NY Antique Jewelry & Watch Show 2014

Victorian Renaissance Revival cameo, Art Deco coral ring
 by Renee Boivin & antique diamond bow brooch.
All pieces from La Galerie Parisienne

I spent 4 hours of jewelry heaven at the New York Antique Jewelry & Watch Show yesterday. It can be an overwhelming event with over 100 dealers from all over the world showcasing their wares - but I tend to focus on a smaller group of people who deal primarily in Victorian & Georgian jewelry. Ok, some Art Nouveau, Edwardian & Art Deco too! I love it all!

A selection of Georgian jewelry from Lowther Antiques - featuring
18th c. Posy (Poesy) and Memorial rings, along with foil backed, gem-set
pendant & pins, a Giardinetti ring and beautiful amethyst necklace on left,
with exquisite cannetille work, c.1820-30

My first stop was to visit my favorite Georgian dealers from London - Pat Novissimo and daughter Virginia of Lowther Antiques. Dealing primarily in Georgian jewels, they also have some Victorian pieces and, to my delight, some rather early pieces, including a Momento Mori ring from the early 17th century and a very large mens ring (worn over the glove) from the Tudor period. Pat never ceases to amaze me with her experience and knowledge of jewelry - but more than that, she really loves the pieces she sells and will always have some interesting tidbit to share about the piece you are looking at. These ladies provide a welcoming atmosphere and a very enjoyable experience, not to mention one of the best selections of Georgian jewelry for sale. They exhibit at many shows each year (see their website for upcoming shows) or you can visit their shop on Portobello Road in London.

Left: a pair of turquoise, enamel & hair Momento Mori pins, 18th c.
Right: a selection of  Stuart Crystal pins, late 17th c.
Lowther Antiques

I ventured on and found a lovely booth with a great selection of Art Nouveau & Art Deco pieces. Many of the pieces by great French jewelers such as Suzanne Belperron, Rene Boivin, Fouquet, Templier & more. All making sense, as this booth belonged to La Galerie Parisienne, of Paris. Wonderful to see so many Boivin pieces!

Beautiful Art Deco pieces from La Galerie Parisienne

Art Nouveau opal, diamond & emerald pendant by Fouquet
La Galerie Parisienne

Further down the row I found my friends Julia & Roy Rover of Roy Rover Antiques & Fine Jewelry.

Always a delight to see them and and their amazing collection of jewelry from Georgian to the mid 20th century. Passionate, friendly & knowledgeable, they are a must stop at the jewelry shows! 

A selection of Victorian & Georgian jewelry at Roy Rover Antiques
(no website)

Antique necklace of bright green scarab beetles -
quite the rage during the popularity of all things
Egyptian after the archeological tomb digs during the
19th & early 20th century.
Roy Rover Antiques & Fine Jewelry

As I continued on, I found a delicious collection of Georgian & Victorian jewelry at Bell and Bird.

New to me, I was impressed with the caliber of their pieces and the friendliness of the proprietors, Rhianna & Cyrus Shennum, of Austin, Texas. There were so many beautiful pieces that I would love to own from here! Gorgeous bracelet sets and bangles from the 1800's, Spanish emerald and filigree earrings dating to the 1700's and lots of lovely memorial rings. 

Selection of Victorian bangles, snake necklace with turquoise
and memorial rings - Bell and Bird

Torpedo style drop earrings, c. 1830, one of a pair of turquoise & gold
bracelets, c. 1830 and a pair of Spanish (Iberian Peninsula) emerald
and gold earrings - Bell and Bird

Antique diamond Maltese cross pendant, blue & white enamel ring with
Old Mine cut diamond center and a stunning, 18th c. chrysoberyl brooch.
Bell and Bird

I loved talking with these guys! Their passion and knowledge shining through with every piece. Always fun to talk with people who are as passionate about Georgian jewelry as I am! Thanks guys!

Finally, I happened to see some stunning pieces in a case, just as I was about to leave the show. Hunger  was setting in - but I had to take a closer look!  A small collection of Stuart Crystals caught my eye on the top shelf. I asked the lovely lady behind the counter if I could see them - she was surprised that I knew what they were! A lively conversation ensued between myself and the proprietor, Lenore Dailey, of Fremont, Michigan. Once again, someone who is passionate and knowledgeable about what they do!  I love it! She had some fine and early examples of Stuart Crystals, which were popular starting in the 17th century. The one pictured below (sorry bad photograph!) is a very rare one of King Charles I & his wife, Henrietta Marie. The actual piece is very small and measures app. 3/4 inch in diameter.

Stuart Crystal slide piece of King Charles I & Henrietta Marie.
Lenore Dailey Fine Antique Jewelry

What a thrill it was to see it and hold it. Such a piece of history! The loops on the back (just visible) allowed a piece of ribbon to be pulled through, ultimately being worn on the wrist or at the neck.  You also see these memorial tokens made into rings and pins, often times with a hair insert, elaborately designed with initials of the deceased done in gold wire thread and always topped with a piece of crystal, often faceted (see photo of Stuart Crystals from Lowther Antiques, above). These memorial pieces were worn by the family and friends of the deceased. In the case of the king, loyal followers would wear them.

There were many other great pieces at Lenore's booth but I didn't have time to see them all! She said she will be at the Pier Show in NYC this fall, so I will plan to see her there.

Lenore Dailey does many jewelry shows each year.  Check out her website for show dates and see her gorgeous collection of jewels! AntiqueJewelryUsa.com

What a day it was! As usual, I thoroughly enjoyed myself - but really loved chatting with the dealers and sharing our common passion for jewelry, design & history!

The New York Antique Jewelry & Watch Show is on through tomorrow, Mon. the 28th until 4pm. Click on the website for more information about the show and the dealers.

My Day At The Met

 Fra Filippo Lippi, (detail) mid 15th century
Portrait of a Woman with a Man at a Casement

To say that yesterday was one of the best days of my life, might be hard to quantify - as I've had a multitude of them so far :) However, to say that it was an exquisite day filled with beautiful art, gems & design that blew my socks off?  Oh yeah! Welcome to the Met....

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has always been one of my favorite places in NYC. In fact, if for some reason I'm having an off day - I will say to myself "When in doubt, go to the Met!" This enormous museum never fails to delight & astonish me, take me out of my own head space and drop me off at the doorway to the world. I have been there countless times and still manage to find something I've never seen before. Literally, you can travel the globe in one day, that is if you have comfortable shoes and say, 6 hours :). Yesterday my visit took me to Egypt, China, England, Spain, Byzantium, Italy, Greece, France, Germany & America.  It was probably many more countries than that - but those were ones that I focused on with the exhibits that I saw and museum wings that I walked through.

I started my journey in ancient Egypt where I wanted to see the beautiful jewelry of the Egyptian princess, Sithathoryunet. I first learned of the princess when I was at an all-day, ASJRA jewelry conference last fall and listened to a great talk by Egyptologist Rita Freed of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. I then, later, gave a short presentation on the princess and her jewelry to my colleagues at work. Needless to say, I was looking forward to seeing these pieces in person.
There are quite a few pieces of hers at the Met - here is her stunning pectoral pendant.

Pectoral pendant belonging to Sithathoryunet
 - Egyptian, 12th Dynasty

 After I got my fill of the Egyptian wing I decided to go visit an old favorite of mine in the Robert Lehman Collection. This collection is a treasure trove with everything from Impressionist paintings to Renaissance jewelry & Majolica to a fabulous collection of Medieval art, Venetian glass, furniture from many periods, including a gorgeous Thomas Hope chandelier from 1802, and my favorite, a beautiful portrait of a princess in a blue satin dress by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. I love how she so elegantly shows the style of the 1850's in France and, of course, her jewelry :)

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 1851-1853Joséphine-Eléonore-Marie-Pauline de Galard de Brassacede Béarn, princesse de Broglie 
Photo - Met Museum

She wears a mix of styles (not uncommon in that period) with a stack of rings on one finger, including a coiled snake, a loosely worn wrapped necklace of pearls with diamond clasp, on her wrist - a gold and diamond bracelet on the other wrist, pearl fringe earrings and to top it all off, a a bulla necklace, of the archeological revival style (possibly by the great Castellani). I love the cavalier nature of it all!

Next up are some wonderful Byzantine jewels I found!

Byzantine Gold Necklace with Cross

Pair of Jeweled Byzantine Bracelets - gold, silver, pearls, sapphires
amethysts, quartz & emerald plasma - 500-700 AD

Necklace with gold marriage medallion and hematite amulet
 and bracelet with bust of Roma - Byzantine

Byzantine Disc Brooches, set with gems & pearls - originally
used to fasten parts of a garment together
600 - 725AD

I then finally made my way to the Charles James: Beyond Fashion exhibit that everyone's been raving about. James, an essentially self-taught American designer, was known for his ball gowns and dressed some of the most famous starlets in Hollywood as well as many prominent socialites, such as Millicent Rogers.

Pretty stellar stuff with a room full of ball gowns from the 40's & 50's, each one on its own circular island, with a state of the art digital display set into the island with images of the dress being de-constructed, showing the architectural nature of how his gowns were made. Also information on historical styles and trends that James incorporated in his designs. The exhibit was split into two spaces, one on the main floor and the other in the newly renovated Costume Institute on the lower level of the museum. Here they had some of his earlier dresses from the late 1930's, which were my favorites, and other garments such as cocktail dresses and magnificent coats. All in all, a really fascinating, learning exhibit with great quotes by the designer printed on the glass walls. Loved it!

"Forget all you know and learn something new everyday"  -Charles James

Charles James - Butterfly Ball Gown, 1955
Photo - Met Museum

Charles James - Evening Dress, 1948
Photo - Met Museum

Charles James - Ball Gowns, 1948 / Photograph by Cecil Beaton
Photo - Met Museum

"I have sometimes spent twelve hours working on one seam; utterly entranced and not hungry or tired till finally it had as if of its own will found the precise place where it should be placed." 

-Charles James

Last but not least, by any means, I wended my way to the Medieval European art gallery. Pretty exhausted by this time but knew my visit wouldn't be complete without seeing a couple of amazing portraits - ones that I'm very familiar with.

Hans Memling
Portrait of Maria Portinari, 1470

Detail of Memling painting above

Let's face it - Medieval art (portraiture, primarily) is one of my absolute favorites. Might sound kind of crazy but I fell in love with it many years ago when I was on an extended trip around Europe. The rich, intense colors, the flatness of the poses - yet the incredible, photographic-like clarity of the interiors and surroundings. Velvet and silk robes that you feel you can literally touch - exquisite! Something about these portraits brings me alive and makes me feel like I'm a part of that history. Who knows, maybe I was ;) Plus, the jewelry is always so beautifully detailed and prominent - what's not to love? !

Fra Filippo Lippi, mid 15th century
Portrait of a Woman with a Man at a Casement
(unfortunately my photo doesn't do this one justice!)

So, an incredible day at the Met!  I saw much more than is talked about here but these were definitely the highlights! I finished my long & lovely day with a glass of Pinot Bianco and some olives at the Great Hall Balcony Bar, where live classical music was being performed.

Heavenly, is the word I would use :)

I can see clearly now...

Life Collage - Wendy Smith 2009

The mystical collage of life...

If we all created a collage - made up of the things we love, what inspires us, what brings us joy, what moves us, what we dream of - would we have the key to our life?
You might be surprised ;)

I created this collage several years back. I had been cutting pictures, phrases & words out of magazines for about a year or so.  I found it to be a creative & satisfying thing to do. I would put them up on my bulletin board over my writing desk as inspiration and as a reminder of what made me tick, why I was here, what I wanted my life to be about.

I would change the quotes, words and images as a new desire came in or a new writing subject would take over. Sometimes there would be steamy lovers tangoing or portraits of jewel encrusted ladies from the Renaissance. Depending on what was going on in my life and more importantly, what was needed to inspire me and remind me of my journey - there could be anything from a fabulous beach in Tahiti to a simple word like trust.

The collage above was one I put together one afternoon when I wanted to create a story board for what I was feeling in that moment.  I had never made an intentional collage before.  I was living on a small island just off the Pacific Northwest coast at the time and had recently found a bright blue, painted wood board on the beach.  It had been roaming the seas for awhile but was still vibrantly blue and alive. I took it home, knowing I would use it for something creative.  I laid it down on the floor that afternoon, got out my folders of images and words and set to work composing my feelings, passions & desires. It felt really good putting all those pieces together and seeing the story it told - of me, at that time.

I had been going through a tough time, having just made major changes in my life the year before. An upheaval really, of all that I knew my life to be. Difficult choices were made, then a five month journey through Europe - following my passion, moving across the country to be near my family again and embarking on a dream to write a book.  So many changes, so many emotions and things not turning out how I had envisioned. I needed to create that collage that day to send a message to myself and the universe of what I needed and who I was.

It all started with this quote from J. R. R. Tolkien

                                           "Not all who wander are lost"

 I felt those words deeply in me and wanted to reassure myself and the world that I was on a life changing journey and may not find my physical home for awhile. Then there was the hand with the heart which represented self love to me and how I needed to love myself through this challenging time. Not always an easy thing to do.  I also put images and words of what I love doing in this world - travel, treasure hunting, creating, relaxing, meditating, laughing with family & friends, eating delicious foods & drinking champagne ;) !

I felt excitement and was full of joy after completing that collage.  I photographed it and later that season sent it as a holiday email to all I loved.  It was not a permanent collage, just something I put together one afternoon and dismantled almost immediately.  Like the magic & impermanence of life.

View from my house sitting gig in the San Juan Islands - 2009

I still have my bulletin board full of inspiring images, words and quotes but haven't made a collage since that day, many years ago.  I came across the collage last night as I was searching for a photo to post with my New Year greeting on facebook at midnight. In seeing it again, I saw how I have changed but also how many things are exactly the same, only from a  happier place now :)  It also seemed to be filled with life affirming messages that anyone could relate to.  A message and reminder to all, to follow your heart, trust yourself and be loving to yourself - because from that place of love, all things are possible.

I'm back on the other coast again, continuing along with my journey. Loving my city and my home but understanding that life is a continual journey of choices and experiences.  I look back on my life so far and see a very rich collage indeed - one that keeps expanding into the next adventure and the next adventure...
And perhaps, more than ever before, do I understand the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson..

                              "Life is a journey, not a destination"

Mystical Pier - W. Smith - 2009

                           Where do you want to go?

Make 2014 the year of all things possible. 

Why not?!

Subway Gem

NaJah Lewis performing in the NYC Subway - photo courtesy Buskrs.com

Not all gems are crystalline in nature, some are songbirds singing underground. 


It's rare that I hear someone on my daily commute in the city that stops me in my tracks.  NaJah Lewis is one who did.

Everyday commuters are romanced by musicians & entertainers of all kinds in the subways of New York City. Some talented, some, not so much. We hear and see everything from Mariachi bands, to opera singers, to dancers (often times, more exhibitionists than dancers ;), to the guy who enthusiastically sings early Beattle's tunes, sometimes hitting the notes, sometimes not - but always has a smile on his face and is joyful in what he does.  I appreciate these performers and applaud them for their courage in facing a not always enthusiastic or responsive audience.  After all, we're New Yorkers, we've got places to be - in a hurry.  Train delays, a long day at work - sometimes we just need to get where we're going or get home and have some dinner - or - finish the chapter we started reading before our stop comes! We are barraged by people asking for money on the trains - all the time.  Again, I respect these people for their courage and know it is not an easy journey for them.  You wish you could help all of them out with a dollar or some food but often times you're trying to make ends meet yourself.  All that being said, New Yorkers have mastered the mask of indifference. We won't look at the performer or panhandler, often times we won't acknowledge them even if we have enjoyed their performance or are moved by their speech. It's a tough reality but it is how it is. In a way, this mask is a survival tool in getting through the day in a packed metropolis of people, all wanting something.  After all, how much money can you give away?

NYC F Subway Train - photo by John Barnes, 2009

There are times, however, that I am so moved or delighted that I must respond, I must acknowledge. If someone can bring a smile to my face or soften a hard day, so much so that I forgot what was hard about the day, then they've got a special gift, in my eyes.

The first time I heard NaJah Lewis was about a month ago, when I was on the platform at 14th St. waiting for the F train, the second train I take on my commute each day. The F train is known for its delays and long waiting period between trains, which makes it annoying for commuters but great for performers as they get a nice chunk of time to perform, capturing the audience before the next train comes.  I arrived one morning and immediately was impressed with the voice I was hearing at the other end of the platform.  I couldn't see her from where I was but boy, could I hear her! I thought, wow, what is she doing performing in the subway? She should be famous already. I listened, from my spot, to beautiful songs accompanied by guitar. Earthy, heartfelt, soulful, powerful. A voice that reminded me of performers from the 60's & 70's, genuinely talented and making a go for it in the most authentic and humble ways.  And yet, a thoroughly modern voice. Influenced, yes, but completely her own. I didn't recognize any of the songs, so assumed they were her originals, which I found out later, many were.

Each day I would arrive and she'd be singing. Each day her singing made me feel good. Each day I was impressed and knew she would be big someday. I started to form a picture in my mind of what she looked like - not wanting to veer away from my strategic spot on the platform (always figuring ways to make the commute more efficient :). I imagined her to be a young, vibrant spirit with wild hair. It just seemed to fit the voice.  Finally, the other day I had a little extra time and thought, I need to see who this person is.  I walked down the platform and was not surprised to see that she looked exactly as I had imagined, but stylier! (word?). I took a picture with my phone but it didn't come out well.  I was not the only one taking pictures, recording her on smart phones and clapping enthusiastically when she finished a song. This is not normal behavior for most NYC commuters!  As she was singing, I went up to her, told her she was wonderful and put money in her guitar case.  She said thank you, with a smile, between the lyrics of her song.

NaJah Lewis performing in the NYC Subway - photo courtesy of Buskrs.com

Yesterday, I decided to look her up on the internet and see if there was any press, info about her, etc... She is definitely making an impact. She plays gigs around town, is being featured in an upcoming documentary about NYC subway musicians entitled Subway: The Musical, by Emmy award winning cinematographers Wolfgang Held & Pola Rapaport, she was filmed by BUSKRS.com, a website devoted to musicians performing in the subways of New York and has been selected as the voice for the Civil Rights Slide Show at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture. There are also several youtube videos of her singing either her original songs or covers of some of the most popular pop songs out today.  In fact, it's quite funny because one of the songs she always sings in the subway is "Roar" by Katy Perry, however, she does it in such a way that it sounds like her own song.  Really beautiful. I may not be up on what's hot in pop right now but I have heard "Roar" before and frankly, I had no idea that that was what she was singing!

As my good friend Cherie Seymore, a singer/songwriter and long time veteran in the music industry always says - you have to pay your dues as a performer, put in the long hours, play the not-so-lucrative gigs in the beginning, be respectful of the ones who have come before you - then you will gain the wisdom and experience to write those amazing songs, touch people with your music and ultimately, change lives. I think that NaJah Lewis is on her way!  She is a genuine soul & talent.              
-And, I would like to thank NaJah for brightening my commute everyday! - for now, that is ;)

Check out the video of her singing "Roar" and like her on facebook to follow what she's up to and where she is performing.
NaJah Lewis facebook

ASJRA Jewelry Conference - Fall 2013

Crown of Margaret of York (1461-1474) - Now that's a crown!

I attended a wonderful, day-long jewelry conference  this month put on by the Association For The Study Of Jewelry And Related Arts (ASJRA).  Held at the majestic University Club on 5th Avenue with coffered ceilings, beautiful portraits and the air of another age.  A nice place to spend the day! 


-It was a full line up of speakers with subjects including: A History of Betrothal & Wedding Rings, Suffragist Jewelry, The British Crown Jewels, Hair Jewelry & Sentimentality, Jewelry Symbolism in a Medici Portrait, Highlights from the MFA Boston Collection & Jewels of an Ancient Egyptian Princess. There was more than that but I will just touch on one for now.

The British Crown Jewels
A great presentation by Curt DiCamillo on interesting stories, history & ownership of some of Britain's most famous jewels. Very dapper & funny, Mr. DiCamillo took us on a roller coaster ride of images & stories.  So much more interesting than the usual information out there about the jewels! Check out his website, above, to see all the fascinating things he's up to - including leading tours in Paris -  'Jewels & Ambassadors'.

Princess Anne

-Personal favorites of the Royals, such as Princess Anne's favorite Tiara. The Meander Tiara, of simple Greek key design, set completely with diamonds, a gift to Anne in 1972 from her mother Queen Elizabeth II.  The simple, more understated design suits Princess Anne perfectly.  It originally belonged to Princess Andrew of Greece & Denmark, the mother of Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and mother in law to Queen Elizabeth II. Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Phillips, wore the same tiara for her wedding to Mike Tindall in 2011.
  

The bejeweled cherub brooch, below, a favorite of Queen Victoria's. Set with emeralds, rubies, sapphires & diamonds, the design is based on the famous cherubs in the Sistine Madonna painting by Raphael.

QEII wearing George IV State Crown

-George IV State Crown History
The George IV State Crown was only worn once by the King, while walking the brief distance between Westminster Abbey where he was crowned and the coronation luncheon held just a few blocks away, in 1820. Made specifically for that short journey as a little something extra for the special day, he never wore it again. However, it has become one of the most recognized crowns in the world.  Not only was it worn by Queen Victoria, Queen Alexandra & the lovely Queen Elizabeth II, it also donned the first postage stamp back in 1840 and is featured on British coins & stamps still today.

Queen Victoria wearing George IV state crown

DiCamillo recommended a couple of books about Queen Elizabeth II that he thought we might enjoy. The Uncommon Reader (note the crown she's wearing on the cover :) & Dressing the Queen
I have not checked out either of these yet but plan to!

The conference was not only informative but fun and well run, in my opinion.  There were some top notch speakers, so many of which I would love to sit down and have a cup of coffee with!  My hat goes off to Yvonne Markowitz & Elyse Zorn Karlin for a job well done.  I will attend next year! Here is a list of the speakers.

I learned an incredible amount that day from all the presentations and will do future blogs on some of the subjects.

David Webb - Fall 2013

David Webb Salon, Madison Ave, NYC

It's been a busy fall with all kinds of fun and informative jewelry events, private workshop tours, talks & conferences.  Just getting the chance now to catch up and share! Follow my next several posts to see what I've been up to :)





September 2013  
David Webb - A private workshop tour followed by a slideshow & talk by Ruth Peltason, author of the newly released  David Webb - The Quintessential American Jeweler.

Webb Book Cover

An event that was hosted by the American Society of Jewelry Historians (ASJH), of which I'm a member. 

-Arriving at the petite jewelry salon was like walking into an exotic jewel box.  Nothing really visible from the street, making the inner domain feel like a privileged secret, only accessible with the right password.  Greeted and checked in, I perused my environment pleased with the rich jewel tones, the sumptuous shapes, the sheer size of some of these exquisite pieces.  There is no shyness evident in these designs - rather, a pure abandonment of what’s possible.  Immediately Liz Taylor comes to mind, that bold, undeniable beauty.  An era of jet-setting style that was carried off so well in the 60’s & 70’s - St. Tropez, Paris, New York.  Many of Webb's designs we see today in production are from those times past.  Apparently, a plethora of designs that were only made once or never are being produced again, or for the first time, Mark Emanual, co-owner of the firm, told us that evening. The designer’s love of color, enamel work, carved stones, ancient civilizations and the animal kingdom - make his work unlike anyone else in the jewelry world.  It's said that Webb made weekly pilgrimages to the Met, where he was inspired by the gold work of ancient civilizations. So much so that he created his own mixture of alloys, re-creating the rich colors of the past. 

Webb Earrings, image courtesy of Bergdorf Goodman

"I believe the things I make have museum quality and, hopefully, will last as long as the originals that inspired them."          David Webb

After taking in the gorgeous jewelry on the main floor salon, I was taken upstairs in a stylish elevator to the second floor where wine & snacks awaited.  Handed a glass of white wine, I headed for the entrance to the jewelry workshop where we were given a private tour of the inner workings of the Webb flagship store.  Here we watched bench jewelers working on pieces of jewelry in different stages of production.  Each jeweler working on one piece at a time, from start to finish - averaging app. 50 hours per piece.  This workshop, the only one in the world, provides all of the company's production of about 400 pieces per year.  One jeweler, who has proudly been with the company for 48 years, was polishing the inside of a wide gold bangle, telling us that it was his suggestion back in the 1970's that all pieces should look as good on the inside as they do on the outside - an idea that has been implemented ever since.  Fascinating to see the pieces actually being made in this pristine environment.  And after understanding how few pieces were made each year, I immediately had a greater appreciation for the exquisite jewelry and this company.  It also made me really want to own a piece for myself!

David Webb Coral, Diamond, Enamel & Gold Ring

A great talk followed by Ruth Peltason, a lively speaker with all kinds of interesting tidbits about how the book came into being and the journey along the way.  Her book, the first all encompassing book on Webb, is filled with wonderful photos, history, quotes and anecdotes about the designer, who passed away in 1975.  A book I would highly recommend. She has written several books on jewelry, including Living Jewels. She also worked with Elizabeth Taylor on Elizabeth Taylor - My Love Affair With Jewelry.

 I will sum up with a quote from his company.

"By his untimely death in 1975 he had established an incredible legacy."

For more information, go to David Webb

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!