A Basket Full of Pearls~Happy Easter

A brooch that I wear 1 day a year, if I remember. This year I am remembering!!

A beauty found second hand of course.  The piece measures 2" x 1.5".  It is very pretty;done in a silver base covered with clear and pink rhinestones and pearls. It is unsigned but lovely all the same.



For the Love of the VW Beetle. Not a typical post

I have always loved VW Beetles.  I had a friend who had a volksy bug convertible when I was a teen. I loved that car. 

So ok, no this blog is not about a brooch.  It is about a beautiful car.  A car that has come around again in vogue to drive proudly. 

There is nothing like a vintage VW Bug though.

I'd love to have a gold bug. 

It would be so well, golden

A Classic VW Beetle done in a nice vintage golden color with BEAUTIFUL fat whitewalls

We could take this desire a bit further

.

We could well adorn our VW Beetle with actually 24k Plated golden scrolling.

This piece of art was created by a metal art shop called Verbanus.  If we have a bit of metal working skill, lots of 24k gold plate and 2500 extra hours to fiddle, this could  be our next art project. Oh yes, dont forget the vintage VW Bug base.

I could really rock and roll in this dream car

 A creative builder has taken the love of the VW Beetle to a higher notch.



VW Shaped Home

I wonder if they have a VW Bug in their garage?

 I like the ring below. 

I could not afford it as shown, as it is crafted in gold and saphires. 

Sterling would work for me.



VW Beetle Ring Gold and Saphires



Obviously, the VW Beetle has touched the heart of many over the years. Below is a cute VW Bug sterling charm with spinning wheels



Vintage Sterling VW Beetle Charm


I have not posted since before last Sunday.  As I was making this blog post, I got a call that my mother had another stroke.  Needless to say, I dropped the computer and rushed with my dear husband to the hospital.
 She is so precious to me. 
We are blessed, as she is doing well.

Please keep us in your prayers.
Much is going on in our lives now
. I believe we will come through this stronger, only through God's grace.

Happy Sunday.

xxoo Lisa





Frantic Fridays-mad dash Victorian Brass Flower Brooch

Friday's are my self-inflicted rush day.

Much to do before going to work.

Yes, no one has given me a princess tiara.

 I know I look damn good in one.

  If I had one, this princess would be a stay at home princess.

  Until then, the rush is on!

This brooch is an old brass brooch measuring  2" diameter.

C Clasp indicates that it is old old old.

I have not cleaned it as I prefer the beauty of natural patina.

Short and Sweet

I like the simplicity of this piece. 

The beauty is not in glittery stones.

It is understated and soft.



Have a simple day full of good moments

~Lisa

Pot Metal Clamp Dress Clip-Back in the Day

Costume jewelry began long ago. 

 In the beginning the jewelry  was intended to be permanent part of the dress purchased. It was sewn to the fabric.

Women began using the sewn piece on other pieces of apparel to change the look of their outfits.

It did not take long for business minded people to take note that these little gems could be sold without a piece of apparel. Costume jewelry became a booming business.

This is a simple dress clip made of pot metal. 

In its day it had little rhinestone accents. It measures approximately 2" X 1"

I picked this up at a church sale for a dollar. 

 It has no value really. It is just a reminder of a simpler time to me.

Flower Power~Its Spring~Brooch Cluster

The birds are chirping and it feels like mid-May.

 Today we may break a record here in Western Pennsylvania. 

The forecast is 80 degrees and sunshine.

I pulled out my outfit that I wore for OBX photographs last summer. 

It is a pair of khaki crops and a nice lavendarish crocheted cardigan. 

 I was so tan when I last wore this and now I am Pittsburghea Pastey. 

To deter from my pastiness, I added this bouquet of flower brooches. 

 I love these punky little squirts of flower power.  I have about 30 or so of these.

Some are marked some are not.

I just love them.

~Lisa



My Mystery Brooch-Can you identify it?

I got this brooch years ago. It is one that remains a total mystery to me. It is also one of my very favorites, partly because I can find no solid information on it no matter where I research. 

I call it my Tin Man Brooch.

The face is a separate piece from the green hat.  The head is pot metal; a mixture of whatever metals were available to work with melted together. I do not know what material the hat is. I do know that it does not feel like lucite or bakelite. It measures a little over an inch tall and is adorned with rhinestones.

Be forewarned.

 I will continue to post this pin on the blog until (I hope) someone truly identifies this piece.

I thought I had found a great forum ( www.iantiqueonline.com ) that may have been able to help me research this.  I was kicked off the forum, within days of joining, and my IP address has been blocked because the co-founder/editor wanted my profile Icon (my picture) removed.

From the co-founder editor's email to me:

C. Dianne Zweig Editor's Desk has sent you a message on I Antique Online

Subject: Profile photos

------------
Lisa,

 I would like to suggest that you change your profile photo. While attractive and artsy, it may invite unwanted members to the site.http://iantiqueonline.ning.com/page/photos-and-videos

The picture of me that "may invite unwanted members to their website".

I went so far as to email her, her other co founder, and called a business phone number of one of them in attempts to find out why my picture would draw unwanted members.

Anyhow, I never received an answer, they removed my picture, and then removed me.

So, I welcome any ideas, or information on this Tin Man Brooch.

Faith, Hope Charity

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.1 Corinthians 13:13

I found this last week. 

It appears very old.

 I fell in like with it immediately.

It is small in size but HUGE in message.

The pin looks like it is made with pot metal (a mix of whatever one had at hand) although the back is marked. I has enameled areas and is accented with rhinestones.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith,_Hope_and_Charity

What a treasue hunt-My Glittery Haul of Vintage Costume Jewelry

Friday's treasure hunt went well. 

 I obtained some very nice pieces. 

I truly get a huge endorphin rush when I am on the hunt.

This is my frivolous addiction, I know.

The photograph shows most of my recent haul. I also bought a Laguna three strand aurora borealis necklace in the long length.



St Paddy's Day~A Clover Brooch

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

We have a  sunny day beginning here in Western Pennsylvania.  I hope your Saturday is blissful!

 This brooch was acquired yesterday. It cost me a mere dollar. 

From what I have found on this brooch, it was most likely made in the 50's in Ireland.  The actual clover is captured and preserved in lucite.

The piece measures a lil' over an inch in diameter.

Enjoy your day and wear a lil' bit of green!

~Lisa E.



Out in a dash-friday GLITTERY GLAM

Late, late late.

I am Friday Frazzled.

I need to get to work early so I can take a bit longer at lunch.

Today, I am on a quest to find more treasure.

Not telling where, but will let you know.

Here is some Friday Glittery Glam.

Above the cameo you can see a wee bit of one of my fav brooches. It is a very very old three leaved clover. 

Happy Friday.



<a href="http://www.hypersmash.com%22%3ehypersmash.com%3c/a>

Bell Copper Vintage Flower Brooch-50's

 Flower brooches are the desire of many costume jewelry enthusiasts. 

This is a copper flower.

 The detail of the pin is great. Each petal has been pieced individually. This layering technique presents and reflects light well. The brooch is a stand alone piece at 2..5" 

The flower back is marked Copper by Bell.  This trademark was used by the Bell Trading Post Co of New Mexico. The company made tourist jewelry from the 30's to the 80's

Tiny Dancer~Unmarked Figural Pin

A ballerina figural pin

1.75" x 1.75" in dimensions but huge in her ballet leap.  I have a ton (ok, not literally a ton) of ballerina pins and brooches.  I peeked in my chest and just happened to grab this pin for photographing today.  There is nothing spectacular about this piece.  Pins like this example  were  common.  The dancer is gold tone with light enameling.  The edge of her skirt is accented with tiny aurora borealis stones.  Her bodice is laced with tiny little rhinestones.

Coro 1950's Bling

My husband found this brooch at a Nun Monastery Church Sale for $2.

 It is a vintage Coro piece from the early 1950's.

  It is a bold peice measuring  3.25" x 1.25". 

 The base is done in a  ruffled edging which reflects light  and compliments the prong set rhinestones. 

The stones are pale yellow, pale green and sparkling clear.

This brooch for some reason has truly challenged my ability with a camera.  It is much prettier than I can photograph.



A musical piece-

A Bass with a G clef placed over the strings.  This is also a book piece.  The Bass is 3.25" in length

This would have been created in the 1940's.  Brooch is accented with four set rhinestones.

Art Deco Coro Flower Trembler Brooch-Enamel and Rhinestones

A nice find from a thrift store.  I bought it for $1 and it is currently valued over $150.

This brooch is an early Coro Signed Book Piece.  The brooch would have been created between 1920 and 1940, during the Art Deco period.

The vintage pieces is large measuring 3.25" in length. It is done in hand enameling with clear rhinestone petal edging and has a moving stamen tipped in  blue rhinestones.

Palmer Thermometers Advertising Brooch

This is a special little brooch.  It came from a friend's estate.  Her name was Ann.  She died far too young and her husband gave this to me.  We both loved thrifting and especially vintage costume jewelry

The pin measures  1.5" by 2.25 " and holds a functioning minature thermometer. 

I often notice that early makers of vintage costume jewelry paid much attention to details, even on the back of pieces. The materials used in the creation of the jewelry may not have held much value but the workmanship did not reflect that. 

 I found one similar to it and it was given as a promotional trinket advertising Palmer Thermometers.

Eye Candy for Friday~Vintage Bling!

I am late for work and wanted to get out some morning bling.

Just a teaser for all that is to come.

This is such a good way for me to categorize my collection. This should have been done a LONG time ago.

I would like to obtain a vintage tiara and wear it every day.  I think I would look good as a princess.  But, until I can be a princess...................Off to work I go.



A peek into a gentler time. Victorian topaz brooch

My birthday is in November.  My birthstone is topaz. I used to wish I had one of the other pretty colors of stones when I was younger,. I think it was more of the "always wanting what others have vs seeing the beauty  in what is yours" type of theory. 

I am older, and appreciate topaz now.

What drew me to this brooch was its  beautiful topaz colored center cut stone.  The brooch is  from the Victorian era. Intricate scroll work is  in the base along with two beautiful small pearl accents

The brooch measures 1.5" x 1". The stone is open backed.

. 

The Victorian period began in 1837 and was broken up into three periods; the romantic, the grand and the late Victorian.  This is from the romantic period.  Pieces were done

Found on EBAY.

4 blue cut glass hearts joined to make a shamrock. simple.

This brooch has four heart shaped cut glass stones encasing a rhinestone. It forms a shamrock shape.  It is set in a vermeil base. The word "vermeil" is a French word which came into use in the English language, mostly in America, in the 19th century silver gilt. vemeil  is a mix of metals.  This is most probably from the 1940's.  It is not marked which makes it harder to identify.  What I admire the most is the clarity of the blue glass.  It is a petite little pin that has a 1" diameter.