Congratulations - A royal wedding

Well at long last the announcement of the Royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Already the souvenir mugs and plates have been produced by the Stoke on Trent potteries, and the popularity of sapphire engagement rings has increased.

 

Vintage bone china brooch in a gorgeous lilac colour - very unusual

Lets just hope that the wedding day weather is not like today - cold wet and raining!!

 Sapphire blue vintage filigree brooch

vintage crystal dropper clip earrings

Double strand crystal glass vintage necklace

More gorgeous jewellery has been added over the last few days to Jewels and Finery and of course more to come....  

Joy Christmas vintage brooch

Washing and Rainy Days

 Jane Elizabeth Johnson (Ward) 1874 - 1950)

As I picked up the pile of washing to put away I could not help thinking on how lucky I was. What brought this on was 5 days without my tumble dryer. I do love technology unless it goes wrong!


In the late Victorian era and up to her death in 1950, my great grandmother was not so lucky. A day of washing per week. Living in back to back houses for most of her life with 8 children and a violent coal miner husband, who was either down the mine, drinking in the pub or beating the living daylights out of her. She would boil the water, wash all the clothing by hand, mangle the water out and dry. If the sun shone she would be able to dry them on the line otherwise it was on the dryer in front of the coal fire.

 Jane married Robert Ward - Stafford 6Th January 1902

Every time she became pregnant she left him and walked between Yorkshire, Shropshire, Stafford and Birmingham. Her children survived pregnancy and one day he arrived home from the pub intent on another argument. What he had not noticed was that his sons had grown up. Now able to fight back, they threw him from the house and my great nan lived her days in peace. There was no divorce in those days.

Blackpool with Jane Ward, Nell (Beatrice) Ward and my mom early 1940s

So the washing neatly stacked away and I counting my lucky stars that I was born almost a hundred years later. Here are a few jewels full of brightness and sunshine to drive away the rain and thunder storms that have made the last few days dark and dismal and an absolute pain to hang washing out to dry.

   

Vintage jewellery and Pre Owned jewellery

Gardener's World Show NEC visit

Took a day out and Mark and I went to the NEC, just a short car ride to visit the Gardener's World show.
The sun shone all day - a novelty as it has rained nearly every time I have gone previously.

Loads of stall on gardening paraphernalia, a huge marque of plants and flowers, show gardens and food stalls to taste and buy both foods and drinks

This was the first time I had not drove to the event and so it was nice to be able to sample some of the drinks - ginger beer alcoholic drink, damson gins and try some of the most tastiest sausages and cheeses.

Here are some of the gardens on show

 
The first photograph is the Gardener's World's garden Greenacre full of edible plants

The second again is Greenacre with the cottage garden planting. have always loved the informal planting in a cottage garden

The third photograph is Alice in biodiversity land designed by Solihull school pupils

The fourth is a peaceful garden with a waterfall and a natural feel

The fifth photograph is the footballers one - see those giant footballs!

The sixth is also the footballers garden with the large BBQ and an outdoor jacuzzi - didn't like the football theme but that jacuzzi oh yes.

The seventh is an Indian inspired garden of peace and tranquility - loved the floral petals and colours in this one.

The eighth photograph is by the children of Walmley junior school, Sutton Coldfield. Back to nature. the children were so excited and were showing their enthusiasm at the show.

The ninth  and last photograph of a garden called The Growing Fit Garden. At the back is a set of kettles. Now the only reason I know this is because there is one in the middle of my living room floor at the moment. Curtsy of my oldest son. Delivered the other day and too heavy for me to lift. Still when he looses interest in it, I am sure it will make a great door stopper!!

Back to Jewels - recently added vintage jewellery and pre owned contemporary jewellery

Two black love cats brooch

Enameled insect brooch

Vintage necklace bead slices and chain

Changes To Jewels and Finery May 2010

For a long time now, Mark and I have though that the website Jewels and Finery - selling antique, vintage jewellery, beads, buttons and vintage craft supplies should actually be better as two sites.

So we have now decided to separate the website to antique, vintage and pre owned jewellery and have another website for vintage beads, buttons and findings with vintage craft books and patterns also.This site we also intend in time to have more findings and stones to repair or make jewellery.

www.jewelsandfinery.co.uk 

 

www.jewelsandfinerycraft.co.uk

Having just opened the website there is little to see at present and you will be unable to purchase for a short while. So we are now busy sorting out the two websites and are really excited about the changes.

For the time being we are only adding jewellery to jewels and finery. So here are a few adds this week

A great just vintage brooch from the eighties in an enamel cloisonne design. Peony flowers that are just growing like crazy in the garden at present to bloom in early summer (if we ever have a summer)

This is just one of several vintage clear crystal glass necklaces that we have to add in the next week. The beads are swarovski as the colours and quality are excellent. When worn this necklace catches the light and reflects so many different colours. They are ideal for parties, barbecues and of course wedding jewellery.

Of course nothing goes right when you have so much to do and the emails are not going out from Jewels and Finery. So trying to get that fixed as soon as possible.Then there is the garden to cosset into some sort of order and of course sitting with daughter when driving - she is fine now and understands my anxieties (helped by the fact her dad said the same thing!)    

Happy Mother's day

  

Vintage jewellery brooch for a mother

Good Morning

Mothers Day 2010

The sun is shinning here in the UK and it is actually fairly warmer than late.

Spring I think is appearing at last!

Not jewellery related, but thought you might want to see the large heron that sits on one of the trees in the garden almost every day at about 5pm.

I am five foot three inches and this bird is as tall as my waist. Yes caught him once in the garden just after we moved in. He was walking around our small garden pond. Since then our ponds have been heron proofed.
Bit of a shock as did not expect to see a heron in a suburbia back garden. Unable to photograph him with his wings out, as couldn't hold my arms up long enough. Not been too well lately.

This is what he is looking at and there is another pond next door.

We often have dragonfly appear in the summer in various colours and sizes. Just amazing how they find the ponds. One spring we moved the small pond at the bottom of the garden and found a dragonfly flitting over the old pond site in the summer. It must have been there before!
I have several dragonfly brooches that I love. We have added about 4 different ones last week to jewels and Finery. Along with a few insect or bug jewellery 

Green dragonfly brooch - large- pre owned

Vintage jewel bug brooch

We are slowly adding more items to our site. We have vintage necklaces, bracelets, earrings. Vintage beads, finding and buttons. Also vintage patterns ready to add soon.

Dating Vintage Jewellery - Clasps on Necklaces & Bracelets

Just a quick tip for dating vintage 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 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...

 

To be added shortly 

Vintage faux jade bracelet Seventies

 

Diamante leaf brooch  

 

Bright wood vintage necklace

That's all for this Saturday morning. Take care

 

Finding Vintage Jewellery - What To Look For

When buying vintage costume jewellery, I would like to share with you what I look for in a piece before buying to wear.
First when browsing through a large selection - I pick up the piece that catches my eye most. It may be something I recognize, such as a known Exquisite or Miracle brooch or just jewellery that has caught my eye. I especially like bold glittering pieces or vintage plastic kitsch. Cameos, fantasy and animal designed jewellery; as well as filigree and the bright enameled pot metal jewellery from the thirties.

I study the front of the brooch or necklace, at this stage I am looking for any damage. Are all the stones present, is the clasp still there and can I see any parts missing?
Now my eyes are not what they used to be and although I use a jeweler's loop using a pocket magnifier is just as good for this stage. Have a good look at all the stones, sometimes small missing stones are difficult to see. Then look at the stones together - are they all matching and have any been replaced. Look around the jewellery are any parts missing such as an empty loop at the bottom of a brooch or missing links that have been repaired but visible on closer inspection. If a piece of vintage jewellery is enameled are there any chips, if so how much damage is there to the piece.  Does the surface have any scratches and has the plating worn to show the base metal beneath?

Mock pearl vintage necklaces are plentiful but extra care needs to be applied. Handling the beads will soon tell you how much cleaning need to be made before they can be worn or used for making jewellery. The only way I can describe faux pearl beads that need an awful lot of cleaning is sticky! The colour is also dull or sometimes a brown shade rather than the luster cream colour that they once were!
If the jewellery has mock pearl bead decoration - assess how much if any have the beads peeled. Once peeling starts, the beads can be difficult to clean or wear without additional peeling occurring. Peeling at the clasp is not as noticeable as if the beads on full view have peeled 
For necklaces and bracelets check the clasp are in good working order and are the stones or beads all there if the clasp is decorated . Apply gentle pressure (so as not to break the jewellery) to make sure it does not spring open, which will happen when worn if the clasp is faulty.

It is very important to view the back of the piece of jewellery. In the first instant you are looking for damage.
In a brooch - is the clasp present! Its surprising how many brooches I have seen that can not be worn!
Check the clasp locks correctly by opening and shutting the pin several times. Is there any other damage - such as a missing loop (some brooches can be converted to a necklace and sometimes the loop for this has broken off) If the stones have an open back - is the coating over the stone intact or scratched as this will effect the view from the front. Again how much wear is there to the plating and if there is can it be seen from the front?

One of the main reasons for checking the back of a piece of vintage jewellery is to see if it is marked. Obviously for gold and silver jewellery the hallmark should be present and readable. Do not take a dealers word that the jewellery is gold or silver. By law any reputable dealer will have had the piece hallmarked for resale or will not sell as gold or silver but gold coloured metal, etc and at a lower price. Take a look at reputable jewellery auction for many examples, at their descriptions for jewellery that probably is gold or silver but by law can not be sold as such here in the UK. For more information have a look at the Birmingham Assay Office's website

As a dealer of vintage and second hand costume jewellery I am more interested in the makers mark. The use of a jeweler's loop or magnifying glass is very handy here. 
The best website on the web for a huge range of international marks and their identification is Illusion Jewels 
For identifying Juliana or D & E (DeLizza and Elster) jewellery visit Cranberry Manor's blog
Also now available are many books on Sarah Coventry/ Eammons and Avon vintage jewellery.

From the time I have picked up the piece of jewellery to completing an examination for condition and manufacturer, I will have already gauged the age of it. Already I have a previous blog on aurora borealis for dating and on our website Jewels and Finery many of the descriptions explain why the age is such.
Certain maker's and designer marks will also give an age estimate due to when they were in business, as well as information on when that jewellery was made from the different marks used in set years; and you may be lucky to find the actual year of production in books, catalogues and adverts.
This blog will over the next few months be looking at dating in more detail, so bookmark please.

Vintage costume jewellery is to be enjoyed and either worn, collected or displayed in the home. This blog has been written to assist you in choosing carefully.