Scottish Jewellery - Ptarmigan or Grouse Foot Brooch

Okay so you either like them or thing they are grouse! That is Scottish jewellery Ptarmigan or grouse foot brooches!

Since the Victorian era when Scottish jewellery became popular. The birds foot of the Ptarmigan has been used in the jewellery industry, to produce claw brooches.
Originally worn on kilts, shawls and cloaks - it was prized for good luck especially when on a game hunting trip. Still very collectible vintage jewellery today.
Grouse bird foot brooches can be found in both silver and costume. The silver ones are hall marked and were made by the Ward brothers. (Ideal for dating with the hallmark) The brothers were originally producing jewellery in Scotland but also opened another factory in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, as the popularity was such for their Scottish and other jewellery.
They also produced costume grouse pins under the Mizpah range.

The signature is above with two hearts and an arrow through. Not signed Mizpah on some pieces. Made by Quarrier Ward and the Ward Brothers - the designs now owned by Miracle.
Some brooches are unsigned and may be displayed on just a card.   

The real feet are decorated with Cairngorm stones usually of glass but some are the real gemstone. They can also be found with amethyst coloured stones. Again some of the stones are real amethyst and usually on the silver versions.
Earlier brooches are made with very skinny feet and later versions being fatter. I think the later ones are not real feet but manufactured. Different finishes are also available with either smooth silver or silver tone to a pattern on the jewellery. Still made today by Miracle as still very popular Scottish souvenirs.

Above is a silver ptarmigan grouse foot brooch in metal.

Also was available in just gold tone if you do not want a real foot!

Hollywood jewellery - Are All signed?

Following on from my last blog about vintage jewellery. In particular Hollwood jewellery from the Bloxidge Brothers in Birmingham.
Not all of their jewellery was signed. Here is a pink rhinestone jewellery set from my own collection.

The brooch, necklace and clip on earrings are all unsigned. The box is of celluloid. Only the clip earrings and necklace fit the box - the brooch would have been brought separate.
The indents in the boxes pad are an exact fit. So believe this to be the original jewellery in this box. Something you have to look at very carefully. Its not unknown for people to re-use or change the boxes with their jewellery in and identification by this method has to be undertaken methodically.

Have a good Sunday, back soon.

Jewellery by Hollywood from The Bloxidge Brothers.

Vintage jewellery signed Hollywood was produced here in Birmingham (UK) by the Bloxidge Brothers between 1917 up to about 1972. A very big thank you to Patricia for that information.
With most costume jewellery, some pieces were signed and some were not. I would love to know if this company signed their jewellery right from the start or just in the late 1950s onwards  - when several copy right court cases were in progress.
Dating can be difficult when a popular design is made for several years. However the industry used to produce several different ranges through out each year. So certain styles can be attributed to certain decades. Also using the knowledge on the different time lines of findings, an educated guess can be formed. Only if written evidence is available can the jewellery be narrowed down to an actual year.

Looking at these Hollywood vintage brooches:)

Plain gold and silver tone costume jewellery was produced in the early 1970s. Not all, but the style and fastening look to be around this decade. The sculptured art look was very evident during this time.

"Frosted" coating to this brooch by Hollywood. Very Christmas in style. Again looking at the two tone design and back dates to around the 1960s.

 
Now this brooch is very interesting. This design is signed Hollywood. But we have the exact same design in a gold tone signed Capri (US company 1952 to 1977)? Not copied but made by the same company - but who was it?  1960s/1970s

Nice and chunky vintage brooch/pendant necklace. Totem pole design from my own collection. Signed Hollywood. Difficult to date this one.

Does this design remind you of another company famous for its Lucky heather brooches? Signed Hollywood in block capitals with what looks like a " after the name only. C style fastening circa 1940s/1950s.

Mock marcasite vintage brooch signed "HOLLYWOOD" in block capitals.safety fastening . Timeless design but would guess at the sixties for this one.  Earlier pieces would have been in marcasite, not molded.

Hollywood produced countless different designs and colour ranges and finishes. Shortly I will be creating an album of Hollywood jewels to view on our Picasa account - just scroll to the bottom of this page to see the photographs recently added. So far we have Sarah Coventry, Exquisite, Miracle and associated, Jewelcraft, Coro and Corocraft, Cameo jewellery and Sphinx albums for information.

Jewels and Finery - Bank Holiday Royal Wedding/early May information

As we approach the Royal wedding and another Bank Holiday weekend. Just a reminder that although Jewels and Finery is still open for purchases. Jewellery will not be sent out as we are closed from midday Thursday 28th April until Tuesday 3rd May 9 am. When we will be back to normal service.

The sun is shinning today and I hope it will be the same through out the weekend!

Until next week - here are a few pieces of vintage jewellery with some second hand and new ones with a "Royal" and "wedding" flavour.

And just a few of the latest new additions:)

Have a great weekend.

Spring jewellery for May

April has just flown by and with May just after this Bank Holiday weekend, I thought I would look at May.
Traditionally the birthstone for this month is the emerald, as well as used for the astrological signs of Taurus and Cancer.

The flower of this month is the white Lily of the Valley (association - making the right choice). For W. A. P. Watson and the Exquisite Birthday jewellery - they used the flower pansy (association - you are in my thoughts and the sacred sign of the Holy Trinity).

Vintage jewellery often depicts flowers. So looking around my garden blue Forget-me-nots (association - loyalty) are everywhere.

Purple Honesty (association - fascination) and the yellow tree peony (association - anger, indignation and shame) are out.

The garden Bluebells (association - constancy and humility) are also still in full bloom. Spring flowers of daffodils (association - respect, regard and chivalry), tulips (association - wealth and importance) and iris (association - passionate and love) can be seen along the roads.

So its quite easy to wear jewellery that is in season or give to someone who was born this month.
     

 Have a good Royal Wedding day and enjoy the May Bank Holiday.

Have a Happy Easter weekend

Vintage rabbit jewellery - chattering animal brooch!

Time just flies lately. Can not believe that it's over a week since my last blog. It does not help to have a spring cold that put me in bed for a couple of days and slow recovery. Unfortunately with this MS lark, any simple virus knocks the stuffing out of you.

 Edwardian antique jewellery - daisy brooch

It has been wonderful weather for Easter, sunny and warm. I can not remember when I have had to water the garden pots so early because they have dried out. The cherry tree is spreading its blossom all over the garden - maybe we will have another bumper years of fruit. The apple trees are also heavily laden with blossom, which means we will have a good apple year I hope. Haven't even looked at the grapevine to see if it survived yet!! Its been in now about 2 years and last year had a very small bunch of grapes. Was hoping for a better year but the number of plants and trees that we have lost is unbelievable.

Our fish, however, are being terrorized by the heron. Although they are securely netted, the constant stalking around the pond in the early hours does not help. So they have stayed at the bottom of the pond only venturing up later in the day and then so nervous!!

No, our fish are not this colourful. Mostly gold, white and very large black ones.

So this Easter weekend we will be mostly in the garden trying to make it look a bit nicer. So whatever you are doing have a good one. Happy Easter.

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.