Pave floral vintage brooch 1980s. Stylish jewellery with faux pearls

 Elegant floral brooch with pave stones and diamante 

This pretty vintage 1980s jewellery is in a flower design studded with tiny clear diamante in a pave style with small faux pearls as the flower centres. It is on smooth gold metal setting and a roll over pin fastening. This is very well made and quite elegant. I don't usually buy floral jewellery unless it is exceptional now. This I found in a local car boot sale a few months ago and thought it was of good quality. Suitable to be used in a wedding setting or summer wear. In my collection it has gone. Not worn yet, but one day..

Unfortunately this flower brooch is not signed and so I do not know which manufacturers made this. I source lots of jewellery in different styles and shapes. Not to resell now, but to add to my own collection. Have a look at some of the different ones I have brought in the last few months showcased on this blog.

Getting that vintage flower look with this set

Just so iconic - getting a vintage flower look with this bone china set. What caught my eye was the bright vibrant colors of the flowers. Vintage bone china from Shropshire and Adderley Floral. so if you like bright oranges and greens take a look at this flower brooch and matching clip earrings.

We have called this set Autumn because of the color tones used. Ideal collectibles as many are now becoming harder to find that are not chipped or damaged. Although ones that are damaged can still be used. Just take the jewellery findings of carefully. A soak in warm water often helps first. Then use to decorate mirror or picture frames.

Adderley are just one of the potteries in Stoke on Trent that produced china jewellery in the mid twentieth century.

Do you like bone china jewellery and how do you wear/use it?

Mmmm No Its Second Hand and not for me

I have lots of lovely jewellery for sale but occasionally someone will order and then cancel with "I didn't realise it was second hand jewellery" Now what is wrong with something that is second hand?
First of all what is second hand - it is anything that comes under the antique and vintage banner or anything that has been previously owned and so is not new.

There are many reasons to buy second hand clothes and jewellery.

1. Its highly unlikely that you will find someone wearing the same.
2. You will have created a look that is so unique.
3. Most vintage is of a better quality than today.
4. Your saving this planet by recycling and re-using.
5. Upcycle both clothes and jewellery and craft something that is wearable today.
6. It is often cheaper that something brought new or just not available new.

I have been watching the Dawn O Porter show on TV "This old thing - the vintage clothes show". Its so funny when a newbie says that old cliché "But it'll smell" Now I wash everything that I get that is second hand from accessories to jewellery to clothes. A must before I even try them on or offer them for sale. I also clean any book cover that is not new before reading! Wipe with one of those antibacterial wipes and you will be amazed how much dirt comes off. Then there is this amazing invention that's usually square and lives in or near the kitchen. Put your clothes in, add washing powder and turn it on. Its so amazing when the clothes come out of it clean and fresh!

Now here are just a few of the second hand jewellery items we have showcased this week (that includes vintage, antique and modern pre owned):

A running zebra brooch in silver and black.

A huge flower fabric brooch in a mottled green color.

A blue and stainless steel 1970s pendant and chain.

So bye bye for this week. Its hot and sunny and I will be in the garden if you need me. You may also like to see our cleaning jewellery blog. 

Summer time jewellery and brooches

Now I know it is suppose to be summer time here in the UK. But with rain and rain and more rain, not to mention the hail stones we have had recently this week. You could be forgiven for forgetting that it should be warm and sunny! But we have some vintage jewellery and brooches to cheer any dull day up.

These are some of the latest additions this past week.

Starfish jewellery set - New Age 1990s

A little bit of the seaside with this pretty starfish-shaped brooch and clip on earrings vintage jewellery set. Silver and gold tone 1980s/1990s matching set for wearing together or separate.  Pin the starfish brooch to a bag or hairband and believe that its summer!

Embroidery vintage brooch with pretty pink pansy flowers.1950s/1960s vintage jewellery that is not only collectible but wearable. Very popular to embroider your own jewellery in Victorian times and again post war to about the 1970s. With crafts coming back and more people sewing and embroidering, are we soon to see this relaxing pastime re-appearing in our jewellery?

 Now this is a superb vintage necklace in gold tone. Attributed to Coro with textured links and a knot at the front. This type of necklace can be found by many designers around the 1960s era, especially about 1963/1964 period.

These are just 3 genuine vintage jewellery pieces that we have as new additions this week. Lots more to come with many new lines of vintage inspired and other gorgeous jewellery.

Flowers in Brooches

This week Jewels and Finery has launched a new category - flower brooches. This is just one of the categories we have in vintage brooches.
We intend to have just the single flower brooches here, not floral bunches and bouquets designed vintage brooches, but just ones like the small sample below. The category will eventually include the following vintage flower brooches.

Jewelcraft brooch

This beautiful mock pearl large vintage flower brooch by Jewelcraft. Jewelcraft was a name used by Coro and most of the Jewelcraft vintage jewellery found in the UK was made here in Sussex.

large rose brooch by Hollywood

Another UK produced single rose vintage brooch by Hollywood. A Birmingham based firm that produced large quantities of vintage jewellery from the early part of the 20th century until the late 70s.
This is another larger than average red rose brooch enamelled and has textured gold metal.

Unsigned lily brooch 1950s - can be found in a wide range of enamel colours.

Lily flowers are often produced as brooches. Single blooms have been added to our new vintage flower category. This is a gorgeous light purple enameled vintage brooch.
But if your tastes are a little darker, then go for this lily vintage brooch in black.

modern lily brooch unsigned.

Back soon with some more pics from our vintage jewellery and an update on Sarah Coventry's brochure.

Costume Jewellery by Judith Miller - a book review

Okay I have gone to to write a review on this book Costume Jewellery by Judith Miller several times, but I am really having difficulty because its one of the worst books on vintage jewellery I have read ever and overall was very disappointing.

The content is available readily on the Internet about the individual designer and so there was nothing new or refreshing to read. Many vintage costume jewellers and historians have very comprehensive and correct factual information available that is free to view. There were also some glaring errors.  

AURORA BOREALIS rhinestones were first made in about 1955. So any jewellery with this is not 1930s/1940s but would be dated from the late 1950s onwards........

With the title "Costume Jewellery" I expected at least some relevant information on UK's vintage costume jewellery. and especially as its been written by someone from the UK. But no the book is also published with the "Costume Jewelry" title aimed at the US market. There is very little written about UK costume jewellery apart from the newer Butler and Wilson and Vivienne Westwood.  Most of the vintage jewellery shown is only obtainable from the US and most is now quite rare and expensive. You also need to be wary of fakes when buying this type of designer pieces.

This is a lily flower brooch in marcasite and enamel. This vintage brooch is available in a wide range of coloured enamel. They were made from the early part of the twentieth century until the 1970s. One size does not fit all. The earlier ones are of pot metal, not rhodium plated and the clasp is very different C shaped not the rollover clasp. So by just showing the front can be very misleading for dating.


Unbelievably the "Unsigned Gems" chapter contained signed vintage jewellery- not sure what that was all about?? It would have been extremely helpful to show the backs of the jewellery and clasps.

Vintage clip-on earrings by Ciro Pearls

The only thing I can say without being terribly rude - is that if you like to look at pretty pictures of jewellery only - then buy this book. But if you are a complete novice and want to actually learn about costume jewellery -  then there are many other good quality books and informative books available., Ones that are well researched and contain excellent information that is correct - the Warman's Series is an excellent place to start.  

 Purple vintage long necklaces

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

Dating Jewellery - Clasps on Necklaces & Bracelets

Just a quick tip for dating jewellery. When you inspect a necklace or bracelet. It is useful to look at the clasp. A circular clasp that opens with a small lever was used from the thirties to the late eighties and into the nineties. But was more predominantly in sixties to eighties jewellery.

Obviously there is an overlap of different components used and you must bear in mind that sometimes a broken clasp will be replaced with a more modern version. Also this type of clasp is still sold today and may be used by some jewellery makers.
So you will need to date the whole necklace or bracelet generally.
Around about the late eighties to early nineties, the lobster style or claw clasp came into use.

Now used extensively on new jewellery manufactured.
Other clasps will be discussed at a later date on this blog

Newly added to jewels and Finery is this ornate vintage poison ring -sold

We have added several vintage brooches including a bright colourful thirties basket brooch and a vintage turtle brooch

                                                     

Brooch pins - what message do they give?

Madeleine Albright the X- US secretary of state came to my notice recently; not because of her politics and successful career, but because of her love of jewellery especially brooches and pins.

She was once asked why she was wearing a snake brooch. She replied "because Saddam Hussein has just called me a snake"
Soon the world was looking at her huge collection of brooches and pins to guess her mood or that reflected what work she was doing at the time.

Most women usually match a brooch to the outfit or pick their favorite to wear. But this concept used by Madeleine to communicate a message is not new. For many years ancient civilizations wore jewellery that had a meaning. King Tutankhamun's bracelets, the ones found on his mummified arms had symbolic devices forming the principal decoration. Along with the gold inlay, coloured stones and glass. The eye of the sky and war god, Horus and the scarab beetle were the potent symbols used on most of his bracelets and bangles..
Victorians often gave Mizpah pins and love brooches to their loved ones. They were adored with initials and names, many had symbols to say - good luck, friendship or wedded bliss.

So tomorrow instead of wearing jewellery to look good, resurect the symbolic meaning and send out a powerful message instead.

Try a shield brooch for protection

A Russian floral brooch to give an aura of harmony.

Wear a lucky heather brooch to a job interview or to take a driving test.


Or this vintage Christmas brooch of a basket of flowers to get through a Christmas lunch with the dreaded in laws!!

Read My Pins is Madelineine Albright's autobigraphy. Haven't read this yet but intend to soon.

Next time you look at someone's brooch and think - has it a meaning.....

Exquisite Jewellery Part 3 Leaf Series

This blog on Exquisite Jewellery by W A P Watson Ltd continues to create interest across the world. Please view the comment from the USA by Mike Savage, whose mother worked on the Exquisite range in the fifties. Mike the Ring O Bells garage is still there and thank you to all for the comments and emails!

I am still waiting to hear from the company in Shirley but have been busy researching at the local library. Only 3 paper clippings were recorded in the archives. From 1965, 1972 and 1973

In the Solihull news from Saturday 27th February 1965, Exquisite had celebrated its jubilee having been founded in 1915. 14 representatives now cover the country from Glasgow to Christchurch and from Northern Ireland (and Eire) to the East Coast. The business has one section working in Paris, where patterns are constantly being added by a team of designers.

"Inspired by King Tut" was the title in the Solihull News in August 26th 1972. Exquisite was showing a new range of jewellery inspired by the exhibition of King Tutankahmun's treasure in London. Most of the necklaces and bracelets are slightly smaller copies of the actual pieces in the exhibition. While the rings are have been created in a similar design to finish the set. Made in a lightweight gold plated metal they are hand painted in vivid jewel colours. The collection was available in Beatties of Solihull and Leslie's of Station Road in September (1972).
I have researched many styles of Exquisite jewellery and have yet only seen brooches and necklaces in turquoise faux stones and pearl beads, that look quite an Egyptian style; but I am sure that these are not this collection which I have yet to see samples. In the last blog when I wrote this, several appeared for sale on the internet - so maybe next update??

The last newspaper clip was from the Solihull News dated March 10th 1973, on the retirement of employee Harold Goldsworthy after 50 years with W A P Watson. His 200 workmates clubbed together to present him with a transistor radio and the directors gave him a gold watch to mark the occasion.

In the last blog, I had looked at signed jewellery pieces and unsigned pieces. In the Scottish range (which I will discuss the various pieces in another blog) you can find many unsigned pieces. I still believe they were manufactured before Exquisite used their signature. In these two examples from the front, they are very similar, with a more flattened leaf and different coloured glass stones. The back has signs of a different moulding process. The unsigned piece has a flat mould with a riveted clasp. The signed piece has been manufactured using a rounder mould and the pin clasp has been soldered to the brooch.

I would welcome any comments on the unsigned and signed Scottish range.




































These are just some of the different ranges of
Exquisite jewellery identified so far:

Birthday range
Scottish range
Mother of pearl/Abalone range
Marcasite & enamel range
Butterfly wing range
Enamel & pearl range
gilt range
silver tone range
Leaf & the tree fruit range
Multi-coloured stone range
faux gemstone range
Turquoise & pearl range
Faux jade range
Cameo range
Painted scene's range
Glass bead range
Figural range
Enamel leaf range
And so many more....

Each of these ranges will be looked at in the blog in the coming year
Today's range is the Enamel Leaf Range

In the Enamel Leaf Range, there are brooches and earrings (clip-on style)
The range has the following leaves depicted:
Vine
Beech
Horse Chestnut
Elm
Fig
Cherry
Hazel
Pine
Mountain Ash
Oak
Mulberry
Sycamore

All the range was painted in the greens and brown enamel as near to the natural colour of the individual leaves.

The box list has the leaf range in brooches and earrings only, but there are a few necklaces appearing on the internet for sale. These are mostly unsigned pieces. the vine seems to have been the most popular as there are many available on the market.
There are also some pieces that look to have been hand-painted, so well that the clasp and the back are also painted! However, the leaves were also available in silver-tone, gold-tone and enamelled in many other colours and marcasite etc. The same mould was used across a range of finishes.

Exquisite Birthday Range Part 2

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been collecting all information on sales of Exquisite jewellery across the internet and intend to continue to compile as much information as possible. I am also waiting to hear back from the W A P Watson company that is still based in Solihull. Until I hopefully hear back from the company, I have estimated that the signature by Exquisite was first used in the early to mid-fifties, when many other jewellery companies started to patent and mark their designs. At the end of this blog I will discuss more the signed and unsigned jewellery, but first a look again at the Birthday series.

I have verified that the snowdrop was January so:
January - snowdrop flower bunch
February - primrose
March - violets
April - iris
May - pansy
June - rose
July - fuschia
August - poppy
September - cornflower (photograph of cornflower clip on earrings)
October - carnation
November - chrysanthemum
December - Christmas rose or Helleborus niger

The Birthday series was available in brooches, necklaces and clip-on earrings. During my time collecting jewellery and researching I have not found a bracelet. But I can not imagine that there would not have been produced. Is there anyone who has an Exquisite Birthday bracelet?

The series appears to have been produced over a long period of time and dating each piece can be difficult. I suspect that they were produced from the late forties to the eighties. Dating may be possible from the packaging as that seems to differ. But the brooch could have been switched into older or newer packaging at some point and unless the history of the jewellery is confirmed, should not be relied on for dating. The birthday series can be found in several types of boxes, also on a plastic cushion with the flower identified and the month. There was also a gift tag produced that can also be sourced and available with some pieces of jewellery

The brooches are available in two sizes - large size of approximately 6 - 7 cm x 4 - 5 cm. Then a smaller brooch of approximately 5 x 3 - 4 cm. The brooches are not a smaller or larger version of one design but do have some variation.
The large brooches seem to be the most available with a smattering of the smaller brooches coming onto the market. The majority of the brooches in the Birthday series appear to be signed but I have seen one not, which I will discuss in more depth later in this blog. All the brooches have the characteristic Exquisite bow. The metal differs from a gold to a silvery gold to silver. I suspect that the brooches were originally gold plated and the plating has worn over time or been rubbed off when cleaned. She who has just turned a gold-tone cat pendant silver by just polishing today, not an Exquisite one I hasten to add!!

The earrings match the brooches and are of the clip on type. Again the majority appear to be signed. They are available and appear for sale on a regular basis. Some months are more available than others, September and the summer months have been offered for sale, but the winter months of January and December have not appeared for sale recently. It is a matter of waiting and searching regularly!

Necklaces that match the brooches and earrings do come up for sale and are now commanding a good price. Most of the necklaces are not signed, though some are. They may be signed on one of the links. They are also recognised by the chain and the hook fastening. Some carry the trademark of the Exquisite bow on the end of the chain. I have another type of necklace by Exquisite that has these trademarks and unsigned but not one of the birthday series as yet.
Necklaces are quite rare in quantity compared to the brooches that appear for sale, it may be due to two reasons.

The first is that the enamel on the necklaces does wear off and so many of the necklaces offered for sale are not in excellent condition. The other is that when they are not signed, many antique and vintage sellers do not realise they are Exquisite and therefore passed them over when buying to resell.

I have been enchanted by the Birthday series because of the variety to collect. As the enamel was hand painted, each piece can differ in colour. For example, the difference in brooches of the same month is enormous. The leaf green colour can vary between a bright green to a softer tone. The flowers that can appear in nature in many colours can also differ. The carnation goes from a dark pink to a light pink and can even be found in two-tone colours of pink and white. All very charming and great fun collecting.

Exquisite produced many series such as the leaf series, the tree and their fruit series, the Scottish souvenir series and many more. They also used a wide range of materials from faux pearl beads, mother of pearl, glass diamante crystals, marcasite, faux gemstones and plain gilt.

In my first blog about Exquisite, I questioned the French connection as all the jewellery that I had seen, looked very English or Scottish. But I have found a connection in the fifties (that I need to explore a bit more) with the jewellery designer Marcel Boucher. I will leave this for a future blog subject and debate

I have over the last few weeks been buying unsigned and signed pieces that I suspected as being Exquisite. From the pieces that I have gathered. I am edging toward the possibility that the unsigned pieces were the early ones and that some have worn signatures were of the early production of signed jewellery and later ones were more robust and the signature remains crisp. But that is only a theory that I need to have confirmation. A brooch for December recently was sold on eBay (UK) unsigned attributed to Exquisite. The difference was that the Christmas roses were in a pink colour and the red berries were green. Without a comparison between the brooches, identity can be difficult. They did look the same in the photographs but no back view was shown. However, the pink Christmas rose brooch was very pretty in its own right.

More on Exquisite jewellery soon. In the meantime - here are two brooches from the Scottish souvenir series. One is signed - the other has a partial Exquisite signature. Have a look and next blog I will explore the differences.

And side by side, the last two photographs are quick snaps and will have better ones in the next blog?

I have been unable to show photographs as without the original photographer's permission I will not use their photographs. However, if you have any photographs or comments please email me or add a comment to this blog. Any information gratefully received.

Diamante Brooch

Sheaf Brooch

Jewels and Finery