Vintage & pre-loved jewellery I have listed on my eBay account for sale

 Vintage & pre-loved jewellery I have listed on my eBay account for sale recently.

I still sell some pieces of jewellery that I have on my eBay account Cool Vintage & Beyond. Here is a few of them that I have had on recently.

Pretty marcasite and faux pearl necklace. Vintage 1950s/1960s.

Superb pair of Iris or rainbow glass clip on earrings. Vintage 1930s. Sorry now sold

A modern pair of bee diamante earrings. Big and bold from the last 10 years. For pierced ears.

Napier dangling earrings in a silver and gold tone metal. On their original card and also with the back of the earrings stamped "Napier" For pierced ears.

The bee earrings are by Jon Richard and came on their original card. Unsigned though on the reverse. 

Not for sale jewellery - added to my own collections below.

Just a few pieces that have caught my eye when out and about. Many I now keep in my own collections. Just like these:

Found this large skull cuff bracelet. Of course, I kept it. That is me below. Cuff not for sale.

A pretty fairy brooch by JJ, Jonette Jewelry. Now in my fantasy jewellery collection. Not for sale

An Art Deco style brooch circa 1970s/1980s. Asian origin. Not for sale.

A marcasite swallow brooch. Vintage 1950s/1960s. In perfect condition with a Rhodium plated setting. Not for sale

 A pretty Rainbow or Iris glass vintage brooch from the 1930s - 1950s. Not for sale

Back of the rainbow brooch above. Note the under-style pin and construction. 

Lastly an enamel Cloisonne brooch with a unicorn on it. Added to my fantasy jewellery collection. Circa 1980s and unsigned. Not for sale

 Loss of costume jewellery in a fire - Absolutely gutted.

A couple of months ago, we had a major fire in the storage unit that we had stored lots of our stuff in anticipation of moving in a few years time. The whole unit burnt to the ground. There is an investigation ongoing that it was arson. I am convinced it was as the whole building burnt so fierce and there was suppose to have been a sprinkler system! 

Anyhow we lost so much, yes we were insured but very much under insured. Gone now is the collection of vintage costume jewellery that I had built up over the last 20 years. My whole inventory of jewellery books that I used for identification and reference - along with many other things that meant a lot to me and hubby. 

Can I go on collecting and researching costume jewellery?

I now find it very difficult to actually look at any jewellery. In the last few months I have brought just a few pieces to add to my own personal collection. The jewellery that I have on eBay was the boxes that I still had at home. I don't think I will every buy anymore jewellery just for resale again. 

Brought this pretty Cloisonne unicorn brooch to add to my Gothic/fantasy collection. Circa 1980s of age. Wiggle to the pin at the back.

Art Deco style brooch from the 1980s. In green and gold colours. Copy of the Pierre Bex brooches but this one was made in China/Asia

Silver marcasite swallow bird brooch circa 1960s with a rhodium plated back.  

 Floral Iris or rainbow glass vintage brooch circa 1960s. The rhinestone are in shades of blue, pink and clear. 

marcasite brooches

Marcasite flower brooch designs.

We have plenty of marcasite brooch designs to choose from – In a wide range of floral and different flowers, flower baskets or in bouquet bunches. You will always find flowers that are more “poetic licence” than actual flowers and so cannot identify what they are. Here we are showcasing a few of the marcasite jewellery we have at some time in our procession. Our sample includes faux marcasite – usually of Stay Brite metal from Charles Horner or just metal that has been moulded with raised “dimples” to imitate marcasite.

Faux marcasite feather leaf brooch by Charles Horner.

Marcasite has been popular since the very early age. It was used in Egyptian times and found in burial chambers. Wat is marcasite – It is not made from actual marcasite – which was found to be very brittle and would break quickly. But from Pyrite or commonly called Fools Gold. It was set into real silver originally, but as costume jewellery progressed. It is also set into cheaper silver coloured metals.

Photographs of marcasite flower brooches.

Faux marcasite flower basket brooch.

Large lily brooch in marcasite by Kigu

Real marcasite flower brooch by Exquisite.

Large daisy marcasite brooch by Exquisite.

Marcasite lily brooch with enamel in pale pink. These marcasite brooches can be found in a wide range of colours. Because they were hand enamelled. They all have a slightly different colour pattern and tone.

pink and purple enamel lily marcasite brooches above

Another enamelled marcasite brooch in pretty pastel purple enamelling

Another vintage enamel lily brooch in a dark maroon enamelling with marcasite. Unsigned.  Circa 1960s.

The above antique silver flower basket brooch is in a faux marcasite - probably circa 1960s of age.

A large marcasite brooch in silver and unsigned. Circa 1960s/1970s of age.

With daisy, lily, tulip, leaf and many other designs – it is hard to choose from. As usual with our blogs – we add photographs of the jewellery we have found on our travels and add them to this blog post.

Is my marcasite jewellery real?

Is my marcasite jewellery real? 

This was a question asked by someone who had just purchased marcasite jewellery from elsewhere. Now, this is a complicated question as the term marcasite has been adapted over the years to include many different materials.

Victorian marcasite and before.

Originally marcasite jewellery was invented to be a cheaper option than diamonds and to glitter when worn under candlelight. Most antique marcasite was, therefore, the mineral pyrite embedded into silver. Marcasite has been around for centuries including the Roman period and became even popular in the Victorian period. It can be seen in Art Nouveau pieces as well. Marcasite itself is a gemstone mineral that is too brittle to be used in jewellery, so was never used!

Into the twentieth century.

Now as the years past, marcasite jewellery remained silver until the fifties and early sixties when silver started to become more expensive. Originally the marcasite was fused by heat into the silver settings. But as the years pasted and glue became a better option and much cheaper to use in the manufacturer. So the pyrite was glued into place. However, when silver prices increased, silver-coloured metal was used instead of real silver. Now you need to look very closely at marcasite brooches, earrings and necklaces from the mid-twentieth century to determine whether they are of silver or silver metal. Because many are unsigned, you can test the metal - but this does leave a mark. If the marcasite stones are all intact then this is a quality piece that has stood the test of time.

Today.

Marcasite jewellery is still produced today and can be of silver - it will be marked as such either 925 or sterling. Or it can be purely costume and made from a polished silver or gold coloured metal. It should say what it is in the description when buying.

Look-a-like marcasite.

Through out the years there has been many look-a-like marcasite pieces. These are when they pattern has been produced to have the maracasite stone look included. They are of one metal and you need to look closely to see. there is also the famous Charles Horner polished jewellery that have indentations that shine and are of an aluminium material.

Charles Horner faux marcaste look a like peacock

I like marcasite jewellery, but really I wear what I like whether its expensive or not. Here is a selection that was available from Jewels and Finery.

Studded cat brooch - the raised metal has that "marcasite look. But it is not marcasite jewellery

Mid twentieth century tulip in marcasite

 

Eagle brooch in marcasite

Deer in marcasite - popular 50s theme

Brooches - new to Jewels and Finery in the last few days

Vintage marcasite poodle dog brooch

Just a quick blog on the vintage brooches added to Jewels and Finery in the last few days.

Brooches are ideal to lift an outfit with very little effort. Add a vintage brooch to a jacket as traditionally worn. But wear one on a t-shirt or hat. Pin lots of brooches to a bag and then when it becomes colder fasten a brooch to a scarf. A vintage brooch can also be fastened to a headband (just make sure the brooch has a ball and clasp fastening for safety)


Vintage modern cameo brooch popular goddess

Wearing vintage brooches can transform an outfit into something unique and special.

We still have more vintage Christmas jewellery to add as well as many unique brooches. But you will find brooches - both vintage and vintage modern; with cameos, fifties poodle dog, flowers, Christmas themed and dolphins to name just a few.

Deer brooch mock marcasite by Charles Horner.

Thirties Enamel & Marcasite Jewellery

swallow brooch in enamel and marcasite

I have a collection of enamel vintage jewellery. Not only from the manufacturer Exquisite but many pot metal brooches from the thirties.
The thirties brooches hold many memories as they are from my grandmothers and elderly relatives - never to be parted with.

Pot metal is quite distinct in looks - a silvery pewter metal. Pot metal is made when a combination of metals were all mixed together. A form of today's recycling - mixing up what ever there was or left over. so nothing went to waste!

With the thirties came the advent of World War Two and the depression. Clothes were formal suits in quite somber colours. With little money women brightened up their outfits by wearing the colourful enamelled figural jewellery

Birds, flowers, dogs, cats, circus animals, bows and many more figurals of all sorts were used.

Jewels and Finery for antique and vintage jewellery from Victorian to yesterday