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Wood Jewelry

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JEWEL CHAT


Costume Jewelry Magazine


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.