Who’d ever think that the same simple chain that has dangled from millions of light fixtures for the past 120 years also inspired a jewelry fad? It’s true; the humble brass ball-chain has a costume jewelry genre all its own. In August 1896, Harvey Hubbell patented a pullchain lightbulb socket in response to a real…
As promised far too long ago within the first section of my Chains of Evidence post, here are the Art Deco era bracelets that match two of the necklaces shown there. The combination of Bakelite, enamel paint accents and (in one example) embossed metal is quite dramatic. All three are bangle bracelets (one being hinged)…
When attempting to identify unsigned vintage necklaces, the chain can be a useful tool. Not only can certain chain styles help to date a piece as to era, but subtle differences between them can sometimes differentiate one anonymous manufacturer from another. A great example of this can be seen in necklaces from the Art Deco…
The fourth popular motif in Victorian era Essex crystal jewelry was the nautical theme, particularly that of pennants which denoted specific yacht clubs or even spelled out words using the nautical alphabet. Boats and ships themselves were also represented. This pair of flag (I’ll use the word “flag” here even though some of them…
Having spent some time among the animals and birds, why don’t we stroll through an Essex crystal flower garden? This charming Victorian piece is actually a parasol handle! Made of gold and accented with diamonds, it is mounted so as to display six different flowers. We can see a daisy, an iris, and…
Birds were another favorite subject for reverse carved Essex crystal jewelry. The Victorian pieces in particular portrayed game birds, hunting being a popular sport of the times (as seen in the Essex crystal Animals post.) Although not all of the examples below are antique, all are undoubtedly attractive! …
One of the most unique types of Victorian era jewelry must surely be the genre known as “Essex crystal”. The name does not refer to a brand, nor to geography (like Vauxhall glass jewelry), but to a mistaken identity! All Essex crystal jewelry began life as a piece of clear rock crystal (not glass, but…
Some operculum jewelry pieces simply don’t fit neatly into any of the more popular design categories such as filigree, tortoise shell, etc. This isn’t too surprising, considering that opercula are rather unusual themselves! So here are a few that defied description and/or approximate dating, although in some cases I’ve included my personal “guesstimate” of age.…
The Chatsworth Lady 