Vintage Treasures

My Three Pretties

2008-11-27T06:09:00.000-08:00

I found 3 new pretties yesterday. They aren't jewelry but they are just as cool!

A 1940's handbeaded purse tagged Handmade in France. Gorgeous and exquisite, isn't she? Very few beads are missing and all the beads are handsewn, not glued. She has a clamp style opening with a beaded strap. Very pretty satin lining with very little discoloration. Somebody took care of this little pretty.

A very very lovely handbeaded satin purse "made in Hong Kong". She has a chain strap that either doubles over to carry under your upper arm or make the chain longer and she drapes to your ribs. Absolutely gorgeous and in great condition!

And last but definitely NOT least! This gorgeous black rouched bag by JR with the coin purse still attached with a snake cord! Circa 1940's Perfect for your New Year's Eve date!

A question about vintage...

2008-11-26T19:39:00.000-08:00

I was asked this question today...

"Why do you like old stuff so much?"

I knew immediately what I wanted to say - but I stopped and thought about it for a minute.

And I realized that there is not just one answer to that question.

I realized today that my love for vintage comes from many things-

1. Visiting my Grandma as a child and seeing all her pretties. She is a military wife/mom and she lived all over the world. She has beautiful kimonos from Japan, depression glass from her years growing up, jewelry from all over the world, and a myriad of other items. I was endlessly fascinated every time I visited.

2. The durability of vintage items. Older items were made to last. People couldn't afford to run to Wal-Mart and buy something everytime theirs broke. So things were made to last and last and last.

3. The history of things. Where did it come from? Who first owned it? Why did they sell it? Did she save pennies for months just to buy this one dish for her table? Did she work at Woolworth for years to buy her Coro brooch?

4. The uniqueness. While many items were made in large quantities (depression glass), they were all still slightly different. An air bubble here, a machining mark there, each has its own story of how it was made, and I want to know that story.

5. Recycyling. When you purchase a vintage item, you are preventing it from ending up in a landfill. Think how much prettier that Art Deco bracelet is on your wrist or a friends' verses thrown away.

6. And my last reason? Just because! Vintage is beautiful! Vintage is fun, its creativity, its vitality, and its beauty.

So that's why I love vintage.

Why do you?

There's a Vintage Market Sale going on!

2008-11-02T02:10:00.001-08:00

New day, new style

2008-02-03T04:35:00.000-08:00

I recently purchased Costume Jewelry 101 and 202. I am really enjoying vintage jewelry and love to find the history behind each piece.

I'm slowly updating my collection. I found a HUGE 1930's cloisonne heart pendant and a 5-strand aurora borealis (circa 1950's) aspirin shaped beaded stunning necklace. Here's some pics of them.

But now I'm moving into watermelon rhinestones, demis, and Juliana style. I managed to get my hands on a Juliana Demi and a 1940's Goldstone Demi and I can't wait to actually touch them! It's almost orgasmic!

One collector I've found interesting and I'm looking for 9 of the 12 pieces. I have 3 of them. Crown Trifari's 1970's Zodiac pendants. They are so hard to find! But I'm working on finding the other 9. Wish me luck!

And while I know Graziano is from the HSN and is not considered vintage, I have this beautiful butterfly brooch that I think I'll keep for a while. Is it not beautiful? Large aquamarine upper wings with an amethyst centered stone and fire opals (not sure if they are real or not) as the lower body. It is beautifully designed and centered.

Pools of Light

2008-01-15T15:28:00.000-08:00

I've recently acquired a Pool of Light bracelet and necklace/choker. I've been reading quite a bit about them and find them fascinating. Here's some of what I've found:

For thousands of years this optically clear quartz has been used as gemstones because of its enchanting ability to absorb and affect light. Possessing the property of double refraction (where images viewed through them appear upside-down and reversed) these works of art are from turn of the century and are increasingly more difficult to find, especially in wearable condition. Pools of light jewelry were believed to have a magical and mystical effect on the wearer.

I find them quite beautiful. I looked through my bracelet's orbs and everything does appear upside down. It's quite fascinating!

Here's some more info on Pools of Light:

Pools of light jewelry carries a mystique all its own. The ancient Chinese held the belief that the chi of good luck resided within each bead, and if drilled would escape. As a result the orbs that make up "pools of light" are solid and joined using wraps usually made of silver.

All of the information I've found says that Pool of Light jewelry is pre-1930's. If anyone has heard anything different, please let me know.

I've included a picture of my bracelet. I'll post pictures of the choker soon.

Vintage Jewelry

2008-01-02T18:48:00.000-08:00

Is my passion. You'll discover this as I start adding more and more here. I like to talk about the designers, their designs, what I like about the designs and don't like. And lots more than I can think of right now.

So stay tuned to the world of Vintage Treasures.