Category: All About Old Jewelry
A Lesson On Basse-Taille Enameling For Jewelry
I learn new things about jewelry all the time. Today I learned about Basse-Taille, a jewelry design technique used to enamel jewelry. Join me as I share my research and some pretty pictures of Basse-Taille enameled jewelry.
BMCo Vintage Souvenir Enamel Charms
BMCo made a vast assortment of pretty enamel charms that are still found for sale on auction sites like eBay today. The ones I’ve seen are primarily souvenirs from Canada but there are also quite a few Caribbean Island travel charms and some from Bermuda. I decided to find out what I could about the BMCo charm maker.
What is Poured Glass Jewelry?
If you search the vintage costume jewelry listings on eBay or Ruby Lane you will no doubt see quite a few with the term “Poured Glass” in the title or description. For those new to collecting read on to find a summary of what to expect when you purchase a piece of poured glass jewelry.
Rising Silver Prices Scare Me
What scars me is that as the price of sterling silver skyrockets, and the economy stays in the tank, more and more people are scrapping their family heirlooms for quick cash. Right at this very minute there are probably hundreds of thousands of vintage charms sitting in scrap silver bins all over the country. Collectible charms made by Cini, Walter Lampl, Nuvo, and other great silver artisans ready to be melted and lost forever. This is the perfect time to start a vintage charm bracelet collection, as a matter of fact it may only get harder in the future.
Antique Chatelaines And Their History
Usually attached to a pocket or belt at the waist, chatelaines had chains with a swivel hook at the end of each to hang tools necessary to deal with problems that arose during the daily upkeep of the house. Some items typically found on a chatelaine are keys, a small notebook, pill bottles, eyeglasses, writing instruments, scissors, or a watch, to name a few.
Historical and Ancient Charm Meanings
People have adorned themselves with jewelry since ancient times. Throughout history jewelry represented specific values or beliefs, and wasn’t necessarily worn for decoration. Find out what some of these ancient trinkets mean.
Egyptian Scarab Beetle Jewelry
The golden age of modern scarab beetle jewelry was the 1950′s when they were used as carved stones in bracelets, earring, pendants, and rings. The Van Dell jewelry company made a wide range of scarab jewelry which was very popular. Since that time Scarabs have fallen out of favor as a fashion accessory. Lately however [...]
Mexican Silver Jewelry
Some of the highest quality and most beautiful jewelry of the 20th century was created in Mexico and the country is still producing exceptional pieces today. The hub of silver jewelry creation in Mexico was in the city of Taxco, where many fine silversmiths fine tuned their craft. Taxco is located between Acapulco and Mexico City, and is home to one of the oldest silver mines in the Americas.
Cini Sterling Silver Vintage Charms and Jewelry
The Cini Jewelry Company makes some of the most intricate and popular vintage jewelry available. I’ve started a collection of Cini Zodiac charms and I’ve also sold a few Cini vintage silver pins so I decided to see what I could find out about them.
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.
“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.
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.
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. [...]
“Mid-Century Plastic Jewelry” – A Book Review
Mid Century Plastic Jewelry“Mid Century Plastic Jewelry” is a soft cover book published by Schiffer in 2005. The author, Susan Maxine Klein, and photographer, Jori Klein, have done a remarkable job of packing the book with details of the evolution of plastic costume jewelry from its beginnings in the early 20th century to the present time. As the interest in costume jewelry grows I expect this book to be a staple in any collectors’ library.
Collecting Vintage Silver and Enamel Travel Shield Charms
Vintage souvenir travel shield charms are highly collectible today. Most travel shield charms have enameled pictures of landmarks, animals, flowers, or birds, along with the name of the travel destination on the front. They are quite inexpensive and it’s a great way to get introduced to the world of charm collecting.
Vintage Charm Collector Spotlight – Sandy Weinstein
I’m adding a new component to my vintage charm bracelet collector’s blog. Every now and again I’ll be featuring a charmer who has been influential to me on my charm collecting journey. My inaugural article introduces Sandy Weinstein of A Genuine Find.
Charms To Collect – Why $449 ?
Does anybody know why this book is so expensive? I’ve been watching it for several years and it’s always been like this. It’s not even a hardback. Early on I saw it on Amazon for around $60 and I should have bought it but I didn’t.
Evil Eye Beads and Jewelry – History, Meaning, and Lore
There are many different colored evil eye beads used in jewelry, and they are worn as a fashion accessory as well as a good luck charm. Usually in the form of a single eye image set in a blue background, evil eye beads have a long history of protecting the bearer from jealous and greedy gazes.
The Beauty of Bohemian Garnet Jewelry
Bohemian Garnets are a unique type of gemstone which are mined almost exclusively in the mountains of the former Bohemian empire, now part of the Czech Republic. Valued for their fiery red beauty and clarity, Bohemian Garnets are used extensively in jewelry.
Snapeez® Magic Charm Bracelet Jump Rings – Are They Secure?
I get this question all the time from my ebay customers. And I always respond with the same truthful answer.
Fort of Providence Rhode Island Charms
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.
Vintage Nuvo British Charms
Nuvo was a British jewelry company that produced some of the most beautifully detailed and well crafted charms during the 1950′s through the late 1970′s. Their specialty was sterling silver three dimensional and moving charms, although they did make some 9K gold charms. Occasionally one can find vintage Nuvo charms containing colored crystals, like the frog charm in my photo.
Vintage Beau – Beaucraft Charms
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 [...]
