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!

{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." 

{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}

{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.

{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