Archive for June, 2010
Celebrating Jeanette Cates 30 Day Blog Challenge Finale
Today is the last day of the blog challenge I participated in for the month of June. I’m proud to say that I kept up and was able to write a blog post each day. Even though the posts only had to be 150 words or more, it was still quite a task for me to come up with a topic each day and research enough to write a concise article.
The Carl Art Jewelry Company of Providence RI
The Carl Art company, owned by Carl Schraysshuen, a German immigrant, and American businessman Arthur Loercher, was founded in 1936 in Providence, Rhode Island. Carl had previously been employed by the Speidel Company and is reported to be responsible for creating the twist-o-flex watch band.
What I’m Missing in My Vintage Charm Collection
Yesterday I went through some of my charms and made a list of what I’m in the process of collecting and what I need to complete each theme. And I also decided that I’m going to start collecting Nuvo charms that move. Here’s what I’m missing in my already started collections and these will cost a LOT 🙁
Fitzcharming Collects Starbucks Coffee Mugs
Here’s another of a continuing series of articles about my collections (other than vintage charms). I became interested in Starbucks coffee mugs several years ago when I bought a large 18 ounce Christmas mug at an estate sale. It was a blue snowflake mug and I loved it because it was nice and big and had the cutest little snowflake on the inside rim. I knew if there was one, then there were most certainly more so I searched eBay and found 1) a mate so I would have a pair of the same design, and 2) many, many more collectible Starbucks mugs for sale.
Vintage Trifari Coral Blue and Yellow Cabochon Jewelry
I have a small collection of vintage costume jewelry in addition to my charm bracelets. My favorites are plastic jewelry from the mid twentieth century. Featured is one of my Trifari sets. I’m not sure of the name of the collection but these were made in aqua, coral and yellow colors, all coordinated with opalescent white.
Vintage State Heritage Promotional Charm Bracelets
I’ve written before about promotional vintage Heritage Charm bracelets and at the time I just had a couple of them. Since then I’ve acquired more so I thought I would feature them once again. I’ve included photographs of the Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Illinois bracelets that I’ve added to my collection.
Cultured Pearl Treatments
All cultured pearls are cleaned and polished to enhance the luster before being sold to jewelers. There are additional treatments that are applied to lower quality pearls in order to develop a marketable product. It’s always important to at least ask, and then obtain a guarantee when purchasing pearls, in order to be sure of the investment.
Cultured Pearls and Modern Pearl Farms
Almost all of the pearls sold today are cultured pearls grown on pearl farms. The techniques developed and refined over the last century have allowed modern pearl farmers to produce pearls that conform to specific standards. Natural pearls are less than one percent of those available on the market nowadays.
Cultured Pearls – Birth of the Industry
Pearls have long been a favorite as an embellishment for jewelry and nowadays almost all pearls coming into the market are cultured pearls. Cultured pearls are formed by intentionally inserting a foreign object into a mollusk, typically an oyster, and waiting for the natural process of nacre to build up.
“Antique Sweetheart Jewelry” – A Book Review
This book is the second one written by Nicholas D. Snider on the subject of sweetheart jewelry from WW I and WW II. It is a full sized soft cover book published by Schiffer and it includes a price guide in effect as of 1997. With over 200 color photographs of jewelry, compacts, fabric and paper collectibles, the book shows the human side of war via patriotic mementos exchanged by men and women separated by historic events.
Fitzcharming Collects Salt Glaze Pottery
I fell in love with salt glaze pottery years ago when I lived in North Carolina. There was a store that carried a lot of it, I can’t remember what line, but the beautiful cobalt blue designs on pottery backgrounds caught my fancy right away. I didn’t purchase it at the time because I had four little children and was on a tight budget.
Stanhope Jewelry And How To Care For It
Stanhope ChurchJewelry was a popular theme for Stanhope manufacturers in the 19th and 20th century. Tiny peep photos that one could wear on a neck chain or bracelet entertained people of the era. There were cross pendants and rosaries that held a pinhead sized picture of The Lords Prayer, or Ten Commandments. Churches were also a popular charm Stanhope piece.
Stanhope Lenses – What Are They?
I frequently get this question from readers and customers. The short answer is that a Stanhope is a tiny peep hole, called a lens, containing a micro photograph and inserted into a novelty souvenir. The photo inside these trinkets is the size of a pinhead and has to be held up to a light and close to one’s eye to view the image.
My Vintage Bates and Klinke Charm Collection
I’ve been collecting B&K charms for a while now and have finally finished my first bracelet. It’s a very full and busy bracelet because I put a charm on every link. The four main shapes, scallop, round, art deco, and ships wheel, are all mixed together and there’s no real theme or pattern other than they are all Bates & Klinke souvenir travel charms from all over the Unites States.
June Birthstones – Pearl
The traditional birthstone is Alexandrite but I’m not a fan so I chose to feature the modern June birthstone, which is a pearl. Pearls are formed of course when a tiny grain of sand or mineral gets into an oyster. The oyster responds by secreting a substance called nacre, which layers on until the pearl is created.
The Correct Way To Use A Jewelers Loupe
The proper way to use a jeweler’s loupe is straightforward and easy. Start with a well lit room or natural sunlight and a place to sit down so your hands will be steady. Make sure to clean the piece of jewelry and the lens with a soft cloth to remove surface dirt before viewing. Also put a cloth underneath the work area to keep items from rolling away if you drop them.
What To Look For When Buying A Jewelers Loupe
A jewelers loupe (pronounced loop) is a small magnifying glass that folds into a metal protective case. It’s used to view small jewelry pieces and gems to detect flaws and to read marks that can’t be seen using normal vision. There are several features to consider when purchasing a jeweler’s loupe depending on individual needs.
Stuart Nye Handmade Nature Inspired Jewelry
I’ve had quite a few pieces of Stuart Nye jewelry since I’ve been collecting. The problem with having Nye jewelry is that someone always wants to buy it from me. And I usually sell what I’m wearing for a tidy profit and forget about it until I see another piece that I can’t live without. […]
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