WOOD JEWELRY

One way to survive hard times is with wit... a sense of humor and an appreciation for the absurd. The 1930's and 1940's, Depression years followed by war years, brought about some of the wittiest and most absurd jewelry of the 20th century, and some of the most fun to wear.

Wood jewelry was either assembled, as the wood beads mixed with plastic, glass and other materials, or carved and painted, as the figurals shown below. Fashioned by jewelry companies and home crafters, the designs seem endless, and the creativity amazing.

  WOODEN bell-shaped beads with tiny aqua plastic flower "clappers" 15" necklace.  View
Courtesy of Barbara Wood

 WOODEN bell-shaped beads with tiny green plastic flower "clappers" 3-1/4" by 3-3/8" pin.   View
Courtesy of Barbara Wood

   WOODEN bell-shaped and round beads 17-1/2" necklace.  View
Courtesy of Barbara Wood

Wooden beads combined with plastic flowers were strung to make necklaces, pins and bracelets.  Strung on braided leather, gold tone chain or twisted silk, each is an accessory to make you smile.
 

     HASKELL early unsigned 2" dress clip, wood and glass beads.   View    View    #H21874 

       WOOD beads clip with green glass seed bead finials, green wooden leaves, 2-1/8".   View   #w21534

     WOODEN multi-colored beads 3-1/2" dress clip with green wooden leaves.   View   #w21708    

Wooden beads, often imported from Czechoslovakia, were mixed with glass seed beads and glass or wooden leaves in colorful combinations.
 

    WOOD and glass beaded 3-3/8" by 1-1/2" pin.   View
Courtesy of Barbara Wood

     WOODEN bead bracelet, red, blue gold cream and green, 7 by 1-1/4", and matching dress clips, 1-1/3".  View   View  #w22174 and #w22686

     PIN BACK with multi-colored disks and white opaque seed beads, 2-1/2" by 1-1/4".   View
Courtesy of Barbara Wood

  HASKELL wooden beaded pin. Clips in this series came in various colors and designs.   View   #H19700

  WOOD, straw, coral and aqua beads dress clip, probably Czech.   View   #Y19780

  HASKELL early unsigned wooden beads "pinecones" pin.  View   #H19832

 
The beads and findings may be similar, and though all are unsigned and the maker unidentified, the style of finishing can give clues to the origin of some of this jewelry.   I believe the wood clips at the far left and far right are early Miriam Haskell pieces. The middle clip is probably Czech, though Deanna Cera has a picture of one similar to this wood and straw clip in her book, "Amazing Gems".  (View it here). She says it was made in Italy circa 1940. 

Notice the two Haskell-attributed pieces have a similar style and are finished with the same attention to detail. Each cascade of wooden beads ends with a tiny glass seed bead, and the overall shape and combination of elements is artistically pleasing.  

 

   HASKELL early Hess wooden floret beads and glass seed beads coil bracelet.    #H22088

   HASKELL Original watercolor with foil "Miriam Haskell" sticker, numbered #1160 

View showing the woven coil cover construction of the bracelet.  Closer views of beads.
View   View

    WOOD red, green, blue and yellow beads in two sizes and shapes form this 2-1/3" pin.    View   #w19536

   WOOD beads multi-color and white wooden 3" dress clip with floret beads at the top, very Haskell in it's style, but it could also be Czech.   View  #H20853

   WOOD beads and seed beads dress clip.  View   #w19535x

     WOOD multi-colored bead 8" bracelet.  #w23804

        MULTI-COLORED wood pinecones bracelet with glass leaves, 8".   #w23936

  WOOD multi-colored bead 2" pin.  View   #w23805

   WOOD beads and florets pin, 2".  View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

WOOD beads and florets pin, 2-1/8".   View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

   RED wooden bell-shapes with blue bead clappers 2-1/2" pin.   View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

  WOOD red acorns and leaves pin, 2-5/8" by 4-3/8".     View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

  WOOD burgundy acorns and leaves pin, 1-3/8" by 3-1/4".   View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

   WOOD green acorns and leaves pin, 2-1/4" by 3".    View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

Wooden jewelry lends itself to natural motifs, such as these acorn pieces. The wood is stained and finished, and is combined with metal beads, hemp and pressed wood elements.
 

    WOODEN branch, acorns and oak leaves 2-3/4" by 3-1/3" pin.    View   #w11496

    WOOD leaves and real nuts pin, 2-5/8" by 2-1/2".    View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

   WOODEN green and brown acorns strung on a 14" gold tone chain.   #w21598

  WOOD traffic signs necklace strung on celluloid, 17".     View   View  #w12987
Courtesy of Lori Kizer  

   WOOD round acorn-shaped beads with colored caps and spacer beads 16" necklace .  #w22877  
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

    WOODEN multi-colored acorns brooch, 4-1/4".  View   #w24293

  WOODEN blue beads strung as a 6-1/2" long charm bracelet.
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

    WOOD round ball-shaped beads with colored seed beads and links 7" bracelet.  
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

  WOODEN  multi-colored "bells" clip, 1" by 2-3/8".    View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

WOOD and plastic multi-colored carved layered pin, 3-5/8".   View   View   #w16686

    WOODEN 2-1/2" multi-colored wooden beads dress clip, probably Czech.   View   #w19535

   CORK and flower-shaped wood beads 16" necklace and 7" bracelet.    View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

   WOOD multi-colored  leaves and acorns strung on tan celluloid 16" necklace.
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

  WOOD acorns on brown twist 15-1/2" necklace.
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

   WOODEN carved and painted "King of the Jungle" pin.    View  #w14002

  WOOD carved and painted English rider 2 3/4" pin.    View   #w13519

WOOD  carved and painted football player and ball chatelaine pin with painted detail, 2 1/2".    View   #w14013

Carved and painted figurals are among the most whimsical jewelry types of the century, with subjects and motifs from a wide variety of sources.
 

WOODEN MEXICAN man 3-1/2" pin carved and painted.   View   #w13275

     COWBOY wooden and leather pin, painted and carved with leather chaps, rope shows some wear… but he's a HUGE 4 1/2".  View  #w12975  

   WOOD Mexican three-hat pin, 2.25" with red, yellow and green thread.    View     #w10572

Mexican themes, the American Southwest and the popularity of cowboy movies all contributed rich sources of inspiration.
 

    WOOD sombrero and boots dangle pin, 2-1/4" by 4".     View  #w13093

   WOOD couple dancing pin with painted green details, 2-1/2".    View  #w14873

   WOOD SHOES pin with painted trim and red laces, 3".    View  #w15248

  WOOD BULL head pin 4-1/2" with fuzzy hair, glass eyes and green felt ears.  View  #w13277

WOOD BULL 4-1/2" head pin with furry mane and leather ears, glued and riveted pin back. View   #w13278

    WOOD elephant pin with painted details, 2 3/4".    View   #w13029

     WOOD sailor head pin with painted face, felt collar 2 3/4".    View   #w14773

  SAILOR pin in bakelite and wood with painted accents.   
View    #B13642

   MILITARY MAN 2 1/2" pin, deeply carved and painted… a wonderful vintage  WWII piece.  View  #w12977

The war years produced jewelry with a military motif, both humorous and patriotic.
 

   WOOD native face pin with green plastic earrings, painted detail, 3 1/2".    View   #w12972

   WOOD face pin with painted red lips, brass eyes and earrings, 3 1/3".   View   #w13028

     WOOD  native face pin with painted lips and brass earrings, 3".    View   #w14811

     WOOD painted polka dotted fawn pin, 3 1/8".   View   #w13091

     WOODEN painted Scotty pin with glass eye, 2 1/4".    View   #w13089

      WOOD SCOTTIE carved and painted 3-1/3" pin with rhinestones… a real cutie!  View   #w13085

WOODEN horse head pin, 3".  View 
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

   WOODEN carved and painted 2-3/4" Scotty pin.  View 
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

WOODEN horse head pin, 3".  View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

    WOOD and bakelite  chipmunk pin, 2-1/2" by 2-1/4".    View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

   WOOD banjo pin with brass tacks and wire strings, 4-1/4".  View   #w13280

     WOOD and bakelite radishes pin with painted stems, 2-1/4".    View   #w13440

   WOOD bird pin with Lucite wings, 3-1/2".  
Courtesy of Jacque Wright

Wood is also seen in combination with bakelite or Lucite.