Halloween 2010 & figural jewellery collection

This year I started collecting Halloween and witch figural vintage jewellery. I already had a simple witch on a broomstick brooch, when I saw a new brooch by Kirks Folly and had to buy it.
Now I have 4 brooches in total, some new and some older but not yet vintage. Here is my collection.

 Kirks Folly Wicked Season of the Witch brooch

A little second hand witches cat brooch

Second hand enamel witch on broomstick brooch

 Cat on pumpkin - new brooch

I have had various comments from just admiration at the brooches to "Are you a witch" said with all seriousness.
To my daughter who found it strange that I would want to buy a brooch to wear for a few weeks each year. 

There are many Halloween themed jewellery available - from vintage to second hand. The most renowned maker for availability here in the UK is JJ or "The Jonette Jewelry Company" that have produced whimsical designs from 1935 up until recently. So sorry but you will only find black and Gothic vintage jewellery for sale only on our website

The last one of a cat has reminded me to show the latest photograph of Marla. Who in my last blog had her teeth removed. She is still left with the 4 front ones and very back teeth. Which she had polished and cleaned.

She was asleep when I went to take this but woke and is eying me suspiciously!!

So have a happy Halloween

From the Weaver Family and from Ufton - who did not want to get dressed up and have his photograph taken. That was until I balanced a biscuit on the table!!  

Vist to the vets with cat & cat jewellery

We have always had animals. At the moment we have 2 cats and a dog. Not to mention the pond full of assorted fish.
On Monday night, we noticed that one of the cats was having difficulty eating. So yesterday off to the vets we went and as thought, the rest of her teeth need removing, all but a couple at the back and the 4 front ones.
She is the only one of all our cats that has had this trouble and I believe its because she was a bit too young to be taken from her mother.

Marla - Taken a few years ago now

Cats have been the subject of ornaments and jewellery since ancient times. The Egyptians adored and worshiped them. Though they do try your patience, when they bring a live mouse in and promptly loose it under the settee!

Here are a few vintage brooches on our website - just for fun

 Egyptian looking black love cats - pre owned brooch

This is a vintage souvenir brooch from the 1960s/1970s. Glitter metallic under a layer of clear enamel on a brass/gold coloured setting. Made in all shapes, colours and sizes, and are easy to collect.

The Jonette Jewelry company made many cat brooches. This one has a articulated tail and moves. many made in a pewter metal and in all shapes and sizes.Again another type of cat brooches (signed JJ) that are fun and easy to collect.

A modern second hand cat brooch.

One that I do not have photographed that are similar to JJ is the company Mali - they have made many chunky cat brooches in the cartoon style.

Will have to take more recent photographs of our cats to show - but off to the vets soon with a sulking cat because I won't let her go out!! 

Necklaces from Hong Kong

Okay when the bead necklaces from Hong Kong came out in the 1970s, they irritated me. Okay they were cheap and even at that teenage age I realised that it would damage our own jewellery industry. I was right (as always she says modestly LOL) By the eighties we had lost so many manufacturers or they changed ownership and down sized - Exquisite, Hollywood, Ciro Pearls to name a couple....
Not only in this country but world wide - cheap imports left many companies unable to compete.

 

They were very much 1950s style with their double and treble strands, which to me a youngster was a no no. However by my twenties I often wore necklace and jewellery that had been made in the 1950s. Yes there were many older women still wearing their original bead necklaces in the seventies. My mom and nan were and they did seem old to me then (even though my mother was only in her thirties!)

Anyway I digress. Looking at the beads 40 or so years on. The different and variety does not compare to beads available (unless hand made) today. The majority are made of plastic in many different shapes either dyed or coated with a bright colourful enamel

Jewellery style is what you make it. Never one to follow fashion, just wear them on their own or with several layers of necklaces.

The ones that have been damaged can be taken apart and the beads salvaged for up cycling, as they are so different. The coating can peel off and careful storage is recommended in a well ventilated jewellery box. Not hung up which can weaken the thread of strung necklaces.
Matching earrings were also made for some of the Hong Kong necklaces. Some are still source able today.

Ciro Pearls Jewellery Vintage Adverts from 1938

One Saturday a few months ago, my daughter offered to take me to an antique fair. She found it odd that I would want to go through a load of old magazines and leaflets. What could be so interesting in them?

Well these adverts for one. Found in a November 1938 edition of Weldon's Ladies' Journal. The magazine had 3 Ciro Pearls advertisements on different pages.
They should enlarge when clicked on to be able to read.

Adverts are ideal for dating vintage jewellery.  So to find 3 different ones is very good.

Here are some latest additions to our websites.

Sparkling rhinestone brooch with Austrian crystal in amber and bright clear colours.

Clear diamante screw back earrings that dangle and drop just right.

Black bow brooch with a silver glitter finish circa 1980s.

Jewellery for Autumn and the fall

The sun is still shinning - here in Solihull in the UK. But colder Autumn and fall weather is suppose to be on the way!
Leaves are falling and nature is preparing for the winter. Think this one will be bad as the bushes have been heavy with berries and quite early this year!

So here's some vintage jewellery to wear over the next few months.

Yes nearly conker time again. Great fun as a child throwing up sticks in the local park to bring the conkers down. Hear that some areas have banned this due to health and safety!! But you soon learn that if you throw a stick straight up and then stand under it. Both stick and a load of conkers hit you on the head!!

Collect fir cones over the year and store for Christmas, either glue some glitter on or spray silver or gold. They are great for adding to floral arrangements as Christmas decorations.

Another childhood memory was throwing up the seeds in their case from the sycamore or maple tree. they acted like helicopters and whirled back to earth. Used to see who could throw the highest.

Have to say that Exquisite made some great leaf brooches that are not made today. that are ideal for Autumn wear

And last but not least some Autumn beads for craft projects

Now off to take a few photographs while the weather lasts.......

A vintage jewel of eighteen

This time eighteen years ago I was waddling around with a huge lump in front of me. You could not actually tell I was pregnant until I turned around!

Now that lump is eighteen and my baby no more - although I think she has never been a baby for many years as she is nearly always mature and acted older for her age

So this week we will be celebrating - have you noticed birthdays no longer last one day but most of the week and all of the weekend! Well they seem to do in this house. 

We have been busy adding many pieces of vintage jewellery last week including lots of brooches suitable for autumn

Vintage brooch by Exquisite

Vintage blue brooch by Hollywood

Vintage sycamore maple brooch by Exquisite 

Egyptian Revival Jewellery

Egyptian Revival jewellery showcased.

So have decided to show some of the Egyptian revival jewellery that I collect. Originally many pieces of jewellery were produced in the first half of the twentieth century when the tombs of the pharaohs were being excavated. In the early 1970s there was another revival of vintage Egyptian jewellery, when the Tutankhamen exhibition went on tour around the world. Antique jewellery from Egypt has been around for centuries as the people adored themselves with silver, gold and precious and semi precious stones.

  This is a modern Egyptian revival bracelet. Nicely engraved with Egyptian themes

Have a collection of vintage bracelets with the different links and a dangle with the hand of Fatima. Islamic symbols and ancient Egyptian symbols mixed together in these souvenir bracelets made for the tourist trade.
In 800 silver and silver plate metal.

Wore the bracelet with the turquoise scarabs to drive. In just a short distance managed to knock one of them and loose the head! So now on the look out for a matching replacement. the green plastic cabochon should be easy to replace - when I have the time.

A selection of Egyptian brooches, some vintage and some second hand. The large scarab brooch is by Exquisite made in 1972, for the Tutankhamen tour. Not marked Exquisite but Tutankhamen. The ring is also from Exquisite. Below are a selection of rings.

Necklaces both vintage with an Egyptian and eastern theme. Again in my own collection

Vintage turquoise chip necklace

Next blog I will review the book Egyptian Revival: Jewels and Design by Dale Nicholls with Shelly Foote & Robin Allison