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Vintage jewellery book recommendations
Posted by: | CommentsVintage jewellery book recommendations
I have been asked to recommend a list of books on vintage jewellery which have lots of pictures . Trawling through my book shelf here are a few of my personal favourite jewellery picture books:
Costume Jewellery by Judith Miller pub Dorling Kindersley
Costume Jewellery, How to compare and value by Steven Miners pub Millers
Costume Jewelry Figurals by Kathy Flood pub Warmans
Rhinestone Jewelry by Leigh Leshner pub Krause
Costume Jewelry by Leigh Leshner pub Krause
Vintage Jewelry by Leigh Leshner pub Krause
Jewelry Identification and price guide by Christine Romero pub Warmans
Antique Enameled Jewelry by Dale Reeves Nicholls pub Schiffer
I hope you find this list useful
5 antique sewing collectables
Posted by: | CommentsAntique sewing tools are popular with collectors especially amongst those who love to sew themselves. One of my earliest antiques purchases were some antique crochet hooks and lace bobbins which I bought as a present for my mother when I was still at school It is still possible to buy many sewing related collectables at pocket money prices ( Think buttons) although you will need a small fortune to buy some of the best .
Sewing related collectables include buttons, scissors, sewing boxes, thimbles, crocket hooks, lace making equipment needles cases and tape measures. Examples of actually sewn work are also collected, handmade lace, samplers and tapestry pictures. Here is my guide to the top 5 antique sewing collectables in no particular order. These have been chosen for their easy of collectablity in todays market.
art nouveau button
1. Buttons Starting with buttons as this is probably the easiest collectable of all. Vintage buttons can be found very cheaply and if you want a bright and colourful collection quickly this is the place to start. Naturally there are rare and sought after antique buttons which can fetch very high prices hundreds of pounds each. Due to the sheer volume of buttons available it is perhaps best to theme a button collection. How about art nuvo silver buttons or art deco bakelite buttons. Animal shaped buttons or ones by named makers.
2. Thimbles and Thimble Cases
Whilst thimbles had the practical purpose of protecting fingers many were also made quite decorative too. Thimbles have been made in vast quantities recently especially for the collector as they display well however I suggest that any real colletor would do better to search out more unique items. Look out for silver thimbles made by Charles Horner or steel core ones made by Dorcas both can be found from about £20. Good names in ceramic thimbles are Wedgwood, Royal Crown Derby and Royal Worcester. If you have a bigger budget how about a Victorian gold thimble? Especially desirable are thimbles in their original cases.
Buying a metal thimble? Check its condition by holding it up to the light. Can you see any holes? If so either pass this time or if it is a rare example you really want for your collection make sure you pay a small fraction of its perfect price.
wedgwood thimbles
3. Scissors
Look out for hallmarked silver scissors this way you can tell the date they were made on. A fancy handle makes a pair of scissors desirable, scissors inthe shape of a bird for example. As with thimbles a pair of scissors in its original case is nice to find. When buying scissors do check to see how they open and close. Over the years many pairs have become loose or the blades worn – buyer beware.
4. Needles
Needles, Needles case, Bodkins and Bodkin cases can be very decorative and make a fascinating colection on their own. Needles and their larger cousin the bodkin were originally made from wood and bone, later they were made from silver, steel or even gold. Needle and bodkin cases were often highly decorative, you can find examples of battersea enamel cases, carved bone or decorative silver. Have you seen the paper cases that steel needles were sold in from thoughout the Victorian era to the middle of the last century? Many are very pretty with multi-coloured designs printed on them.
5. Pin cushions and half dolls
I have grouped these together as half dolls were often used as the decorative part of a pin cushion in the 1920s and 1930s. Silver pin cushions from the early 1900s in the shape of animals are delightful but getting to be quite pricy now for a rare example in good condition.
Vintage Jewellery one day sale
Posted by: | CommentsAntiquesAvenue is having a one day vintage jewellery sale with 10% off everything in the store. This offer lasts just until midnight tonight ( UK time) so do make the most of this opportunity. This is the first time in two years that such a wide ranging offer has been made , discounts like this dont come along every day.
Perhaps you can pick up a Vintage Jewellery Christmas present or two whilst you are looking around the shop. Last week I wrote about Vintage jewellery as Christmas presents. Here are some lovely old vintage necklaces and bracelets that would make fantastic presents this year.
Danecraft sterling silver flower bracelet
A very stylish silver bracelet made by Danecraft. Each panel is depicting a flower. The Danecraft makers logo is stamped into the reverse of this bracelet. This piece of vintage jewellery measures about 18.5 cms long and is up to 2 cms wide. It is in very wearable condition
vintage silver necklace
silver marcasite red stone necklace vintage
and a red lass stone. This is marked 935, there is also a manufacturers mark which I have not been able to identify. This will be European in origin and is thought to date from circa 1950smarcasitesAn attractive necklace made of 935 silver and set with
Approx Weight: 5.5 grams
1970s gold diamond ruby flower necklace
A very pretty lavalier style necklace made of fully hallmarked 9 carat gold and dating from 1970s. The flowers are set centrally with a diamond and 2 rubies. It measures 40 cms long plus the depth of about 2 cms
( conversion note: 1 inch = 2.54 cms)
Condition:
Excellent
Auction Party – Want to be on TV?
Posted by: | CommentsITV1’s brand new antiques show, AUCTION PARTY is looking for participants with a passion for beautiful objects and an eye for turning a profit. We are offering participants the opportunity to host their very own auction, from within their own home. Furthermore, participants will be given £500 to go out and, with the help of our antiques expert, gather a collection of items to then sell at their auction. Family, friends and neighbours will be invited to view the lots for sale while sipping on champagne and nibbling on canapés. With a professional auctioneer present to help them through, the auction pieces will be displayed around the participant’s home before going under the hammer. At the end of the day, the cash is counted and (hopefully) profits are revealed!
If you are interested in taking part please do not hesitate to contact us via our phone line - 0207 157 4599 or email – auctionparty@itv.com, clearly stating your name and daytime contact number.
Auction Party
Vintage brooches, this Christmas’s gift for the future
Posted by: | CommentsYesterday I took a look at what types of vintage jewellery were suitable gifts for different sorts of people this Christmas. Today I will take a look at vintage silver brooches which would be suitable to give to a baby girl to be kept for the future ( and most definitely not to be worn or played with until she gets much older)
Suggesting that you give a vintage silver brooch to a baby girl may at first seem strange but this was certainly common practice in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Just look at this one which was made specially :
Baby Brooch
Antique silver Baby brooch Victorian 1897 hallmark
antique brooch
antique brooch
Antique Brooch Edwardian silver Faith Hope Charity
I liek the symbolism on this brooch, what a nice though for a babys future. A pretty little Antique brooch dating from the Edwardian era – It has full hallmarks for 1903 and is decorated with the Symbols for Faith ( cross) Hope ( Anchor) and Charity or Love ( Heart). This silver brooch measures about 4.3 cms long and fastens with a simple C catch.
victorian silver name brooch
How about finding an antique Victorian brooch with babys name on it?
Victorian silver name brooch Annie
longcms Victorian name brooches are very popular today both with collectors and to be given as a gift to someone with the same name. This Victorian name brooch is Annie , it is made of fully hallmarked sterling silver and measures about 4
There are plenty more for you to look at over in my shop. Tomorrow I will take a look at a few antique silver Fobs for that special Christmas present for a baby boy.
victorian silver name brooch
Vintage Jewellery, the best gift this Christmas
Posted by: | CommentsVintage Jewellery is THE gift to be giving this Christmas. High fashion, decorative, durable, collectable and if we are all lucky it just might increase in price, what could be a better present? There are super pieces available to suit every one from the youngest baby to oldest Granny. You can buy lovely pieces for all your friends and neighbours if you shop carefully as vintage jewellery can be bough from just a few pounds. Vintage Jewellery is an ideal gift for men too. One of the lovely things about vintage jewellery is that it is more likely to be unique than a piece of jewellery bought new and so you will need to think about hunting out your presents now as most sellers only ever have one of each piece of each available and cant easily get more the same….
Pearl Necklace
Which types of antique and vintage jewellery are suitable as gifts?
I recommend that if you are buying vintage jewellery as a gift that you look at pieces which will fit with several outfits and will remain in fashion for some years to come. Brooches will fit all. You could also buy a pendant or a charm without worrying to much about the size. A necklace will normally fit most ladies but be careful not to buy one too short for a large lady ( this also applies to bracelets). It is probably best only to buy a ring is you know the ring size of the wearer or at least be prepared to have the ring re-sized (this also applies to Gents). Thinking of buying earrings? Then check if you need earrings for pierced ears or if clip ons are more suitable.
Here are my suggestions for that Vintage Jewellery gift this year:
Vintage Jewellery for baby: Something for the future. How about something made of silver or gold that is likely to go up in value over the comming years? There are some real bargains about in vintage silver brooches. If you get lucky (for a girl)you could find a Victorian brooch with babies name on. And for a baby boy, How about an antique silver Fob? A nice fob can be attached to a key ring when he grows up or used for its original purpose on Albert watch chain.
Vintage jewellery for Children: For a young girl how about starting a charm bracelet? You could just give a starter bracelet, a single charm or if she is really lucky a silver or gold charm bracelet with lots of charms already attached. Young boys are probably the most difficult to buy a gift of vintage jewellery for, I have been thinking about this and think that a vintage silver accessory such as a Victorian silver pencil might suit?
Vintage jewellery for Teenagers: For your fashion conscious teenage girl a string of vintage glass beads . These could be in her favourite colour. Vintage jewellery is really THE thing to be seen in this year so she will be the envy of all her friends. Teenage boys seem to want money, Do you think that would extend to a vintage silver ingot from the 1970s?
vintage brooch
Vintage Jewellery for Ladies: Easy, there is so much to choose from. I often recommend that a brooch is the ideal gift of vintage jewellery and a lady can never have too many. The lovely thing about vintage brooches is that you can find one to suit all budgets and tastes. Does the lady like a traditional style or modern? You can find a real Victorian brooch from about £20 or spend several hundreds of pounds if you prefer. Think what colour she likes to wear, costume jewellery brooches are available in all the colours of the rainbow and more. Perhaps she has a favourite type of animal? Well you can find brooches in the shape of most, cat brooches, horse brooches, dog brooches and bird brooches are quite popular.
Vintage Jewellery for Gents: So much more to choose from that you would have imagined. Cuff links, Tie pins, lapel pins and Albert watch chains. Some gents link to wear rings , an earring or a chain round their neck. Why should us ladies have all the fun, vintage jewellery is for Gents too.
Gold, Silver or Vintage Costume Jewellery this Christmas?
Gold is very expensive this year in fact the prices have never been higher, excellent if you have deep pockets but what about the rest of us? Vintage Silver Jewellery is much less costly and just as likely to rise in value as gold is in the current market. It is durable like gold and can be worn by most people without the fear of allergy. Costume jewellery can be a budget alternative but only if you avoid the big designer names, some vintage costume jewellery can fetch more than the equivalent would made of silver by an unknown maker.
www.Antiquesavenue.co.uk is currently featuring vintage jewellery suitable for Christmas presents and there are lots more to be added to the shop over the comming weeks so please do check back soon. Tomorrow I will take a look in more detail at a few individual pieces of jewellery which would make a special gift.
Vintage silver Jewellery
Posted by: | CommentsThe featured vintage jewellery at antiquesavenue this week is all made of silver. Silver has long been a favourite material to make jewellery from as it it takes a shape well, is quite durable and looks good when it is being worn. Silver was used widely throughout the Victorian and Edwardian eras. You can find vintage jewellery made of silver in the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, the modernist eras and right up to new silver jewellery of today.
Later this week I will be taking a look at silver as a material and how to care for silver and how you can date it from its hallmarks.
Here are a few pieces as featured in my vintage jewellery shop this week:
Vintage bracelets made by Coro
This piece of vintage Jewellery was made by Coro – the link bar is impressed “Ster Coro”. There are 5 individual bangles joined by this cross bar. They measure 6.5 cms diameter. This is most likely from the 1970s when coro started to make their own silver jewellery.
silver bracelet
Vintage necklace Scandinavian Silver Ivar Holt Norway
A great vintage necklace made of silver by Ivar Holt in Norway. Scandinavian silver jewellery such as this is most sought after and collectable. The Ivar Holt makers H logo is impressed into the reverse and this vintage necklace is also impressed as sterling silver.
It is made of 11 links and measures 39 cms long when fastened. This Scandinavian silver necklace measures about 2 cms wide and weighs around 50 grams
silver necklace
antique silver locket Victorian hallmarked 1880s
An antique silver locket which is fully hallmarked for 1883. This locket has Victorian aesthetic decoration which is typical of the time it was made. This antique silver locket opens and there is space for your own photographs or a small momento.
The locket comes on a silver chain which is much newer than the locket itself
silver locket
Vintage silver jewellery for men
It was not just ladies that wore silver jewellery. You can find vintage jewellery for men too. Look out for silver Albert watch chains and fobs which are sought after as accessories for mens evening wear – they look so smart with a waistcoat. There are also tie pins made from silver available and of course made different designs of cufflinks too.
Vintage accessories, collectable extras
Posted by: | CommentsVintage Accessories have been very collectable for some years now but recently there seems to have been an explosion of interest. Lets take a look at a few vintage accessories and try and answer a few questions about them too. What are vintage accessories? where can I buy vintage accessories and how can I tell they are genuine vintage rather than new copies?
antique buttons
When we talk about Vintage Accessories we are generally referring to smaller add ons to your main clothing . So a dress is not an accessory but a belt is an accessory. Here are a few types of the many types vintage accessories for women you can find:
What are Vintage accessories?
Jewellery, A whole topic in its self but vintage jewellery has to be the main form of accessory for collecting and wearing
Buttons, Belts and buckles, Looking for a budget area to start a collection? Although vintage buttons and buckles can cost a small fortune you can also find lots to choose from starting from a very low cost
hat pin
Hats and Hat pins. A lady was not considered to be properly dresses if she left the home without her hat adn every hat needed a hat pin or two to keep it in place
Bags, Purses and Compacts.
Fans, Chatelains, Vestas, Card Cases – mostly accessories from the past and not used today.
Dressing Table accessories: Perfume bottles, hatpin stands, Trinket boxes – these all make excellent gifts for the collector of vintage accessories. The dressing table is now used quite as it used to be in the Victorian and Edwardian era. Our lotionsand potions are used directly form the packaging they are bough it. The Victorian lady would decant her perfume into an atomiser and keep trinket boxes to place pins, clips and even to tidy her hair into.
Where can I buy Vintage Accessories?
Like most vintage collectables you can buy accessories at most antiques fairs and auctions. These days most people like to buy their accessories on-line as there is a far wider choice and it is easy to compare the offerings from different websites. Have you looked on eBay? With a bit of care you can hunt down the occasional bargain ( see the next paragraph about finding the genuine vintage article). Of course I am going to recommend you take a look on www.antiquesavenue.co.uk which specialises in many vintage accessories including Jewellery, trinket pots, Hat pins, buttons and buckles.
enamel compact
How can I tell its genuine Vintage?
Learn about your chosen collectable, a little knowledge can help out a lot ( see where to find out more) and if in doubt ask the seller. The problem is that often the seller does not know how old the items is. Here are a few pointers to start.
- Is the button made of silver or gold? Look for hallmarks and learn how to date an item from its hallmark
- Does the buckle have a country of origin? If the country is present does it just say ” England ” or “Made in England”? You will find that “Made in ” dates from post circa 1920 . Anything marked as “Foreign” is vintage as would be “Made in Great Britain”.
- What materials is your accessory made from. If there is a care label on a scarf which indicates that it is machine washable then you do not have a Victorian or original art deco piece. A buckle made from cut steel is likely to be Victorian or earlier a stainless steel piece later 20th century. If you know what materials were available when you can start to date your vintage accessory
- What style is your accessory? This just gives a clue. An art deco compact could be original 1920s / 1930s or could it be 1 1980s revival of art deco or a brand new copy
Where can I find more ?
This website has lots of information about vintage jewellerywith more about vintage accessories planned for the near future. Ask your favourite dealer questions. Here is a book list you may find useful:
Powder Compacts a collectors Guide pub Millers
Scent Bottles pub Shire
Hat Pins pub Shire
Button Button pub Schiffer
There are loads of introductory Jewellery books available .
Some Links to AntiquesAvenue’s vintage accessories for sale:
