Re - Enameling Vintage Jewellery Part 2

Just an update on some of the jewellery that I have now re-enameled. In my last post on this subject, I had just started to try out my enameling skills! Not the greatest painter in the world LOL
Anyhow here are a few brooches that I have since painted.
Still the only female in our local model shop and have slowly brought more colours to my enameling tin for use.

 

This is a large vintage snowdrop brooch from Exquisite. the snowdrop flower is part of the Birthday Series and this is January

 

The violet brooch again part of the vintage jewellery range produced by Exquisite (1914 to 1979)

Another vintage brooch by Exquisite. This one is the Christmas (December) flower in the Birthday Series

 

One of the Leaf Series with their fruit pieces of jewellery from Exquisite. The name of this brooch escapes me at the moment - having brain lag and the need to do this blog in 5 minutes flat!

This is the smaller version of the Snowdrop vintage brooch by Exquisite

This plastic brooch was an experiment. It looked as thought it had a chip out of it. So have tried painting some of the parts. Will now need to buy some flesh coloured enamel to complete.

Two coats are better, leaving to dry well in between as the colour does not chip off so easily then.

All these brooches I will be keeping for myself, but this is just to give an idea on what you can achieve - especially if you are more an artist than I - Have fun

Vintage jewellery available on Jewels and Finery that is enameled.

That's all I have time for now - off to our first jumble sale of the years. Love jumble sales, you never know what you will find, books, material for patchwork and crazy quilting, embroidered and crochet table covers and lots more.   

Dating Jewellery - Clasps on Necklaces & Bracelets

Just a quick tip for dating jewellery. When you inspect a necklace or bracelet. It is useful to look at the clasp. A circular clasp that opens with a small lever was used from the thirties to the late eighties and into the nineties. But was more predominantly in sixties to eighties jewellery.

Obviously there is an overlap of different components used and you must bear in mind that sometimes a broken clasp will be replaced with a more modern version. Also this type of clasp is still sold today and may be used by some jewellery makers.
So you will need to date the whole necklace or bracelet generally.
Around about the late eighties to early nineties, the lobster style or claw clasp came into use.

Now used extensively on new jewellery manufactured.
Other clasps will be discussed at a later date on this blog

Newly added to jewels and Finery is this ornate vintage poison ring -sold

We have added several vintage brooches including a bright colourful thirties basket brooch and a vintage turtle brooch

                                                     

Mirella by WAP Watson

I have written several articles on Exquisite jewellery by WAP Watson and soon will publish further information
But the company also produced the Myths and Magic range as well as the lesser know range of mirrors and trinkets called Mirella.
The Mirella range was named after an employer of the company. I have only been looking for Mirella items in the last couple of months, but both the pieces I found are marked, so easy to identify.

 

  

Interesting small trinket box in a gold metal and red velvet style pin cushion material. Topped with a poodle holding a faux pearl.

In very good condition and has the Mirella signature on the bottom

The other item is a hand held mirror

The mirror is decorated with faux pearl beads and a faux turquoise stone. Also in a heavy gold metal and in good condition with slight rubbing to the gold plate.

The mirror is signed "Made in England" on the top of the handle on one side.

And the Mirella signature on the other side of the handle.

This design was popular as I have had a lady previously contact me regarding Mirella pieces and this was the one she had. At the time I estimated this as being produced in the late seventies. But at present I am not sure how long this range was manufactured for?

WAP Watson also produced a range of souvenir spoons and associated items. Now I am a closeted spoon collector as well but don't tell anyone. Unfortunately I now collect so many things this house is bulging!

The spoon collecting started in the seventies when my pen friend Nancy came over from the US. We went to all the tourist places and she collected souvenir thimbles, so I started to buy a few spoons and got hooked. 

Now I just buy the occasional one or two that are special. This collection now runs into hundreds, but I have not counted for a long time. So now is the time to dig the Exquisite one's out and get photographing as some are quite old.

Been a bit slow adding more items to Jewels and Finery but here are a few...

 

Vintage faux jade bracelet Seventies

That's all for this Saturday morning. Take care

Valentine's Day 2010

Valentine's day is essentially for the young or unattached. The thrill of receiving your first Valentine card from an admirer is wonderful and you spend the day on a high.
As the years pass by - when you are married or in a long term relationship. It either becomes a day that is like any other and each of you take no notice of this day of love. Or it becomes a time that each shows that they still care by sending a card or flowers or a small present.

I am very lucky and my husband of 23 years, will tell me almost daily that he still loves me. He is my best friend and I would be lost without him.

Today he sent me a couple of bunches of flowers. These were added to the bunch of daffodils he gave me on Friday.

We spent the morning together as usual on a Sunday. Then back to visiting parents and completing the Sunday chores ready for work on Monday. We would much rather go out for a meal together, when it is quieter and less rushed. Also I have been increasingly tired since last week and I am hoping that I do not have another relapse. So rest is essential at the moment.

Red is the colour of attraction and it is said that if you wear red you are more likely to attract attention.

Butler& Wilson 40th Anniversary - Jewellery book review.

I hinted like mad that I would like the Butler & Wilson 40th Anniversary book for Christmas. But to no avail. I had told myself that if I did not receive it, I would buy it anyway in January. So I did!

No longer available on Amazon, I ordered it direct from Butler & Wilson's website. It is one of the most expensive jewellery books I have brought new to date! But some of the proceeds do go to the Breast Cancer Care Charity. The reason for this charity choice was their shop was within walking distance of a cancer unit in London. Many of the women would pop into the shop to purchase a piece of jewellery to "cheer themselves up"
It is certainly something that I have done, buying more vintage costume jewellery in the last 4 years than ever before.

The book is also one of my largest - it does not fit onto the bookcase! So I have kept it in the cardboard box and it has to go on the top shelf unfortunately.

You will not be disappointed with page after page of beautiful jewellery with each section having the history and some detail of the jewellery sold. But for me there was not enough information on the individual pieces of jewellery for dating purposes. Also the photographs are very artistic and taken by many famous photographers but they are ones for magazines and do not necessarily show the jewellery at its best.

Out of the D& E book and this one, I have to say I preferred the D & E book. However my 17 year old daughter liked the Butler & Wilson book the best. We have similar tastes and she "borrows" my vintage jewellery regularly.

I have an American Indian brooch by Butler & Wilson that has a stone missing. It is in my "to repair" box. Its from the 1990s and one that will end up in my (our) jewellery box once repaired. So if anyone has this stone I would be grateful

 

Here is a few brooches signed available on Jewels and Finery: A joy brooch in red, Avon glace cameo brooch, filigree metal butterfly brooch in a fine gold tone look.

More dating jewellery and book reviews soon. Also an update on Exquisite jewellery. So bye for now

Dating Vintage Jewellery - Ring Band

Just a quick blog today. Dating vintage costume jewellery is something that can be quite easy or can be complex. This is an easy way to date a piece to within a 30 year period. I am a member of many jewellery discussion boards and would recommend joining. This information I discovered from the Yahoo group "The Jewelry Ring".

This ring band I had never seen before. The rest of the ring looked to date from around the 1930s, but I was not sure. The band is very distinct.

 

  

The band is flattened wire bent to fit a finger but with a wide opening and soldered to the underside of the main body of the ring. The ring actually dates to between 1900 and the 1920s. 

The above ring has been sold but here is a few that are still available

 

Marcasite and Amber Glass Ring  

 

Vintage Amethyst Glass Ring  

Vintage Coral Avon Ring  

Red Black Diamante Ring  

Just a few of the original vintage and vintage modern costume jewellery available from Jewels and Finery