Mardi Gras Madness

Happy Mardi Gras! 

Growing up in the South Mardi Gras was a HUGE deal! Now that I've moved back West, I don't hear much about it. 

While I was having a Mardi Pity Party for myself this morning I stumbled across an AMAZING collection of Mardi Gras float and costume design sketches from the late 1800s. Here are a few of my favorites:

1892 Krewe of Proteus

1900 Krewe of Proteus 

There are SO many incredible costumes! You can check out the 1873 costume sketches here. This fantastic and rare collection is housed at the Tulane University Research Center.

Happy Mardi Gras!!!!

Vente de Février

A sale is brewing on the horizon and there is a sneak preview for my lovely blog readers! 

Tomorrow is the first of February and The Hidden Chamber will hosting a sale in the shop. However.....for those who read the blog, the sale begins today! 

Please use coupon code SWEET10 during checkout to receive ten percent off your order. Sorry, but the code must be entered and cannot be applied after the sale. 

The sale runs through next Friday, February 8th....just in time for Valentine's Day shopping!

Bonne Année et Bonne Santé

Happy New Year!!!

19th century token of luck

I thought I should do a quick catch-up and let you all know the results from November's Marine Corps Birthday Sale (I know....I know....I'm really late!).

Over ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS (!!) has been donated to the Semper Fi Foundation from a portion of the sales that occurred November 10-11 in the shop!

The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund is a nonprofit organization that is set up to provide immediate financial support for injured and critically ill members of the United States Armed Forces and their families. Thank you to all who participated in the second annual fundraiser sale!

Over the weekend I took down my Christmas decorations.
I hate having to put some of these old Christmas beauties in a box for another year!

 Images of Christmas from over a century ago, tiny glass bells, velvet millinery flowers, 19th century tinsel stars, flocked Künstlerschutz animals ......

1920s metal icicles, Victorian blown glass ornaments, French gilt leaves, hand made antique garlands, Antique Bavarian candle clips, German kugles and tiny mercury glass French horns.....and loads and loads of antique metal tinsel garland!

During the holiday I have been carefully selecting jewels for my New Year Collection. Over the coming weeks tons of beautiful Victorian pieces will be filtering into the shop. I think I will grab another cup of coffee (using my beautiful new mug from Mary!) and get to work! Please stay tuned for a massive shop update!

{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}

{ 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!

{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

{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!!!

{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