Adrian Mann - Ways to date jewellery using knitting patterns

There are many ways to date jewellery, but today I have one way that has not been covered before.  Here is a photograph of an Adrian Mann vintage brooch produced in 1984. It is in a Scottish jewellery designed in silver tone with a mock Cairngorm stone in the center of the thistle flower. Also on the page is a plain gold tone bangle.

Vintage knitting pattern for women - sweaters

The jewellery is on a vintage knitting pattern for a woman's sweater. Easy to date as the pattern has a date inside. Also they have actually put the name of the jewellery supplier. Most times on patterns the jewellery is not named or dated but occasionally I do come across one such as this.

This last week we have added over 30 new pieces to Jewels and Finery. Here are just a few..

Ceramic white anemone flower vintage brooch in white vintage brooches

Diamante clip on earrings by Pell - in our vintage clip on earrings collection.

  

1960s vintage necklace with matching screw back earrings by Coro in silver tone and mock coral coloured cabochon. 

Just a few exciting jewellery pieces - as we source the unusual and often unique style. Not found on the high street.

Well it does look as though spring has arrived early in the UK. Good weather has meant that we have been able to start a major renovation on our front garden. Taking out all the overgrown shrubbery and trees. My plan is to have a more colourful and productive front garden this and subsequent years.

Here is a photograph as to what it looks like now.

Overgrown with ivy and the soil is awful and so dry. My husband does not have a clue when it comes to gardening so he lets me carry on and he just does the clearing and some heavy stuff. I said in a blog a while back about loosing some weight. So I have joined a gym - which I enjoy using (especially the pool and jacuzzi) This gardening is also helping, along with eating better foods. Have lost weight as finding my clothes are not fitting!

Dating Sarah Coventry pieces from 1976 Part 14

To continue with our look at the 1976 brochure from Sarah Coventry. This will aid identification and dating jewellery from the company. It also helps with dating other vintage jewellery by familiarizing the style of the pieces. Do this often enough and you will be able to see which era the brooch or necklace that you are trying to date is more likely to come from.

The following pages are taken from the Spring edition of the jewelry collection 1976, Sarah Coventry inc.

Page 44

Pixie Pets - a range of jewellery aimed at teenagers. Sarah Coventry produced several ranges aimed at the younger girl.

A = bluebird of happiness bracelet.
B = blue bird of happiness necklace.
C = Tina ring adjustable 1 - 4.
D = Pinkie ring.
E = Swingin' bear necklace 14 to 16 inch adjustable in silver tone.
F = Guppy pendants 14"
G = Guppy bracelet
H = Ann 'n Andy pendants 16"
I = Color trio bracelet with three changeable fronts.

Page 45

A = Bittersweet necklace (31" and 36" chains)
B = Bittersweet earrings (pierced)

Page 46
Earrings from Sarah Coventry

A = La grande hoop with surgical steel.
B = Chicken clips with one pair in gold tone and another in silver tone.
C = fashion loops in gold tone.
D = fashion loops in silver tone.
E = hula hoops with 14K overlay.
F = wedding band with 14k overlay.
G = tailored classic with surgical steel in silver tone.
H = Dove of peace with surgical steel wire.
I = twister with surgical steel in silver tone.
J = Charisma with surgical steel in silver tone.
K = Charisma in gold tone with surgical steel.
L = fiesta with surgical steel.
M = pierced ear wires with one pair in gold tone and another in silver tone.
N = twister in gold tone and surgical steel.
O = tailored classics in surgical steel and gold tone.
P = Zodiac circle in surgical steel.
Q = wedding ring in surgical steel.

A ll the above earrings were available but needed either the chicken clips or ear wires to make them for pierced ears or for clip on style earrings.

Just a few of the pre owned and vintage jewellery that have passed through our hands this week.

Vintage molten ring - adjustable 1970s in silver metal.

Ceramic vintage pendant signed Countess made in England. Renaissance art depicted on a pendant. Just add a chain.

Amber plastic cluster vintage clip-on earrings.

Monet The Master Jewelers by Alice Vega

A new book is just out on Monet jewellery. Monet The Master Jewelers by Alice Vega was first published a couple of weeks ago and is not one to miss. A large and heavy book filled with the history of Monet or previously Monocraft jewellery. Adverts that date Monet jewellery and plenty of pieces arranged in decades until the eighties.

The company may have started in 1927 as an initials business, producing the monograms that were a popular trend of the 1920s & 1930s for initially cars. The Great Depression, saw them move to handbags as few could afford cars. Expanding their business into jewellery, the company went from Monocraft to Monet in 1937. They produced a YSL line in the 1980s and in the 1990s manufactured the Christian Lacroix line. In 1996 saving the company from bankruptcy, Liz Clairebourne company took over. Still having a name for quality and style Monet continues to expand  today
.

Great book on jewellery, well written and researched and contains page after page of jewellery, definitely one to buy and keep in your reference library.

Here are just a few of the Monet jewellery pieces that are available on Jewels and Finery at the moment.
 

Monet jewellery set of a swirl brooch and matching earrings

We do have many other pieces in stock that we add every week onto the website.

Mirella Brooches

Good morning, I have wrote about jewellery signed Mirella before. W A P Watson the company who produced the Exquisite brand also produced Mirella. Named after an employee, the brand was for fancy goods and mirrors. However I discovered a short time ago that they also produced a few pieces of jewellery under that name - well two brooches it seems!

This was the purple vintage brooch that I brought a while back.

I have seen this brooch not only signed Mirella but also signed Exquisite.

This is the other brooch (below) that I have just brought signed Mirella. It is the only other one that I have seen under the Mirella brand. Both brooches are in my own collection but we source Exquisite and Mirella jewellery that will be added to the page on the above link regularly.

Both pretty floral designs and hand enameled with mock marcasite. Would say they date to the 1960s.
We have added more vintage brooches over the last few weeks in floral designs as well as with many other looks.

Carnival Glass or Iridescent Glass Jewellery

Little is written about the beautiful blue and black jewellery called Carnival or iridescent beads and glass pieces.

Now I call this type of jewellery - carnival. The name came from my mother and her mother, so this is part of my heritage. It is available in blue and black colours mostly and can be found in both antique and vintage necklaces, earrings, brooches, hat pins and bracelets. Also any other jewellery that used beads and glass. Now days the iridescent look is available on plastic beads.

Vintage carnival necklace 42 cm or 18 inches

Samples of "iridescent" jewellery developed from Roman glass that changed colour over time. It is produced by spraying, adding or fuming (a type of smoking pieces) metallic salts onto coloured glass. It then produces an oil on water effect. The colours and intensity depends on the base glass and amount of salts added. It would have looked enchanting by candle light and is still very pretty when reflected by electric lights today

Treble strand vintage carnival or iridescent necklace

It seems to have first come into fashion at the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Probably as a result of the changes in mourning jewellery, when people still wanted a bit of decorum and to retain the black look, but also were starting to crave a bit of colour.

Fenton in the US in around the 1908 period started to use this technique for making pressed glass bowls and glasses. Its popularity increased from the 1900s up to the 1930s, when the cheaply produced decorative bowls, plates, and glasses were prizes at carnivals fairs. Hence where the name "carnival" derived from. The decorative glass was produced in large quantities and in many different colours. The most popular colours for pressed glass were marigold, amethyst and then the much scarcer blue. The popular blue and black glass jewellery was the colours used most and the many other colours are not represented as much. Common sense tells me that it was more expensive to produce the darker colours that light, but I am not a glass making expert?
Then there was a further revival of carnival glass jewellery in the late 1970s to early 1980s and it is still produced today in lesser quantities.

The clear glass jewellery with the "Northern Lights" effect called aurora borealis (AB) was developed in the mid fifties and gained more popularity over the darker carnival jewellery.
Again common sense tells me that aurora borealis was being developed, when the second world war stopped many new innovations. After the war, the trend was for colour - hence the darker and more somber colours were forfeited for the bright cheerful AB effect.

   

 Aurora borealis clip vintage earrings (Sorry already sold)

The jewellery was produced in Bohemia in the late Victorian era. But it was also produced in the UK, USA, Germany, France and many other countries.

 West Germany vintage carnival glass earrings

The dating to the jewellery is made by reviewing the original findings, but also by the feel of the glass. Early samples are much heavier than later ones. They also have a better quality look to them.

 Vintage blue long necklace with carnival glass beads

See also Ornate clasp vintage necklace in blue carnival beads on our website.
               

Sarah Coventry Vintage Jewelry P12 - 1976

Continuing with the 1976 Spring brochure from Sarah Coventry. This is part 12. Ideal for helping to name and date Sarah Coventry vintage jewelry and to see what else was available in that series.

Page 38 

A = Complete necklace minus tassel from the Emberwood range.
B = Short necklace (20") and tassel.
C = Short necklace and bracelet.
Earrings have a removable dangle and for pierced ears.

Page 39

A = Taste of Honey earrings for pierced ears.
B = Taste of Honey necklace.
C = Taste of Honey earrings (clip)
D = Applause necklace in 28", 35 - 63"

This week we have started to divide the signed vintage jewellery category to different companies, signatures and designers to make viewing easier.

So here are a few of the latest pieces of vintage jewellery added to Jewels and Finery.

Moonflower vintage brooch signed Sarah Coventry

Silvery Sunburst vintage brooch 1960s - 1970s.

And just a couple of old favorites.

Sarah Coventry cufflinks and tie pin in green signed also GB

More Rings From Sarah Coventry P11 - 1976 Spring Brochure

More rings from the 1976 Spring brochure produced by Sarah Coventry. Now part 11 and showing pages 36 and 37. Vintage jewellery produced in this year and displayed in the brochure; not only helps with identification, but with the actual name and description. It will also show if there was other pieces of jewellery that you can obtain to complete a set.

Page 36

A = Venetian Treasure.
B = Mixer in silver tone.
C = Finesse.
D = Angel Fish
E = Mixer gold tone.
F = Nosegay (adjust 4 - 6)
G = Day-Glo
H = Sundown.
I = My Valentine.
J = Sport (adjustable 4 - 6 & 6 1/2 - 9)
K = Moon Cloud
L = Avante
M = Frenchie
N = New Lustre
O = Cotillion
P = Serenity Cross - silver plate
Q = Harbor Lites
R = Sweet Briar
S = Serenity Cross - gold plate
T = Spanish Lites

Page 37

A = Zuni
B = Frosted Flower
C = Deco.
D = Starbright
E = Caged Pearl (simulated pearls and adjustable 4 - 6 in gold plate.
F Caged Pearl in silver plate.
G = Blue Rose
H = Evening Sky
I = Rome
J = Cher (adjustable 6 1/2 - 9)
K = Cameo Portrait
L = Silver Bubbles
M = Alexandria
N = Harvest (adjust 4 - 6 & 6 1/2 - 9)

We do not have many Sarah Coventry rings on Jewels and Finery at the moment. But do have a couple waiting to be photographed. So in the mean time some - other vintage rings to covert.

Jewellery by Sarah Coventry Spring 1976 Part 10

This is part 10 of vintage jewellery by Sarah Coventry taken from the Spring 1976 collection.

By publishing this catalogue - it will help in identifying, naming and dating pieces from the company. They were available at home parties and later at some stores worldwide.

Page 34 

All photographs should enlarge.
A = Pebbles ring
B = Lovely Lady ring
C = Misty ring
D = Blue Feather ring

Page 35

A = Caress ring
B = Golden Lace ring
C = Silvery Lace ring
D = Papillion ring
E = Charity ring
F = Bamboo ring in gold tone.
G = Bamboo ring in silver tone.
H = Cotton Candy ring
I = Madam Butterfly ring in gold plate
J = Dusk ring
K = Mellow ring
L = Madame Butterfly in silver plate
M = Fickle Heart ring
N = Ebb Tide ring
O = Rosalie ring
P = Scroll ring
Q = Affection ring
R = Night Out ring
S = Victorian Pinkie ring

Part 11 will be out soon - we are now about half way through the catalogue. Enjoy the weekend.

Jewellery Sarah Coventry Collection 1976 Part 9

After a glorious summer weekend in April! I thought I would complete another part of the Sarah Coventry Collection from the Spring 1976 catalogue. To help name and date some of the vintage jewellery produced by the company over that season. Photographs will enlarge when clicked on.

Page 32

A = Sarahlite Earrings in sterling silver
B = Saralite Pendant 16" - 18" in sterling silver.
C = Diamond Accent pendant 16" - 18" adjustable in gold tone.
D = Cultured Treasure Ring in gold tone.
E = Cultura Pearl Pendant 16" - 18" (simulated) 12K gold filled chain.
F = Cultura pearl Earrings (simulated) in gold tone.
G = Sterling Chai Pendant 16" - 18" adjustable in sterling silver. Rhodium plated chain.
H = My Love Pendant 16" - 18" (Cultured pearl) in gold tone.
I = Silvery Moonstone Earrings in silver tone.
J = Silvery Moonstone Pendant 16" - 18" silver tone.
K = Genuine Ivory Pendant 16" - 18" gold tone.
L = genuine ivory earrings in gold tone.
M = Jade and Pearl pin in gold tone with a cultured pearl.
N = Jade n' Pearl Pendant 16" - 18" adjustable in gold tone.
O = Tiger Eye Butterfly Pin in gold tone.
P = Jade n' Pearl Ring ( cultured pearl)

All posts 14K overlay and all for pierced ears.

Page 33

A = Filigree Jet Bracelet in silver tone.
B = Sterling Faith Cross 16 - 18" in silver tone.
C = Filigree Jet Pendant 16 - 18" in silver tone.

Sterling Birth Chain 22" in sterling silver with beads of gemstones for each birth sign (D - I).

Sterling silver charms  with gemstones for birthday months (J - O).

D = January  - Garnet.
E = February - Amethyst.
F = March - Aquamarine.
G = April - White Sapphire
G = May - Emerald.
H = June - Alexandrite.
I = July - Ruby.
J = August - Peridot.
K = September - Sapphire.
L = October - Rose Zircon.
M = November - Golden Topaz.
O = December - Blue Zircon.

Have a look at the other pages from this brochure on this blog. Showing more vintage Sarah Coventry jewellery from the seventies. We also have many different pieces of Sarah Coventry jewellery photographed that have actually been in our possession at one time or other.

Emmons & Sarah Coventry Jewelry Fashion Show - Book Review

This morning thought I would review the book Emmons & Sarah Coventry Jewelry Fashion Show by Deborah A Robinson

I love collecting some of the Sarah Coventry brooches and matching clip earrings. The jewellery was well made and in a huge variety. Here in the UK, a lot of the range can still be found. This book has been very valuable. It has allowed me to find most of the pieces, name and date them.

 
It has over 1,200 items in clear colour photographs. Along with an invaluable reference guide, accessories, original catalogues, advertisements and the awards given.Company information and when the home parties came to the UK and Canada.

Excellent reference book to buy, especially if you are collecting or selling vintage jewellery.
My only gripe is that this is an American book, and so I still find some pieces of jewellery specific to the UK that I can not name.
Would I buy this book again - yes definitely.

In January 2010, I decided to buy a book a month on jewellery, to help us identify and reference items we sold or collected. Now I know I said one a month but sometimes I could not help sneaking in another book. Hence I have managed to build up quite a large library of over 50 book. That's not counting the 3 on order for March/April 2011. Each I will review - as and when I remember to include them for photographing.

So have a Happy Mothering Sunday.

Fake jewellery on the Internet - Warning

Yesterday I was browsing the list of companies after goggling "vintage jewellery"
Finding several blogs/websites referring to vintage jewellery that were not as described. I though I would just make it clear the difference between real vintage jewellery and fake/wrongly advertised that really should be called -vintage style new jewellery. It would be regrettable for some one to buy what they thought was real unique vintage jewellery; only to find that they had brought a new piece of jewellery available in their thousands on the high street/web at present.

The word "vintage" is an age definition - not a designer or type of jewellery or clothing, etc.
It means that if something is vintage then it is at least 25 years or over and can be up to one hundred years of age. At one hundred years and over it becomes antique.  If it is less than 25 years old then it should be refereed to as second hand.

Most of the long chain necklaces with charms on, are either new jewellery that should be sold as "vintage style" or "vintage inspired". Some sites have used old real vintage components or charms and this should be included as part of the description. There are of course a few genuine vintage necklaces with charms for sale.

Watch out for vintage Bohemian jewellery on EBay, from sellers outside the UK. Much of this is in fact new jewellery being sold at high prices as vintage. Not authentic vintage Bohemian jewellery as the descriptions imply.

Also, watch for misleading/fake Sphinx vintage jewellery. The Sphinx jewellery company used numbers on some of their products. But unfortunately many are now attributing any piece of jewellery to Sphinx  - if it has a number on. The only way it can be identified to the company is if you can find an identical piece with the Sphinx logo on. The same applies to many other makers/manufacturers including Haskell, Trifari, jelly belly jewellery, etc. There are unfortunately fake and of lesser quality items being sold as the genuine articles. Care needs to be taken. If unsigned, look at the genuine Haskell or other makers on the internet. Books are also available that takes you through the components used. (E.G. Miriam Haskell Jewelry: Cathy Gordon & Sheila Pamfiloff) Does it look at the same quality? Look at the plaque, does it look as though it is different from the coloured metal of the rest of the jewellery. It often looks as though it is not quite right.

Even if the bidding on eBay is high - does not automatically mean this is a genuine item. A vintage Haskell parure or set, sold in the last few hours on eBay US for $750.00 approximately £468.40 with 35 bids. One of the earrings only had a plaque with a signature, which did not match the colour of the back. This set was a fake Haskell.

 All pieces shown are genuine vintage and second hand jewellery. All for sale on our website.
We do have a growing range of vintage inspired jewellery which is all brand new. Link for Sphinx jewellery to buy

Part 8 on jewellery by Sarah Coventry 1976

Just a couple of pages from the Spring 1976 booklet published by Sarah Coventry jewellery for today.
We have a photographic schedule arranged for today and have lots of "new" vintage jewellery and second hand jewellery to add. As well as some of our vintage inspired jewellery.

So back to Sarah Coventry's vintage jewellery from the seventies. We hope this will help with dating some of your jewellery and naming the pieces. As well as seeing what other items were available for that set:

 
Page 30

A = Candelight bracelet, silver tone.
B = Button pearl earrings in small simulated pearls, silver tone.
C = Fashion wrap necklace/belt 43" in silver tone
The above was also available in gold tone

Page 31


A = Snow Lace earrings, clip on.
B = Snow Lace earrings for pierced ears.
C = Snow Lace pendant 24"
D = Tassel Magic Necklace/Bracelet 30"
E = Tassel Magic Earrings, clip on

Preserving jewellery in Sold Gallery

Preserving the jewellery that we sell in the Sold Gallery.
I know I mentioned this earlier this week , but just thought to expand the reason. What else to do on a very wet Saturday morning in Solihull?

Over the last 3 years, when we have sold a brooch, necklace or pair of earrings, we have just deleted the photographs and information. This is a shame because, many times we have researched and it may contain relevant information on that piece of jewellery. Maybe it was about the manufacturer, the era or the construction.

Mizpah vintage pixie brooch

  

Wanting to continue to share that information. We have now developed a Sold Gallery. Now once a vintage necklace or an antique brooch is sold we will gradually move it to this Gallery for display.
We hope this will help others to identify vintage jewellery manufacturers and designers. Help date their own antique/vintage/second-hand jewellery. Or just to look at some lovely jewels as I love to do!

Sarah Coventry pineapple brooch - beware that the glass part can be missing and so can be found as available without the pineapple bit online.

Just a quick reminder on how we categorize on Jewels and Finery:

Antique jewellery
Brooches, earrings and other pieces that are a hundred years old or older. This includes Victorian and now Edwardian jewellery.
Vintage jewellery
Generally, the jewellery in this category on the site is genuine necklaces, cufflinks, bracelets and other jewels, that were made between 1910 and the end of the 1980s. Vintage is said to be over 25 years old. However, it is very difficult to date exactly and so we have chosen our timeline for easier and quicker listing.
Second-hand jewellery or pre-owned jewellery
This is more modern jewellery that dates from the 1990s up to the present day. It is all been in someone else's possession previously. Some is worn and some may not be. We do find that many of the brooches, earrings, pendants and accessories have been given as presents. Not being to the new owner's tastes, they are then resold to us. Some have not been out of the boxes.
All our antique, vintage and second-hand jewellery is usually only available in quantities of one. Once sold we may never source the same piece again.
Unlike our last and most recent category:
Vintage Inspired Jewellery
This is a brand new jewellery that has appealed to us. It may look retro or vintage. It may be of a historical design. It may be in gemstones that have taken millions of years to form. But we do have small amounts of each. So if you like one ring, you can also buy it in another colour!
And lastly not forgetting that we do sell earring backs for pierced earrings and pillows and pads for clip-on earrings in earrings accessories.

Here are a few of our latest editions:

Antique fleur di li brooch - Now this is jewellery with a past

These are very pretty resin roses and daisies - vintage floral cameo brooch

Vintage-inspired stretch ring - '50s inspired jewellery

Available in two finishes - silver and antique silver

Gorgeous vintage teardrop rhinestone clip earrings