Author Archive
Vintage jewellery news
Posted by: | CommentsTime for an update on the latest vintage jewellery from AntiquesAvenue. Ive started blogging again after a few months of rarely updating over the summer. Am hoping to bring you lots from the world of Antiques, vintage and collectables over the coming months. In the meantime here is the latest on vintage jewellery from antiquesavenue.co.uk. Ive also been very busy adding loads of stock to the shop ensuring that there are now over 2000 different pieces for you to choose from. I suspect this is the widest selection available on the Interenet.
Vintage Jewellery this Christmas
Its about this time of year that I start to see what vintage jewellery items will be the hot gift this Christmas. If only I had foresight I could buy up lots of these in advance but not having a working crystal ball I can only offer limited stocks. This year the hottest items seem to be vintage lockets and vintage pearls necklaces. Here is one of the best cultured pearl necklaces Ive seen with the pearls measuring 1 cm diameter
Pearl necklace
Not all the pearl necklaces on antiquesavenue are this price, they start from abotu £28 including postage.
Antique Jewellery
Ive had several requests for a way to see all my antique jewellery in one place and so Ive created a special antique jewellery section for this . Hopefully I will be adding more soon. The antique jewellery on antiquesavenue dates from the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian eras right up to circa 1920. After that time it becomes vintage jewellery on antiquesavenue.
Silver Jewellery
With the price of gold being so very high at the moment, silver jewellery is becoming more and more popular. Silver jewellery is available is a wide range of shapes, sizes and quality. There are silver earrings, bracelets and bangles, rings and brooches. Designer silver, gemstone set silver and of course tiny pieces like silver charms. Did you see the Video I made yesterday on cleaning silver jewellery? This has proven quite popular already so Ill be making some more “How to” videos soon.
AntiquesAvenue on Facebook
I know I have lots of friends on facebook and many of you follow this blog. It would be really great if you could like antiquesavenue.co.uk on Facebook too. You can do this from most pages on the shop including this antique brooch
Next week im going to start a new competition for my facebook friends , the prize is going to be £50 of free jewellery. I will bring you news here but this particular competition is going to be for my facebook friends only.
Happy hunting
Anne x
How to clean silver
Posted by: | CommentsWant a quick and easy way to clean your silver or silver jewellery? Ive made a little video showing how this can be done with kitchen foil and soda.
The foil lines a glass bowl and I then place the silver to be cleaned inside. I add hot water and then a shake of bicarbonate of soda. Wait a minute or two for best results. Discard the liquid , probably best to rinse the silver under a cold tap next and then polish with a soft cloth. Cheap, easy and quick 
Notes:
This is particularly great for cleaning fiddly little silver jewellery which is difficult with silver polish , I like to clean vintage charms this way
Dont leave the silver in the soda too long if you want to keep a vintage look, test every few seconds or you will get silver that looks new
Only clean silver like this, do not attempt if there are any other materials on the jewellery such as crystals, gemstones , pearls, enamels.
I suppose I should have been wearing protective gloves to do this – please ensure that you do.
Wear your sparklers for Bonfire night
Posted by: | CommentsNovember 5th the day we celebrate gunpowder treason and plot with things that burn, bang and sparkle. This years why not brighten you yourself for bonfire night with some wearable sparklers of your own? Bonfire night is a time for wrapping up warm with lots of layers so we need jewellery which is big , bold, colourful and not too expensive for the occasion. Here is a great selection of vintage costume jewellery brooches from AntiquesAvenue which will make you stand out on the night.
Vintage brooches
Costume jewellery vintage brooches in firework colours can be pinned to your coat or used to hold a scarf in place. Why wear just one? Several can be pinned to a hat or a bag. Suitable colours include red, yellow, crystal clear, green and blue. Perhaps not the occasion for black or brown jewellery as it wont be seen in the dark.
A huge and sparkling vintage diamante brooch .This brooch has the diamante prong set into it which is a good sign of age and quality as this method of production was very time consuming. There are three articulated tails hanging down. In total this brooch measures about 8.5 cms long and up to 6 cms wide. I believe that this brooch dates from circa 1930s to 1950s. It is in really excellent condition.
Bonfire night history.
Do you know why we celebrate Bonfire night every year? Most of use know the old rhyme from childhood
“Remember Remember the 5th of November, gunpowder treason and plot.”
It was on November 5th 1605 when a plot to kill King James 1st was foiled. The group of men who were plotting against King James had planed to use gunpowder to blow up the house of Lords whilst the king was there. Once word got out that the plot had been foiled the people of London lit bonfires to celebrate it and an act of parliament was passed to ensure the day was celebrated anualy ( is this still Law ?)
Halloween theme vintage jewellery
Posted by: | CommentsIts nearly Halloween, the time of year for celebrating all things of the night, magical, creepy, superstitious and evil. Over the years this theme has often been applied to jewellery and looking though any collection of vintage jewellery you find some piece suitable to wear at this time of year.
As with all vintage jewellery pieces with a Haloween theme can be found at at both a budget and luxury price. Here Im taking a look at the buget pieces which can be found for £50 and under.
Bugs and spiders
A real real bargain piece of jewellery , a gold bug or fly brooch for just £30 from www.antiquesavenue.co.uk. This gold brooch could also be worn as a tie pin, it dates from the earlier 1900s.
gold bug brooch
Spider in web silver pendant
- spiders web pendant
This charm on a chain is suitable for any lover of spiders or perhaps an Emo or Goth
Witches and their cats
The witch is one of the most enduring images of halloween and of course no self respecting witch goes about without here familiar in the shape of a cat.
witch charm
This vintage charm is in the shape of a witch flying on here broomstick. She is made of silver and will date from circa 1950s to 1970s. This silver charm measures about 1.8 cms high and will make an excellent addition to any vintage silver charm bracelet. This piece of vintage jewellery is quite nicely detailed
cat earrings
Apples and leaves
Apples are the fruit of halloween and its the time of year when all of the autum leaves are on the ground.
apple charm
Here is an Essex crystal charm intaglio carved from behind and hand painted as an apple. Essex crystals are quite collectable these days, they are made of glass. This Essex crystal measures about 1.5 cms diameter and will make a colourful addition to any charm bracelet.
leaf brooch
A most attractive piece of costume jewellery made by Hollywood . The brooch is made of gold toned metal and had a golden textured finish to the leaf with creamy diamante round the edge. This nice leaf brooch measures about 5 cms long
1970s vintage jewellery
Posted by: | CommentsThe 1970s are back in fashion with the high street being full of 1970s style clothes this Autumn. AntiquesAvenue offers a range of genuine pieces of vintage jewellery from the 1970s which would be wonderful to wear with 1970s style clothing.
What jewellery was popular in the 1970s? Well like most decades there was a range of jewellery popular at different times. Long strings of tiny glass beads worn with full length skirts, stylish Scandinavian silver, Wedgwood cameo jewellery, Silver ingots with oversize hallmarks. Lots of thin bangles worn together and charm bracelets full of lots and lots of charms.
Heres a few of the 1970s pieces of jewellery which are available from www.antiquesavenue.co.uk
1970s glass neckalces
Here’s five vintage glass necklaces from circa 1970s with all the beads being joined by metal chains. Three strands are 110 cms long, one is 92 cms long and there is one strand at about 72 cms. These glass necklaces were worn with the gypsy / hippie fashions of the 1970s and would suit today’s boho look
1970s neckalces
1970s silver charm bracelet and charms
Heres a charm bracelet which was originally made in the 1970s with the silver hallmarks dating to 1978. This silver charm bracelet has lots of vintage silver charms attached which include a hedgehog, a dice, a bell, a policeman’s helmet. There is also a pair of love birds on a swing, a bunch of grapes, a wishing well and an opening lobster pot made by Nuvo.
As you can see in the picture there are also two enamel travel shields, a filigree slipper and a shamrock. The charm bracelet has a chain with double links. There is a heart shaped lock and an attached safety chain. This vintage charm bracelet measures about 9.5 cms long
1970s silver charm bracelet
Silver ingot penadant or fob
Here is a silver ingot pendant with huge hallmarks dating it to 1977. These ingot s can be worn as a pendant or a fob. This one measures about 4 cms long
1970s silver ingot
Vintage silver lockets
Posted by: | CommentsNew at AntiquesAvenue this week several interesting and romantic silver vintage lockets:
1970s round silver locket
round silver locket
Vintage heart locket
Heres an older style locket popular in the earlier 1900s. This locket is in the shape of a heart and has floral decoration on one side. The front hinges open from towards the base of the heart. The back of the locket is stamped as sterling silver.
The locket measures about 3 cms long plus the bails.
heart locket
How do I live thee? silver locket
Heres a wonderful locket to give to someone you love. One side is decorated with two love birds . This silver locket measures about 3.5 cms long plus the decorative bail.
The reverse has the poem ” How do I love thee? Let me count the ways, I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach”. This poem was written by the Victorian Poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
The full poem is
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day’s Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death
Love locket
Antique brooch diamond eye agate boxed
Posted by: | CommentsFrom AntiquesAvenue’s wondeful collectionof Vintage brooches:
A very special antique brooch made with central eye agate surrounded by a ring of old cut diamonds. This brooch comes in its original box. The central diamond and agate ring measures almost 2 cms long with the brooch being almost 5 cms long in total.
Vintage diamond brooch
Eye agate is agate banded with white so that it has the appearance of an eye
Mappin and Webb diamond white gold necklace
Posted by: | CommentsMade by the quality Jewelers Mappin and Webb, this necklace is in art deco style. The necklace is white gold and there are 15 real diamonds set into it. The pendant measures about 2.6 cms long and the necklace will hang at about 46 cms long in total. This lovely piece of jewellery is stamped with the Mappin and Webb makers initials as well as full nine carat gold hallmarks. Just one of the wonderful range of vintage necklaces currently available .
Mappin and Webb necklace