{twilight seclusion}

 Victorian mourning jewelry is so beautiful and so sentimental. Each piece is handcrafted with care - oftentimes commissioned by the person in mourning. I was sifting through my jewelry box and decided to share a small portion of my favorite pieces!

 Included in this small collection are carved cameos  - crafted out of different substances such as vulcanite, bog oak and Vauxhall glass. 

There was so much thought and consideration to symbolic details in these jewels.

"Those who wish to show themselves strict observers of etiquette keep their houses in twilight seclusion and sombre with mourning for a year or more, allowing the piano to remain closed for the same time." 

Black Friday races toward Cyber Monday

Happy Belated Thanksgiving to Everyone!

My favorite Thanksgiving decoration. Look at the tiny turkey sitting next to him on the fence!

We had family visiting from far and the food was divine. My sweetie husband snuck out of bed early this morning to hang out with the kids and let me sleep in....so I am finally getting the Black Friday SALE started in the shop!


Enjoy ten percent off your order for Black Friday Weekend! Offer ends on Cyber Monday (11.26.12) at 9pm Pacific time (midnight Etsy time).

Please enter coupon code BLACKFRIDAY10 during checkout to receive this offer!

Marine Corps Birthday Sale

{Marine Corps Birthday Sale - 11.10.12}

My Mom and Dad :)

The Hidden Chamber is hosting a sale in honor of the 237th birthday of the United States Marine Corps! 

For the last 237 years, Marines have fought tirelessly to preserve the freedom of the United States. 

THANK YOU to all the brave Marines, including my Father, who have been protecting our freedom since before the United States was born!

A portion of all sales made this weekend will be donated to aid our wounded Marines through the Semper Fi Fund - In Memory of Sgt Travis D. Pfister and all who have given their lives to keep us free. 

http://semperfifund.org/

Please enjoy 15% off your entire order this weekend in the shop! 

Use Code MARINE at Checkout. Offer expires tomorrow (11.11.12) at 9pm Pacific Time, Midnight Etsy Time.

{blue enamel lockets}

I was organizing my jewelry chest a few weeks ago and discovered I have a vast collection of Victorian lockets. Some of my favorites are the ones dipped in delicious turquoise blue enamel. I never see two alike. Some are decorated with tiny gold swallows, some with different enamel and gold work and some inlaid with seed pearls and gems. I don't mind the ones with chippy enamel - which is extremely frequent. They each have their own distinguished history and charm.

These lockets are like tiny vaults. Some of them contain treasured photographs of someone that someone once loved. I get a rush of happiness when I open a little jewel that is over a century old and it contains the original declaration of love! The petite heart heart locket contains a token of plaited hair from two different people.

One of these pieces is not a locket - the top far right fellow is a brooch that crept into the photographs. 

I love the inlaid Scottish Thistle!

I'm hoping to start filtering a few of these into the shop soon. Just in time for Christmas!

{p.s. I believe there is a sale in the air! Please check back soon for details}

{autumn sale}

Back to school time has been so crazy with all four of my children now attending school. Things are finally getting back to normal as we all settle into our new schedules! I'm hoping to post more on the blog over the coming weeks and I have a treasure trove of antique beauties to place in the shop. 

In the meantime, please enjoy the Autumn Sale that is currently running in the shop! You will receive ten percent off your order now through Friday the 28th of September. 

Please use coupon code CHAMBER10 during checkout to receive the offer! 

Happy Autumn!

{ blue moon sale }

Did anyone see the blue moon last night? I found some gorgeous photographs online!

There will be a Blue Moon Sale in the shop today through Monday, September 3rd. 

Please use coupon code CHAMBER10 upon checkout to receive ten percent off your order!

Happy September!

{treasure preview}

Back from a treasure hunt --- These lovelies will be filtering into the shop soon! I have been gone for over a week on holiday and am catching up on shipping and photographing new jewels. Please stay tuned!

{summer sale reminder}

Just a reminder ~~

Today is the last day for the private summer sale! Use coupon code CHAMBERBLOG during checkout to receive fifteen percent off your order! Sales ends tonight at 9pm Pacific (midnight on the East Coast!)

Have a lovely day! 

{être encore, mon cœur!}

I have made a very beautiful discovery! I was so excited to purchase these Victorian mourning pins --- loads of them, still on their original cards, wrapped in ancient tissue! 

These were found in an old suitcase belonging to a 90 year old lady. Each of the packets you see have two cards in them (so exciting!) The pins feature a repousse image of a child surrounded by a wreath of flowers. 

After my heart stops beating so quickly, I'll put some in the shop!

UPDATE:: These little darlings have been listed - and I passed on my savings to you! You can add one (or more!) to your collection here

{private summer sale}

Today marks the beginning of the private summer sale in the shop! This offer is extended only to those who are kind enough to read my blog. 

Please use coupon code CHAMBERBLOG upon checkout to receive fifteen percent off your order! 

This special will run through next Thursday 

{9 August 2012}

Happy Summer!!!!!

Two of my favorite brooches from my personal collection! Victorian sterling fern leaf, circa 1870 and  the sweetest enamel swallow carrying a love letter, circa 1900

{Paste Dreams}

Paste is a term for leaded glass that were cut to resemble gemstones. I have read that it was more difficult to cut paste than a diamond! It took a great amount of skill and these early 19th century pieces are wonderful examples of the quality.

During their peak of popularity (1700's-1800's) paste jewels were very desirable. Due to the wide variety of cuts they could be set in jewelry that diamonds could not be. The leaded glass gives the stones a brilliant glow that you can only find in old paste. Some paste stones were foiled and there are rare pieces that were tinted to various colors.

 Paste differs from rhinestones in that it is leaded glass and is not machine cut. If you look closely at each stone you can see the hand crafted characteristics.

{Reverse Painted Loveliness}

I've been hoarding these beauties for a while now. Before I add them to the shop I wanted to share them with you! I have heard these referred to as "goofus glass" or "paperweight jewelry". I call them Reverse Painted Intaglios.

These pieces vary in age and quality. The older ones are carved from glass or rock crystal, painted from the back and sealed with a mother of pearl coating. The newer ones (when I say "newer" I mean the 1930's!) are often backed with metallic paper. By the end of World War II glass was replaced by lucite.The examples in my photographs range from 1890-1915. The oldest piece in this collection is the small basket of flowers pin at the bottom. I love the oval shaped pendant that is set in sterling! Most of these will be drifting into the shop soon!!!

{Independence Day}

Happy Independence Day!

In honor of this joyous holiday, I am offering a special discount in the shop! You can enjoy fifteen percent off your order by using the coupon code FIFTEEN upon checkout! I hope everyone's day is filled with happiness, sparklers, good food and surrounded by the ones they love. 

Happy Fourth of July!!!

My youngest, Estelle - she is also my Inventory Manager in the shop and model of Victorian  Jewelry for children!

Abraham Lincoln flag with stars spelling out the word "Free," signed by Abraham Lincoln and dated July 5, 1864, at Jeff R. Bridgman American Antiques in York, Pa.

{Mosaic Masterpieces}

I love old mosaic pieces - no matter the condition. I also love reverse painted glass Georgian brooches! Here are a few of my favorites.....

Clockwise from top: {1} The Roman Forum - circa 1850-1860 Italian Grand Tour brooch. The Venetian mosaic tesserae are set in French Jet.
{2} Micro Mosaic Floral Bouquet set in Aventurine glass. Fantastic condition - circa 1870
{3} Georgian reverse painted glass rose pin. circa 1850
{4} Fantastic Georgian/Early Victorian Pocket Watch Chain. Ornate gold links with swirled enamel finales. The best part? The miniature working tortoise shell pocket knife fob! Circa 1850
{5} Italian tree with ancient ruins, set in Aventurine glass. This reminds me of J.M.W Turner's beautiful Italian landscape paintings.
{6} {center} Georgian reverse painted glass brooch. Expertly painted miniature portrait of a ship nearing shore. Circa 1840-1850

This is an engraving of my favorite William Turner painting - Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. Italy. The detail is incredible - Look at that tree!

{Locket Love}

I wanted to share a small portion of my collection of Victorian Open Faced Glass Lockets. Each one is so different from the next - it is difficult to pick a favorite! These make such wonderful love tokens or memorial pieces.

Clockwise from the top:
{1} French Paste Crescent Brooch with dangling paste and glass locket, circa 1880
{2} Persian Turquoise and Seed Pearl glass locket with dried flowers (you may remember him from the "Persian Turquoise" post!), circa 1880
{3} Tiny "porthole" locket with glass door - it is difficult to tell by the angle, but this little locket has a very deep "well" inside - perfect for stowing tiny treasures! Circa 1880
{4} Victorian Solid Gold and glass locket with crimson velvet interior, circa 1860
{5} Large, Georgian gold locket with a beveled glass door, circa 1850. My sweet boy, Logan gave me the lucky four leaf clover
{6} Persian Turquoise and seed pearl scroll top glass locket, circa 1880
{7} Georgian rock crystal brooch. A tiny door opens and the crystal magnifies the contents. Circa 1840

{Persian Turquoise}

Persian Turquoise is one of my all time favorite gems. Long before the United States became the world's largest supplier of turquoise, the finest turquoise was mined in Persia. During the 19th century it was a prized stone - thought to have healing properties and bring good luck and banish evil forces.

I have been on the hunt for a Georgian Persian turquoise brooch for a long while now and have finally found the perfect piece!

Georgian Domed Persian Turquoise Brooch with  a  Mine Cut diamond set in the center.
ca 1850

Natural turquoise is a porous stone. If untreated (like the brooch above) it will oxidize over the decades and mellow to a beautiful shade of green.

Sleeping Beauty Turquoise, mined in the Southwest United States closely resembles Persian Turquoise. Clear, blue turquoise with no matrix (veins). Absolutely gorgeous!

Two antique Persian Turquoise Rings in my collection.
Left: Georgian solid gold with gypsy set Persian Turquoise, circa 1850
Right: Victorian, warm rose gold with prong set turquoise, circa 1890

From top, clockwise:
(1) Oval turquoise and marcasite oval brooch, circa 1890
(2) Open faced glass locket jeweled with turquoise and seed pearls, circa 1880
(3) Georgian Persian Turquoise Heart Brooch, circa 1850
(4) Vintage Native American Sterling Cross Pendant set with Sleeping Beauty Turquoise stones
(5) Center: Victorian French Paste and Persian Turquoise lace pin, circa 1880

  

{welcome}

Welcome to my latest project! I was so inspired by the beautiful Annette of Patchwork Chair Love Story that I decided it was time to start my own blog.


I have found that it is somewhat difficult to find information on antique jewelry online. There are certain topics that I would love to share my knowledge on and I thought here would be the perfect place!  I specialize in antique jewelry dating from 1830 through 1930. If you have any questions or topics you are curious about, please send me a note!


I will also be offering previews for shop sales, special coupons, contests and promotions! 

Gorgeous Victorian Swallow Die-Cut - compliments of The Graphics Fairy