Show me your Heirlooms...

[PrincessCath]

Ha! A taker! I have thought it might work as a scarf pin -- a conversation piece at least. Needs some renovating & cleaning & the clip doesn't work anymore. It has its own personality, you could say.

Seriously, it's a great piece with a great backstory.

 

[PrincessCath]

Lotus, I like your story about the pearls. Interesting how heirlooms bring in thoughts of the whole family & make you wonder about what they did, where they went, who they were. Would like to see photos of your spoon -- that sort of memento reminds you of its previous parents whenever you use it. Kind of warm & fuzzy feeling.

Found 2 more pics I took & forgot to include above.



These earrings were my aunt's, 18k & Akoya pearls (?) -- maybe pearl people know, I don't. 5 or 6 mm. They are clip earrings & don't look good on me at all. Outdated style, attractive to somebody who likes vintage stuff, I suppose. Have thought of selling them but also of re-using the pearls in something else, but then what would I do with the settings? Hate to waste that gold. Could sell them.



Another weird one that I find strangely attractive. I have NO idea what it is! My mother's stepmother was a flapper in the 20s -- I have one of her dresses, hung with thousands of tiny jet beads I can easily imagine swaying as she did the Charleston. Found this thing in her drawer after she died & couldn't bring myself to toss it. It's jet with I'm sure rhinestones, 32 inches long, no clasp or evidence of a way to attach it to anything. Anybody have a suggestion as to its use?

Wow, JewelFreak, I had missed those other pieces of yours! Please don't destroy the earrings, they are so stylish. You should sell them if they don't suit you.

The jet thing may have been sewn onto a dress, or it may have been part of a longer necklace that was broken. Or part of a hair ornament? Difficult to tell without more pix. Anyway it should be easy to make a nifty necklace out of it by adding a clasp.

I don't know where you live, but in LA there's a big market for vintage pieces like this.

 

[JewelFreak]

Thanks for the good words, Cath. I like your thoughts about the jet piece -- I wondered too if it came off a dress somehow, except with the ornaments on both ends, it's hard to figure. It's too short for a belt or necklace. I'd love to use it in some way but have yet to discover what. Hang it off a purse?

I should bring the pearl earrings out to LA! I'm in North Carolina where there isn't much sense of style, new or old. They are very nice earrings -- maybe it's the color of the pearls, too similar to my complexion; they just look blah when I put them on. The workmanship of the gold is well done too. I'd like to give them a chance to live with somebody who would love them.

I like the story of the hand pin too. My aunt actually had a wonderful sense of style & bought beautiful clothes -- in great quantity, I discovered when she died & my uncle laid her things out on 2 beds, the closet still full. She bought quality & hung onto it forever -- I kept a smashing fringed leather short cape by Pierre Cardin, very 60s in style, but very beautifully made & cut. Probably would look just right now since some of those lines are coming back. It should go into some sort of vintage designer display, really.

--- Laurie

 

[partgypsy]

The jet necklace you are describing is called a lariat necklace. I swear my grandmother had one as well (costume). From what I remember you lay it across the front of your neck, crosses in back of neck and then lay each end in front. Usually they are longer lengths but I guess come in different sizes. It seems like they would come flying off your neck, but they look neat!

http://www.maxandchloe.com/Loren-Hope-Flapper-Tassel-Lariat-Necklace

 

[JewelFreak]

Wow, PG, you may have solved it! I'll go see if it works -- it is pretty short. So is there supposed to be something to tie the ends together? It's way too short to loop them over or knot them. That is so interesting -- my grandmother was a flapper in the 20s. I have a wonderful dress of hers with long strings of black beads on the skirt. And a gorgeous picture of her from that time in a flapper hat, a cloche, I think. Will let you know if the lariat thing works out.

--- Laurie

 

[ringthings]

Flapper? Interesting. Is a flapper one of the fancy show dancers from those days?

 

[minigirl]

i would like to show you if i have. admiring fro you all

 

[ringthings]

You have lots of antique goodies, Ringthings. Nice!



Have tried several times to photograph this -- cannot make the amethysts show their lovely colors. They're a grape color w/magenta flashes -- impossible to get right in a pic. Set in yg w/turquoises & pearls. About 1.5 inch diameter.

That is so pretty!