As requested, I'm going to start a thread to show some pieces off.
I'll start with a little background. I have only been buying antique items for about 10 years now. Really before that was college, law school and then working, but not making very much at all when all the bills were paid initially.
Most of my jewelry before I started buying antique items was either purchased for me by mom at either mall stores or jewelry stores and was mass market cast items. I still have a lot- most- of the things she bought for keepsake purposes. I have a pearl ring with tiny diamonds I wanted when I was 16 so very badly, which was probably too expensive at the time for her, but she bought it anyway. It was from JCPenney's jewelry case and I still have it.
Around 2008- 2011, I started to get drawn into filigree items. I was buying mass market filigree items that were usually sterling silver. I have a pair of those earrings on my almost free thread. I did some research and decided that I wanted something that was actually old. I went from not having anything that was really of any age to reading blogs about antique jewelry, ordering books and even eventually attending shows. I actually love the NYC antique jewelry show that is in October and July. I usually try to go to both and make it a three day weekend. Covid has disrupted the last couple, obviously.
My first purchase, I no longer have. But, I did find an old screen shot of it. It is admittedly a terrible screenshot.
At the time, $450 was a TON of money for me to spend. I wore that ring a lot. It was beautiful. Dainty, airy, and well preserved filigree in platinum. It was rarely worn because the wheat engraving on the band was still in nice shape and only had started to wear at the very back. She had been treated gently. It had floral or tulip shaped filigree in the body of the ring with tiny single cuts. It was a really beautiful ring.
I eventually sold it when I did a large consignment a few years back. I got into the habit of buying things I knew were undervalued and snapping them up, even if I didn't love them. I ended up with a lot of good buys, but it was haphazard and I did not actually really *love* a lot of it.
I probably should have kept it. But, it didn't get worn anymore.
That ring was my entry into the world of antique. Since then, I'd say almost everything I have is antique or has antique components (stones, settings and design elements if new). I don't mind new settings that are true to the time period with antique stones or items. I'll include some of those here too.
My plan is to talk a bit about some individual pieces and share photos. Maybe others will start their own threads too!
I'll start with a little background. I have only been buying antique items for about 10 years now. Really before that was college, law school and then working, but not making very much at all when all the bills were paid initially.
Most of my jewelry before I started buying antique items was either purchased for me by mom at either mall stores or jewelry stores and was mass market cast items. I still have a lot- most- of the things she bought for keepsake purposes. I have a pearl ring with tiny diamonds I wanted when I was 16 so very badly, which was probably too expensive at the time for her, but she bought it anyway. It was from JCPenney's jewelry case and I still have it.
Around 2008- 2011, I started to get drawn into filigree items. I was buying mass market filigree items that were usually sterling silver. I have a pair of those earrings on my almost free thread. I did some research and decided that I wanted something that was actually old. I went from not having anything that was really of any age to reading blogs about antique jewelry, ordering books and even eventually attending shows. I actually love the NYC antique jewelry show that is in October and July. I usually try to go to both and make it a three day weekend. Covid has disrupted the last couple, obviously.
My first purchase, I no longer have. But, I did find an old screen shot of it. It is admittedly a terrible screenshot.
![Screenshot_20210211-083601.jpg Screenshot_20210211-083601.jpg](https://www.pricescope.com/community/data/attachments/769/769364-fb5489d93fb31a681bf80a9f83ac2265.jpg)
At the time, $450 was a TON of money for me to spend. I wore that ring a lot. It was beautiful. Dainty, airy, and well preserved filigree in platinum. It was rarely worn because the wheat engraving on the band was still in nice shape and only had started to wear at the very back. She had been treated gently. It had floral or tulip shaped filigree in the body of the ring with tiny single cuts. It was a really beautiful ring.
I eventually sold it when I did a large consignment a few years back. I got into the habit of buying things I knew were undervalued and snapping them up, even if I didn't love them. I ended up with a lot of good buys, but it was haphazard and I did not actually really *love* a lot of it.
I probably should have kept it. But, it didn't get worn anymore.
That ring was my entry into the world of antique. Since then, I'd say almost everything I have is antique or has antique components (stones, settings and design elements if new). I don't mind new settings that are true to the time period with antique stones or items. I'll include some of those here too.
My plan is to talk a bit about some individual pieces and share photos. Maybe others will start their own threads too!