WEC: Thoughts about Jewelry

A silhouette is an image shown as a solid, single colored shape. The interior of a silhouette is usually black and is featureless. A silhouette may be of a person, animal, object or scene. Silhouette portraits in profile were common in the 16th thru 18th centuries and are probably familiar to you. Here's one of Beethoven: From Wikipedia Silhouettes are seen in advertising, as in this vintage example:  From Wikipedia They are used for training in the military to help soldiers identify weapons and machinery as in this example: From Wikipedia And silhouettes are seen in costume jewelry. I hope you enjoy the...

Pearls are the only gemstone which originate from a living creature. Pearls are hard, lustrous spherical masses formed within the shell of an oyster or other bivalve mollusk. Imitation pearls are man-made and created using glass, plastic or mollusk shell as the starter. And pearls are commonly used in costume jewelry. This blog contains photos and trivia about pearls. PEARL FACT: Akoya, or saltwater pearls come from oysters; freshwater pearls usually come from mussels.  NECKLACES Collar with Imitation Pearls in Various Sizes Richelieu Triple Strand Necklace Double Strand of Imitation Pearls with Rhinestone Enhancer Pearl Bib Necklace Trifari Necklace Freshwater Pearls and Labradorite Majorica Pearls...

Elsa Schiaparelli jewelry designs are some of the most sought after and collectible costume jewelry pieces of the 20th century. Schiaparelli used high quality materials, fun color combinations, and wasn't afraid to be whimsical. Her jewelry was cutting-edge, avant-garde design in its day, and is a standard for creativity today. A selection of high fashion jewels by Schiaparelli 1930s - 1950s. Collection BillyBoy Schiaparelli was born in Italy in 1890 and moved to Paris in the 1920s where she opened her first boutique. During World War II, she relocated to New York City and would eventually go back to Paris and then return once again...

Flowers are probably the most popular motif in costume jewelry. Floral jewelry is a great subject for the beginning collector because of the abundance of items in all price ranges. A visit to an antiques and collectibles show and you could easily find a gold flower pin, a 1960s flower power pin, a contemporary floral necklace and everything in between.       From left to right: Gold and Enamel Pin, 1960s Enamel Pieces, Kate Spade Necklace       From left to right: Toshikane Bracelet, Vrba Necklace, Sandor Earrings Today I'm focusing on photos of floral arrangements -- flowers in vases, baskets...

Kobe, the sixth largest city in Japan, is world-famous for its exported delicacy, Wagyu beef. But there's another product that hails from Kobe - Kobe Charms. They are little treasures made of celluloid with pop-out eyes. These delightful charms were made in the late 1920s through the 1930s. They come in hundreds of shapes and colors with many of the most popular based on traditional Japanese designs, including temples, lanterns and Daruma (a figure without arms or legs). Equally popular are the western motifs such as totem poles, Mickey Mouse (go figure!), animals, and ghosts. The common element is the pop-out...

The ring can be found in every period historically from Ancient Greece, Egypt and Rome up to the 21th century. They are seen in haute couture fashion shows and on the shelves in department stores. There are signet rings, wedding rings and bands, solitaire rings and devotional rings. The focus for this blog is statement and fashion rings. Readily available in the secondary marketplace; rings are priced from dirt cheap to budget-busting. I've divided my photos into categories; silver rings, costume rings, animal rings, flower rings, other and novelty rings, gold rings and men's rings. Each section has a variety of photos. I hope you enjoy looking through...

Hollycraft Jewelry was made by Hollywood Jewelry Manufacturing Company. The company was founded by cousins Joseph Chobajian and Jack Hazard. They were located in New York City and manufactured jewelry from 1948 through 1971 under their own brand as well as producing some pieces for other companies include Weiss and Pakula.Hollycraft is a popular collectible and pieces can be found in the secondary market. Hollycraft is often recognizable at a glance because of the company's signature use of small, often pastel, rhinestones set in antique gold tone metal. These elements are seen in a great number of Hollycraft designs. The stones were usually glued...

Symbols of good luck are found in cultures around the world. Costume jewelry designers, taking their cues from these superstitions, feature good luck symbols in many of their designs. Looking through my photo archives, I found examples of many of the more common motifs. HORSESHOES To be lucky, a horseshoe can point up or down. An upwards pointing horseshoe collects good luck; a downwards pointing horseshoe showers you with luck. Either way, it's a popular good luck symbol. The symbolism dates to the 10th century and the legend of Saint Dunstan who trapped the devil with a horseshoe. OK, I buy that. ...

Earlier today, I happened upon a Facebook post telling me it was National Punctuation Day. Though I've not been able to determine what organization sponsors the festive event, I think it makes for a blog opportunity.  The English language has fourteen primary punctuation marks. Comma Semi-Colon Colon Dash Hyphen Brackets Braces Parentheses Apostrophe Quotation Mark Ellipse Exclamation Period Question Mark A quick search of my jewelry photos results in a few pieces with flourishes resembling question marks. So, in honor of the day, I present my Question Mark Jewelry. QUESTION MARKSSilver Stick Pin by Miller Gold Filled Locket by S&BL Plastic Pin...

Miriam Haskell was a 20th century American costume jewelry designer whose work complimented high fashion of the day. She opened her first jewelry store in New York City in 1926 and produced jewelry through the 1960s. Haskell's creative director, Frank Hess, is usually credited as her main designer. There is some evidence that they worked in tandem, but whatever the creative breakdown, Hess was the man behind the woman. And together they created costume jewelry for celebrities and high society women. One of her most loyal celebrity customers was Joan Crawford and it is thought that Crawford owned nearly every Haskell design....