New York Antique Jewelry & Watch Show

Detail of a Georgian piece (once part of a larger Stomacher) with emeralds, table cut & rose cut diamonds in high karat gold & silver. Probably Spanish or Portuguese, circa 1800.

Courtesy of Roy Rover Antiques & Fine Jewelry

I just got home from the New York Antique Jewelry & Watch Show, where I saw some amazing pieces, as you can imagine!  Unfortunately, I got there with only two hours left to view, but I was very happy with what I saw.  I decided to focus on dealers who specialized in Georgian & Victorian - Georgian, in particular, being a favorite of mine.  In fact, in a later blog I will feature several pieces from a London dealer who specializes in Georgian jewelry.  She is going to send me images from their collection sometime next week, so I will keep you posted!
The show is a bonanza of every kind of estate, vintage & antique jewelry and watches that you can imagine.  It really goes from the sublime to the ridiculous, with the subtlety of dark, old Georgian diamonds to the vibrancy of Art Deco emerald & diamond bracelets and the high glitz of modern day Cartier & Bulgari.  For me, however, it is an opportunity to see beautiful, old gems.

Full image of Georgian piece above.

Courtesy of Roy Rover Antiques & Fine Jewelry

This piece I loved because of the use of opals and pearl with the snake motif, so popular in Victorian times.   The colorful vibrancy of the opals does not come through in the photo like they did in person, but you get the idea :) .  In Victorian times, two serpents intertwined represented infinity and eternal love and were often found in rings from that period.  In fact, it is said that Prince Albert gave Queen Victoria two serpent rings that were entwined, as an engagement ring, representing their eternal love for each other.  The serpent motif has been popular since the beginning of jewelry making and continues today.  Each generation with its own meaning.

Victorian opal, pearl & gold pendant, circa 1880. 
Courtesy of Roy Rover Antiques & Fine Jewelry

Swiss enamel bracelets with portraits of women in the regional costume of their particular canton or district, of Switzerland.  Embellished with gemstones and  set in cannetille gold, circa 1830.

Courtesy of European Art & Antiques, New York, NY

I was very excited to come across this pair of Swiss enamel bracelets as I had only seen a picture of this kind of bracelet in the book "Understanding Jewellery" by David Bennett & Daniela Mascetti (page 95, in my edition).  A must have book, by the way, for lovers of antique and vintage jewelry.  The portraits were vibrant with color and a delight to see, also in amazing condition!  They were in their original box which, of course, adds to their value.  On the backside of the bracelet portraits are the names of each canton, in reverse enamel.

This kind of jewelry would have been popular with people on the "Grand Tour", as a souvenir of their travels, showing the charm of the Swiss people to their friends and family back home.

The show is now over, but here is a link to find out more information about it for next time!
http://www.newyorkantiquejewelryandwatchshow.com/

--Well it was a full afternoon of gem heaven!  Hope you enjoyed it too!
P.S. - At present, the jewelers represented in the images above do not have websites.

Stay tuned, there's more to come!

In this muddy water is exquisite perfection...

July 22, 2012

My walk in the park this morning and the gift it held.

 -In this muddy water is exquisite perfection...

A grand masterpiece - first seen simply as a sun-dappled puddle the size of an enormous picture window, with muddy browns and patches of white light - then, all of a sudden, I saw the masterpiece that lay below that first glimpse.  
A woodland scene, worthy of a John Constable.  An exquisite view into the trees above and blue sky beyond.  Crystal clear in the perfectly still water.  A gift, just for me, as I was passing by.
I thought how ironic it was.  This big, muddy puddle that I was trying to avoid, held such beauty and peace within it.  As I stood there, admiring the "painting", I thought how it would have been hundreds or even thousands of years ago, when someone would have come upon a vision like this - in an age of no mirrors or cameras - how extraordinary it would have seemed - how exciting to see the world and themselves reflected in this way.  It felt like a connection to another time.  A portal.  In fact, the giant puddle with its ragged edges, looked like an entrance to another world.  If I just stepped into it, perhaps I would be in Constable's time, or amongst Native Americans, or even Neanderthals.

Just as I had this thought, a gentle breeze blew over my secret passage way, my ideal world, and rippled the surface - distorting this beautiful painting that could have hung in the Louvre.