Archive for P
Pearl ring 9ct gold vintage jewellery
Posted by: | CommentsAnother great piece of vintage pearls jewellery from AntiquesAvenue.
This pearl ring is a super piece of vintage jewellery. The pear is in a decorative setting with the shoulders of the ring appearing to go right up the sides of the pearl. The pearl is about 6mm diameter. The inside of the shank of this vitnage ring is stamped as 9ct gold.
pearl ring
This ring is UK finger size J, USA size 5, it is in really great condition. The pearl is cultured, that is grown inside an oyster with a little help from man
Pick up a pendant
Posted by: | CommentsSorry about the title , I just couldnt resist 
. Today Id like to show you a few vintage pendants. Pendants are very attractive pieces of jewellery which are very versatile. The word pendant is taken from French and means “hanging” , in other words a pendant is a piece of jewellery which hangs. Depending on its size you can wear a pendant round your neck, attached to a bracelet or brooch or if you have a matching pair ( or mismatched even ) as earrings. I believe that during the Renaissance some pendants were worn fastened to a sleeve. Mostly though when we think of pendants we are looking at items of jewellery to hang round your neck.
When hanging a piece of vintage jewellery such as a pendant round your neck you can use a chain, string of beads, cord or ribbon to suspend the pendant on. It is possible to wear multiple pendants on the chain, or cord at the same time which gives a vintage look.
There are some special types of pendant including the Lavalier, locket, cross, amulet. Smaller pendants are usually known as charms.
The Lavalier:
The lavalier was popular in the early 1900s but the term probably originates from Madame L Valliere who was a mistress of Louis XIV. The lavalier has a substantial drop and will normally have at least one gemstone in it.
Lavalier pendant
The locket containing a photograph, a lock of hair or small memento is a popular form of pendant. You can find lockets which display the contents at the front or reverse or more usual lockets have covered compartments which you see one the locket is opened.
memory locket
Cross
The cross is usually worn as a Christian religious symbol as a pendant round the neck. Crosses can be plain or ornamental. They can be made of all sorts of materials but are most popular made of gold.
Gold cross
The penannular brooch
Posted by: | CommentsThe word Penannular means almost annular or almost a full circle. Penannular brooches are round but have a gap so that they are not quite a full circle. Brooches are the most commonly seen form of penannular jewellery but you can also find penannular rings and earrings. Interestingly penannular jewellery has been used since very ancient times examples were found in Tutankhamun’s tomb . The penannular brooch is thought to originate from the Celtic iron age and continued to be popular though to the middle ages.
Penannular brooch
Penannular brooches were originally used to fasten cloaks but in the modern era they could equally be used to fasten a cardigan or just worn as a decorative brooch.
How the Penannular brooch works.
The penannular brooch has a long pin attached with one end free. You push both sides of the cloak or cardigan through the long pin and then rotated the circle so that the pin lies across the brooch at right angles to the opening. The resulting pressure holds the fabric in place. I show this here :
closed brooch
Penannular brooches are normally found with Celtic decoration, animal heads and celtic knots. Most of these vintage brooches are made of silver and most of the ones we see today are of Scottish origin and date from sometime during the last 100 years.
AntiquesAvenue usually has a few of these intresting brooches available in the silver brooches section
Hroar Prydz Norwegian Silver Jewellery
Posted by: | CommentsHroar Prydz Norwegian Silver Jewellery. I recently came across this lovely little silver and enamel butterfly brooch made by Hroar Prydz in Norway. Although I dont know much about this jeweller I was able to get a clear shot of the markers mark . This mark is like a shallow V on its side. Ill update here if I find out any more about this Scandinavian maker.
Silver enamel butterfly brooch
Hroar Prydz makers mark
Im always on the look out for more information on designer jewellery and will be updating this blog as I find it.
Pinchbeck – faux gold
Posted by: | CommentsHave you heard the term “Pinchbeck” and wondered what it meant?
Pinchbeck is named after its inventor Christopher Pinchbeck who was a London clock maker and is thought to have lived 1670 to 1732 and invented this gold like material in the 1720s. Pinchbeck is a metal alloy which consists of Copper, Zinc and Brass and may also have a light wash of real gold over the top. It has the advantage of retaining its bright gold colour and not fading like many of the other gold substitutes available at the time. Pinchbeck is a metal alloy which looks like and imitates but was much cheaper than the real thing. At the time Pinchbeck was first produced the only legally used standards of gold were 18 and 22 carat . Nine carat gold was not introduced as a legal standard until 1854. Also many of the worlds largest gold sources were not discovered until the Victorian era so a cheap and reliable gold substitute was very popular.
Pinchbeck brooch
Pinchbeck could be made into very intricate and detailed shapes needed for imitating fine jewellery. It is also lighter in weight than gold an so large pieces of jewellery made from Pinchbeck can be light to wear.
During the the Victorian era Pinchbeck faded from use being replaced by 9 carat gold, rolled gold, gold plated and gold filled alternatives. To the best of my knowledge no Pinchbeck jewellery has been made since the 1800s making every piece you find a genuine piece of antique jewellery.
Identifying Pinchbeck Jewellery:
Looking at a piece of old jewellery and wondering if its pinchbeck? .These facts will help you :
All pinchbeck is Victorian or before
Pinchbeck retains its bright gold colour even today, it does not go rusty.
It is lightweight compared with gold
It is often ( but not always) very intricate in design
Care of Pinchbeck Jewellery
Always clean your antique jewellery with regard to all the materials it is set with. For example if there is a shell cameo, pearls or other more delicate material set into the piece clean with regard to the most delicate material rather than the pinchbeck.
I like to firstly dry clean with a very soft toothbrush or clean makeup brush to remove all dust and loose dirt. If your jewellery still needs a clean then you can lightly dampen the brush with a little clear liquid cleaner and finish with a brush dampened in clean water to rinse. Pat dry and leave in a warm place for the last of the moisture to evaporate. Do not use silver dip . I would personally avoid an ultra sonic machine for all pinchbeck jewellery as some of the joints and seams may not stand the treatment.
Buying Pinchbeck Jewellery.
I like to offer Pinchbeck Jewellery in my webshop over at www.AntiquesAvenue.co.uk but rarely have more than 2 or 3 pieces available as it is quite rare. All will be in the Antique Jewellery section or you can enter Pinchbeck into the search box.
Happy Hunting
Anne
