June 18, 2009

Nice Antiques

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

June 10, 2009

Time for a break from talking about designer vintage costume jewelry … especially when I have so many superb pieces of period jewelry to share with those who visit this blog. “Period jewelry”? If you’re wondering what that term means, well here’s what I learned a few weeks back about the difference between “vintage”, “period” and antique jewelry:

Antique is that jewelry, costume or fine, that is 100 years old or more.

Vintage is that jewelry, usually costume, that is at least 20 years old.

Period is that jewelry that is both at least 20 years old and is made of fine materials i.e. gold, silver, genuine gemstones, diamonds etc.

I never knew that! I just called anything that I knew wasn’t antique, but was at least 20 years old, “vintage”. So tonight I want to share some of the fabulous “PERIOD” pieces we currently have listed in OUR SHOP AT RUBY LANE, like the gorgeous 14k white gold necklace shown at the top of this blog. This one is something else: it’s made in Italy and stamped both 14k and 585. It contains .60 cts of sparkling top quality diamonds, hangs to a finished length of 20″, and weighs 11grams. But what I just love about this necklace is its workmanship and design: it’s superbly crafted with intricate filigree-type work surrounding the diamonds. And for some reason, it reminds me of lace. It’s reminiscent of art deco but it most likely does not date to that era. I’d say it’s from the 70’s or 80’s. For me, this necklace merges old world styling with contemporary tastes. What a way to dress up your best evening gown or your blue jeans!

Shown above is another of our recent “period” additions to our SHOP AT RUBY LANE, and wow, do I love this one! This one is an opal lover’s delight. It’s both a brooch/pin and a pendant i.e. there’s a loop in the back through which you can insert a chain. I am currenly showing it at VINTAGE JEWELRY SHOWCASE on an 18k choker length chain which may not suit you if you like your pendants to hang lower on the chest. The chain I’m supplying is only 15″ long so the opal pendant sits in the hollow of your neck. I like it like that but if you don’t, you can purchase just the pin. Details are on the ITEM PAGE.

This pin/pendant is fashioned from 14k yellow gold and has a diameter of 1 1/2″. The opals in this pin are outstanding, full of fire and not a nick in them anywhere. And yet, this brooch dates back to the 30’s or 40’s. The condition is amazing. Those who collect opal jewelry should definitely add this one to their collection.

Last but not least tonight, I’d like you to take a look at this art deco ring featuring 14 square cut genuine rubies and 5 glittering diamonds. Again, what a beautiful design in this ring. How many do you see like this? I guess that’s one of the reason I’m so keen on vintage, period or antique jewelry: the designs, the craftsmanship and the quality so often surpasses what we find in the shops today. And because you are buying something that has been pre-worn or if you prefer, pre-loved, you can often buy it for so much less than you would a similar brand new piece today. Oh sure, when it comes to rings, bracelets etc, expect that there’ll be signs of wear, some scratches to the gold, and sometimes even chipped stones, but then, you’re not paying megabucks either. But what you’re getting is unique and beautiful and often, in remarkably good condition, as is this ring: it’s 14k, a size 6 and plenty of gold for re-sizing if needed. Do click on the photo to see more and learn more about this ring and the other pieces I’ve shared with you tonight. Happy shopping folks!

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

Ornate? Over the top? Old-fashioned? Or maybe, for you, it’s beautiful. Or since it’s by ART, a vintage designer, it’s collectible? Or maybe you just love to wear this kind of jewelry: it’s YOU!

Why do we buy vintage jewelry? Are buyers still buying it? A recent article about eBay in the Wall Street Journal got members of our jewelry group talking about buying and selling on ebay, who’s doing it, who isn’t, why and why not. There were several insightful comments by our members but this one pasted below (with permission), really made sense to me. So I thought my readers might enjoy Adrienne’s thoughts on this topic and invite your comments. What she has to say will be of interest to both buyers and sellers. So thanks Adrienne for allowing me to post this and I hope you’ll all go visit GARDEN PARTY COLLECTION. She has some awesome items there. Enjoy!

“While there are certainly ‘important jewelry’ collectors out there, they are way more in the minority than the majority. The pool of people with vast amounts of money to spend on ‘important’ jewelry is much, much, much smaller than the pool of people who like vintage jewelry in general, or better yet, just like jewelry, new or old.

I sell to everyone. I think a lot of web sites and long time collectors have become elitist. And that’s fine for their own collections and tastes. If one has been collecting for years and years, one’s preferences do get refined.

There are old collectors new to online shopping, there are new collectors just discovering vintage, there are people shopping for special occasions and there are people who just plain love jewelry, but are looking for more unique pieces and vintage gives that special difference.

As a seller, if you choose to limit your market, that’s certainly your option. But there are an awful lot of people out there who buy jewelry, even in hard economic times. In fact, for a lot of people, vintage is a great way to save some money. Its frequently cheaper than the local Nordstroms, or whatever. People are into fun, fashionable and/or affordable jewelry. What better way to perk up a tough week? Jewel therapy.

I don’t sell much on ebay, but have begun to do so a bit lately and have done OK with what I have listed. I wouldn’t dream of listing my ‘good stuff’ on ebay though, haven’t for years, not a good venue for me. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work well for someone else. I am not buying on ebay, but then, I’m not really buying right now, having amassed a huge inventory over the years. And, it’s just good business sense to reduce inventory during a strong recession.

As a dealer, I certainly appreciate you serious collectors, and love it when you throw some of those big bucks my way on a higher end piece. But I’ve got somewhere between 1500-2000 pieces currently on the web store and every single one is important, at least it is to the person who falls in love with it, regardless of price point or collectibility or rarity. But, I’ve been an antiques dealer for nearly 25 years now, and an online store owner for nearly half that. And if I had to rely only on serious collectors over that time, I would never have made it through this long. And, if I cut off my own nose to spite my face by limiting my own market, I wouldn’t be here either.

The trick in selling online, in my opinion, is not be be the most expensive or carry only the most important, but to offer the unique, the interesting and the desirable, none of which is necessarily synonymous with high-end or important. I hope you will all visit my store from time to time, as you never know when something important winds up in my possession, I hope you don’t take offense if I also cater to the billions of other people who wouldn’t know a Farhner if it fell on them screaming TF.” (Adrienne, Garden Party Collection)

So, what about you dear reader? Are you still buying vintage jewelry? If so, why? Jewel therapy? Collector? What about the current prices of collectible jewelry? Is it getting too high? Let’s hear from you!

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

I’ve been watching a lot of Sherman cuff bracelets lately on ebay and have done a double-take more than once on just how high a dollar buyers are prepared to spend on them. There’s no doubt in my mind that right now that Sherman cuff bracelets are amongst the “hottest” vintage designer pieces you should add to your collection if you can afford one.

This was driven home even more when I watched the auction for the outstanding signed Cartier bracelet shown in the photo above. Talk about a collector’s piece of jewelry! It’s authentic vintage, with real AAA quality pearls measuring approximately 7.5mm each. That fantastic Cartier clasp is not only stamped 18k gold, but it comes with a patent number. And it has an interesting history too ie. it was purchased from an actress’ estate in Florida. The actress’ son said it was custom-designed for his mother in the 1970’s. Finally, it has a retail value of over $12,000! What I’d give to be able to afford this one!

Well you can imagine my shock when on the same day that this auction ended, so did the auction for the Sherman cuff bracelet below:

Now, for sure, this is yet another magnificent cuff bracelet set by Sherman and came in a nice color combination of champagne, amber and blue stones. It was in superb condition with no stones missing and all original…definitely a top buy for a Sherman collector. But if you check back through my Sherman blog, you’ll notice several cuff bracelets similar to this one. So the design isn’t all that unique, unlike the custom-designed Cartier above with real gold, real pearls and an interesting history.

Well, what do you think: which one fetched the bigger dollar? For me, it was a bit like what happened last night on American Idol: the Sherman sold for nearly $400 more than the Cartier! Incredible. The Sherman sold for $1631.96 USD. The Cartier sold for $1227.00. Whatever has happened to the value of real pearls and 18k gold over the years to make them so much less valuable to buyers than those fabulous fake stones in vintage costume jewelry? Our husbands will probably never understand this: as I’ve mentioned before in my blogs, as much as he admires the workmanship and beauty of designer costume jewelry, in his books they’ll never compare to real gold, real diamonds and real gemstones. When I see outcomes like this, I tend to agree with him. But then, I was rooting for Adam, the real superstar on Idol last night. So what do I know about people’s tastes LOL!

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

I haven’t been buying much jewelry lately but I’ve been doing lots of studying and lurking around eBay to see what’s hot and what’s not, what’s selling, what isn’t, and what’s fetching high dollars. I probably don’t need to tell you, if you also follow my SHERMAN BLOG that Sherman cuff bracelets have been selling for incredibly high prices. Take the one shown on the right: it just finished this afternoon and sold for a whopping $1600 USD! That seller must be celebrating. He just sold one last week for almost a thousand on top of that. Yikes!

Now compare that to what the lovely, very unusual and very wide rhinestone bracelet on the left fetched: it sold for just over $70USD. That cuff bracelet is a very attractive mix of baguette, square and round cut stones, and there’s enough of them to light up a room since this bracelet is 2″ wide! I don’t know anything about the construction, but it is vintage glitz. It’s also something else: it’s unsigned. What an incredible difference a signature makes to the final price. But for those who can’t afford the Shermans, but want the pizzaz and bling, a purchase like this just makes good sense.

So what else has my lurking yielded? Well I discovered that while Sherman cuff bracelets are the high-ticket items, other Shermans, for the most part, are not. I’m talking here about necklaces, brooches, earrings and sets. They still get a good dollar but nothing much more than what they were getting this time last year. When it comes to necklace/earring sets, Schiaparelli has Sherman beat. For instance, the set shown below sold for $228 USD. That may not be much but

when you realize that one of the earrings has been chipped off at the bottom, it’s surprising the set still got that kind of a dollar. I guess that’s because Schiaparelli is just that much harder to acquire. Another reason Schiaparelli still sells so well, at least on ebay, is it’s dear to the hearts of American collectors of vintage costume jewelry, while Sherman is primarily sought after by Canadians. And while there seems to be a lot of Sherman around, especially on ebay these days, the Schiaparelli, just like Alice Caviness, Schreiner, Robert are in short supply, and hence command higher dollars. I couldn’t believe the Schiaparelli brooch shown below fetched about the same dollar as that Schiaparelli demi above. But it did.

Of course, it’s in that most coveted color for Schiaparelli i.e. pink, just like that magnificent necklace and earring set I covered in my blog here a few posts back and that you can see HERE.

What else have I found is selling high in designer signed jewelry? Well just look at this HAGLER:

What an outstanding set! What did it sell for? The buyer was asking $485 or best offer. She received and accepted $390 USD. Hagler is so highly collectible that this buyer made a very smart move investing in this set.

And speaking of cuff bracelets, on the right is a real beauty by Hollycraft that sold for $381 USD.
Honestly, if you want to, and can afford, the price of Sherman cuff bracelets, then more power to you but something like that Hollycraft is worth buying too and costs so much less.

So, bottom line, what’s in a name? Obviously a lot. Just like everything else, from clothing to shoes, to jewelry to art, if the name is a recognized one, it’s worth collecting, if you can afford it. If, on the other hand, you just like pretty glittery jewelry, there’s a lot of it around, and in this tough economy, it’s nice to know it’s so utterly affordable in comparison. For many of us, it is indeed all about dollars and sense.

You’ll find both signed and unsigned jewelry in OUR SHOP AT RUBY LANE and our BONANZLE Booth. Drop by and poke around. Thanks for reading.

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

If there’s one item we can’t seem to keep on our shelves in OUR SHOP at RUBY LANE, it’s those lovely Victorian bangles. These fly out the window almost as soon as we list them, sometimes even before I list them LOL! I had no idea they were this popular when I listed the first one I’d ever acquired and shown on the right. It was a fabulous buckle bangle from Bacon & Bates, over an inch wide, and featured both rose and yellow gold-fill. As soon as I listed it, several people added it to their wish lists and it was gone in a week, with others writing to request if the sale fell through to please let them know: they were kicking themselves for not acting sooner.

Well when customers ask me to find something for them, I’m happy to oblige. So the next one I got was the slim, beautifully engraved chased gold bangle on the left. In its own way, it was even more valuable than the one above as it was indeed an antique and made of actual 9ct. gold. The same buyer who purchased that stunner up top was smart enough to jump right in and snap this one up too. Honestly, I had no idea these were so collectible and popular.

By this time, one buyer had lost out twice ie.. she’d wanted both of those other bangles so I promised her that when the one shown on the right arrived, I’d send her some photos before I listed it so she’d have first chance at it. This one was another Bacon & Bates, not as wide as the first one but a good 1/2″. This one wasn’t a true buckle bangle either but she loved the design anyway and didn’t hesitate to buy it with its lovely rose gold touches and gorgeous repousse work. Off it went to her without ever being listed.

The next buckle bangle I acquired was a fantastic find and a real collector’s piece. It’s the bangle shown below. It was made by “Bigney” and signed with the hallmark SOB. But what makes it

particularly valuable is that it’s fully inscribed with lovely script from WP to HU and dated 8.27.34. Isn’t that fantastic! If there’s one thing I’ve found out in buying and selling vintage jewelry is that collectors jump on dated, signed pieces. Dare I tell you that this one has also already been spoken for? The same lady who got that 3rd bangle before it was listed has purchased this one too! Honestly, I never thought these bangles would be that popular. Of course, my prices are reasonable too and that makes a difference doesn’t it.

So now what? Well I do have one new addition to the shop and again, as soon as it was listed, it got added to wish lists. This time, it’s a 1/20th 12k bangle by WINARD that’s in marvellous condition and if you’re quick, you can buy it from OUR SHOP at RUBY LANE for only $125 USD

This is a very beautiful bangle, featuring black enamel engraving that is known as “Taille D’epargne”. It has been suggested that this type of enamelling emerged in the 1930’s in copy of a highly popular Edwardian design. This particular bangle has no dents or nicks, a tight clasp and a security chain, all original. You can’t go wrong if you’re in the market for one like this.

I have another combination waiting to be photographed that might be most appealing to someone who likes the idea of mother/child bangles. Both are buckle bangles in rolled gold, with the child’s bangle showing animals in the engraving. It’s delightful. I’ll be selling these as a pair when they are ready to list. So stay tuned!

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

I’m not the biggest Schiaparelli fan in the world, especially after being scammed and sold fake Schiaparellis about a year ago. I wrote about this in this blog and if you never saw it, you can still read it HERE. That incident really frightened me, not to mention it cost me money and since then, I’ve shied away from purchasing Schiaparelli jewelry. But then I saw this one! It’s the most gorgeous Schiaparelli I’ve ever seen and I just had to have it. It cost me a bundle, but given its condition, color and the name, I knew this one was worth every penny.

For those of you unfamiliar with Schiaparelli, her jewelry is today highly collectible and not easy to acquire: there’s just not that much of it around. That of course, also makes it quite expensive.

Schiaparelli began producing jewelry in the 1930’s but she wasn’t limited to jewelry: she had scarves, perfume and hosiery. Movie stars wore her items and her name was on everyone’s lips. According to the book, COSTUME JEWELRY 101 by Julia C. Carrol, “Schiaparelli’s famous ‘Shocking’ fragrance is still produced today in France, in limited edition bottles selling for $1,000 each”. Talk about a successful name brand!

Elsa Schiaparelli’s jewelry was often “large” i.e. bold in design and size of stones. She also favored irregular shapes and cuts and her “watermelon” bracelets, brooches and earrings were sought after then and now. But her signature color was shocking pink. And that, dear reader, is just one of the reasons I jumped on this set when I saw it: look at the fabulous use of pinks in this showpiece set.

In this set she has used the occasional charcoal aurora borealis bead to contrast the stunning pink glass crystal beads. Keeping with her love of unusual cuts and shapes, these give way to fuschia colored marquise and large round cuts. Notice though something really different about this necklace: it’s asymmetrical! That photo isn’t crooked: this is how the necklace is worn i.e. with the crystal beads suddenly yielding to a fantastic melee of charcoal flowers and smaller floral clusters that run up only one side of the necklace. This is such an amazing necklace in every way. It comes, of course, with the matching earrings shown in the top photo.

All stones are in great condition, as is the rhodium-plate backing on all the pieces. I just wish you could see the cut of some of the stones. I’ve never seen anything like these: the faceting is often asymmetrical, just like the necklace design. Only the person who ultimately buys this one will see what I mean. It’s a marvel in so many ways. And both necklace and earrings are signed “Schiaparelli”.

You can see more photos of this collector’s Schiaparelli by clicking on the photos above or clicking THIS LINK to our RUBY LANE SHOP. As I said earlier, Schiaparelli jewelry in her beloved pink, and in this superb condition is what serious designer vintage jewelry collectors seek. The price is less than what some are paying for Sherman cuff bracelets, but in certain circles, a Schiaparelli like this one can be even more valuable because of its rarity. Don’t let this one go to someone else. Make it yours!

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

I’ve long been on the hunt for a JULIANA by Delizza & Elster that

a) is utterly unique
b) uses mulicolor stones
c) is affordable
d) makes a bold statement about the wearer

And ladies ( I presume you are the ones who read this blog?) I finally found one that does all those things. My only regret with this one … for which I paid a small fortune even though I was hoping I wouldn’t have to … is that I don’t have earrings to match it. I haven’t listed in before now in my SHOP AT RUBY LANE because I was searching all over for earrings. I’ve not been able to find any, but if YOU do have a pair, please contact me i.e. leave a message in this blog with your email address. I would so love to turn this fantastic Juliana into a demi or better yet, a full paruree…but I doubt I could get that lucky.

This necklace is outstanding both in its design and its combination of colors. When studying Sherman jewelry, I once read that finding multi-color Shermans was hard but very desirable. The writer went on to say this doesn’t apply just to Sherman. So when I saw this one, I didn’t hold back. Click those photos so you can see more and larger views of this beauty.

It’s 15″ long and uses fuschia, red, olivine and clear stones in a dazzling arrangement that glitters like Christmas! It’s a pretty heavy necklace, the kind you expect to see a woman wear to a gala affair where everyone is competing for attention with their sparkling jewels. That center section is over 7″ long and drops to 1 1/2″. And while the back does show the expected signs of some wear, all the stones are bright, clear, secure and original.

This Juliana necklace comes from the estate of a former model who wore incredible pieces on the runway. Her collection is worth over $150,000 or more. She has a lot of Juliana and has looked after her jewels very well. I’ve bought several pieces from her and have never received a piece that disappointed. But this one has got to be the “creme de la creme” for me. It also cost me more than all the others I bought from her. But it’s worth it.

Why don’t you slip over to OUR SHOP AT RUBY LANE and read more about this one. You can double-click the photos and bring them up huge so you can see all the details. Maybe this is the necklace you’ve been looking for to complete your Juliana earrings or bracelet. If so, then let’s talk!

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

What is it about angel skin coral jewelry that makes it so desirable, not to mention, collectible? I was never much into it until I got my first piece, a very simple single row necklace. Its delicate colors struck me first, and the more I looked at it, the more I liked it. Suddenly I was on a hunt and wow, what gorgeous pieces I’ve found.

Take that fabulous and RARE Edwardian bib drop necklace above. Now that’s a real keeper. Fashioned from hundred of genuine angel skin coral beads ranging in size from 3mm to 7.5mm, this beautiful piece of antiquity weighs over 35 grams. And yet, it just feels light and lovely around your neck. Imagine the time it took to thread all those beads into what almost looks like a crocheted collar on a dress. And the color is divine: white with hints of pink blush. You can see more photos and purchase this rare necklace from OUR SHOP AT RUBY LANE.

Here’s a little bit of lore about coral:

It is said to protect children and in many countries is given as a gift to children. It has been used to protect against evil.

Coral is said to cure madness and give wisdom.

Black Coral is Hawaii’s US State Gemstone

Coral jewelry has been created and worn since prehistoric times — dating back to the Iron Age.

In ancient times, Coral was considered so valuable that it was used as a method of currency and trade by the Romans and the Egyptians.

Birthstone Months with Coral:

Taurus (Apr. 20-May 20): Blood Coral is the birthstone

Anniversary Gemstone

Coral is considered to be the anniversary gemstone for the 35th year of marriage.

From what I’ve seen as I’ve started looking into acquiring some coral pieces for our shop, prices can vary greatly but for the most part, it’s not cheap. One of the sellers on Ruby Lane who appears to be the expert on all kinds of coral, averages $1600 – $1900 USD per necklace! I’m not sure why or how she does it, but I’d love to boast sales like that. She tells us that Italian coral, in particular that found in the Mediterranean sea, is the most valuable and most coveted coral you can find with its deep red color. Apparently the deeper in the sea the coral grows, the more solid the color due to the lack of light, be it red or white. Nonetheless, angel skin such as the one in the necklace above and the bracelet shown below, is still highly prized.

I’d have to agree. I had that bracelet above listed for only 2 hours before someone came into our SHOP AT RUBY LANE and bought it, along with the very old necklace you can see HERE. I can’t say I’m surprised these sold so quickly: not only was my price on these an absolute steal, they are just so beautiful. I love the carving in that rose clasp, don’t you?

I’ve got more coral pieces arriving in our shop soon. One is a single strand necklace with a delightful 2″ carved pendant; the other is angel skin coral 14k gold bead spacers. You’ll have to keep checking our shop if you want to scoop them up before someone does. Why not subscribe to our mailing list at Ruby Lane? That way, you’ll be among the first to know when we’ve added new items, changed prices, are having a sale … need I say more?

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all our readers and if you celebrate the day by wearing green, you might enjoy looking at some of the lovely “green” items you can buy in OUR RUBY LANE SHOP during our MARCH MADNESS SALE. Oh sure, it’s too late to get these to wear tomorrow, but you don’t need a special day to wear gorgeous items like the fantastic 18k gold cross with genuine emeralds shown on the right do you! It’s absolutely stunning and right now during March Madness, you can even make an offer on this beautiful pendant with 1.2 cts of Columbian emeralds. Heck, we’re only asking $329 as it is but we’ll listen to your offer. Try us!

If you’d prefer a ring, we have lots of those and priced for all budgets. The one that several people are dreaming about and have put on their wish lists is this incredible 14k/18k emerald/diamond ring shown below. It comes with a recent appraisal of $3550 CAD, and we’re only asking $1299US. But during our MARCH MADNESS SALE, you can get a further 10% off … that’s $129 … WOW!

If that one’s not quite in your budget, take a look at this fabulous diamond/emerald ring with its unique design:

With nearly .40ct of VS2 diamonds and 5 genuine round emeralds in a dazzling 14k white gold mounting, this one is a knockout cocktail ring for which we’re asking only $450 or your best offer. What have you got to lose? Click on the photos on all these items to go over and take a closer look. And there’s lots more items to choose from like the lovely unsigned 2-piece set on

the left. It looks like a Juliana but we don’t believe it is one so it’s priced accordingly. It’s what is called an “unsigned beauty” and beauty it is! The necklace weighs 35-40 grams and each earring is 10grams but for those who love large stones, this is a real keeper. We’ve put a price of $185 on it but again, we’re more than willing to see what you think you’d want to pay for it. So please go take a look at the pictures, read the description and GO GREEN with St. Patrick’s Day and MARCH MADNESS at VINTAGE JEWELRY SHOWCASE at RUBY LANE!

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

Newer Posts »