of the leading producers of fine sterling jewelry for 57 years. They made popular mid priced pieces including charms, rings, necklaces, earrings, and brooches. Charms were their best selling category [...]
When buying vintage jewelry, the best and most surefire way to ensure the piece is truly the metal quality you are expecting, is of course to view a hallmark of the metal purity, such as 14K or Sterling Silver somewhere on the item. For those of us who buy collectible fine vintage jewelry that’s not intended to be heirloom or investment quality, there are other methods that are often used to establish the value of an item.
I’ve been enchanted with a bracelet filled with vintage golden crystal Nuvo and Chim charms for a while now. It’s a bit more than I can afford to spend but occasionally I look at it and dream. I understand completely the reason for the price. The seller has invested a lot of time and effort and money into collecting and assembling this vintage charm treasure.
I’ve been a collector as long as I can remember. Since I was young I’ve been fascinated by gathering together groups of things. Mostly small things. I’ve always found it great fun to find things from different sources that are similar and arrange them in little groups. Through the years my interests evolved and I’ve started collecting all kinds of little things.
February’s birthstone, the amethyst, is a form of quartz, which varies in color from pale lilac to dark purple. It is found in Canada, The U.S., Australia, India, Russia, and Sri Lanka as natural crystals within rocks.
Amethyst has been a foundation of royal jewels throughout the ages, as intense violet is a associated with royalty. [...]
Posy and pearls
Amethyst and gold
Forever you and I
Our precious love to hold.
~Astrid Alauda
Anyone born in January knows their birthstone is a warm deep red garnet. My first thoughts are of Bohemian garnets found in antique jewelry from the late 19th century. What most don’t realize is that garnets are found in almost all colors except blue.
This is another look at the things I collect, other than charms of course. Last time I showed you my Artesania Rinconada dogs and birds, my blue soapstone eggs, and my glass pumpkins. Of course that wasn’t all. You know those of us with the collector gene don’t stop at just a few collections, so this will be a continuing series until I get to the end, which may take a while.
“Adversity is the diamond dust Heaven polishes its jewels with.” ~ Thomas Carlyle
I. G. I. – International Gemological Institute (IGI) – the largest independent gem grading and appraisal institute in the world.
Inclusion – A solid, liquid, or gaseous particle of foreign matter within a mineral. These can decrease the value of a stone, however sometimes, as in the case of a star sapphire, the inclusion is prized.
Ingot [...]
