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 | | December 2007 | www.morninggloryjewelry.com | |  | |
Welcome to Morning Glory Antiques & Jewelry!
| We add articles, reference pages and recent acquisitions continually and would like to keep you abreast of whats new on a monthly basis with this newsletter.
Browse, enjoy, and be sure to email us with ideas of topics you would like to see in the future.
| ARTICLE: "Victorian Christmas Jewelry"
| Jewelry is a favorite gift for the holidays especially for those who are special to us... mothers and daughters, husbands and wives. During this season it is delightful to revisit the holiday glitter of other times and this page spans Victorian to the 1990s:
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY JEWELRY The Victorian were fond of engraved sentiments and romance. Documenting a bit of the history on a piece of jewelry also can decorate it as well. Many styles of engraving were available, some of which you can see in this vintage 1899 BENJAMIN ALLEN Catalogue. Initials were popular as were sentiments such as "love from Father Decr. 1888" on a locket and "Joyous Noel, 1949" on a bracelet. Holiday jewelry never goes out of style and Christmas tree brooches lead the list of favorites. The idea of a decorated holiday tree became widely popular in England and America in the mid- 1800s and they were decorated with candy, gingered fruit, and hand made ornaments of paper and cloth along with candles for light. Trees were usually decorated on Christmas Eve so they were greener and the danger of fires a bit less than now when we often have a tree up for two weeks or more. Ornaments of glass and wire were added later in the 1800s.
Christmas tree brooches were sold widely beginning in the 1950s. Using colorful rhinestones and the recently invented aurora borealis, they were inexpensive and easy to wear. By the 1990s jewelry makers like Larry Vrba made extra large 4-5" brooches decorated with vintage stones and artificial pearls. His creations are more collectible each year and he hand-fashions every piece. Swarovski also made collectible trees in the 1990s. Their brilliant rhinestones in high quality gold washed settings light up any outfit. HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you and your family from us and ours!
| Feature: LOCKETS
| Lockets are a classic, never out of fashion. They carry photographs and locks of hair, pressed flowers and other keepsakes. VICTORIAN LOCKETS are a sought after collectible today. Made of silver or gold, sometimes enameled or engraved, they make a lovely place to house keepsakes of your own.
Well-dressed Victorian ladies wore "long chains", sometimes looped and caught on the bodice with a brooch, sometimes worn full length, and often holding a lorgnette or watch. Chains were made in both precious and non-precious metals and could be extremely simple or ornamented with stones and seed pearls. Some had slides, which have become collectible in their own right. Todays collectors create bracelets from them, as well as from fobs, button covers and cuff link tops.
Lockets were often worn on a matching collar, a chain or a black velvet ribbon as well as on long chains.
For lockets you can purchase, please see our LOCKET COLLECTION.
| Feature: Jewelry by the Decade ~ Victorian to the 1960s
| Jewelry reflects fashion and changes as fashion does.
The heavy fabrics and layered designs of Victorian clothing are reflected in the jewelry of the time: Whitby jet, thick sterling collars and lockets and hinged bracelets worn in pairs. At the turn of the century fabrics became lighter and clothing simpler. Delicate filigree jewelry, long chains, pastel colors, seed pearls and diamonds were popular. By the Roaring 20s haircuts were bobbed and dresses short. Dangling earrings and long strands of beads set off this look, as well as mesh purses. The Great Depression of the 30s called for inexpensive fun, and bakelite jewelry fit the bill. The bangles are cheerful and the bakelite pins whimsical. In the 1940s the war caused a shortage of materials, so jewelry was made of sterling vermeil, wood and Lucite. After the war, the 1950s was an era of growth and energy. Rhinestones and beads set off elegant full-skirted dresses and femininity was the rule. And by the 60s those who werent wearing hippie garb wore sophisticated Schreiner, Schiaparelli and Rosenstein. Enjoy this walk through the decades illustrated with vintage jewelry!
| NEW ADDITIONS
Morning Glory adds recent acquisitions weekly and you can always see them here: http://www.morninggloryjewelry.com/ |
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