Walk Like an Egyptian - Art Nouveau Jewelry Casket

At some point, my antique and vintage jewelry collecting branched into other areas of collecting. Antique jewelry caskets being one of them. Today we call them jewelry boxes or trinket boxes. All though I only have a few left in my collection, I still long for more of them. This has been one of my favorites! It is an Art Nouveau Egyptian Revival box made by the Benedict MFG. Co. out of East Syracuse, NY. They were in business from 1894 to 1953. This box dates to around 1900.

While this piece features Egyptian symbolism, it also borrows some of it's design elements from the Arts and Crafts Movement as well as the Victorian era.

Here we have the back and side of the box. Egyptian winged scarabs or beetles and lotus blossoms are flanked by tendrils of ivy leaves. The ivy leaves being very Victorian.

This photo shows the side and front. Notice the very dark patina. (and the hole in the side.) Maybe someone used it to burn incense. That will remain an unsolved mystery! Anyway...the box is a dark grayish black. It looks a little darker in my photos. The box is made from a very heavy metal, with only the slightest trace of silver remaining. I think originally it was made to look as though it were just unearthed from an ancient Egyptian tomb.

The inside would have held a beautiful padded silk lining. This is all that remains inside of the box now. I have chosen to leave it as I found it. (The inside does look like it has been buried!)

Look at the little scarabs! Once again...the ivy leaves.

Here you can see the details on the side. A winged scarab. Again, it looks much darker in my photos, but you can see the traces of silver here. The overall shape of the box looks very Arts and Crafts movement to me. This antique jewelry casket is a great example of overlapping eras of design. Very unique.

I hope that you have enjoyed seeing this!

Happy Collecting!

For more antique and vintage jewelry and treasures, stop by my shop.
Wicked Darling

Striking! Georgian Paste Brooch

Such a beauty! Still debating if I should keep this piece for myself or list it in my shop. Yes...I am greedy for pretty pieces like this! This Georgian era paste brooch has so much sparkle! Very hard to capture in my photos. The small brooch dates to the 1820s.

There are two missing pastes stones. In one of the empty spaces you can see the remains of a gold gilt finish. Can you imagine how striking this brooch would have been when it was first created! To me, it is gorgeous now!

The metal is a bit of a mystery to me. It has rust, yet looks like silver or possibly iron. My husband tried to explain the complexity of this setting to me. He believes, as do I, that it was a very time consuming piece to make.

You can see the remains of the gold gilt finish on the back as well. Also a clue to the age of this brooch, is the extended length of the pin stem. It extends significantly past the actual brooch...which indicates great age.

The paste stones appear to be foiled backed...which is also a quite common feature of Georgian era jewelry. The foil backed stones would be more reflective and beautiful by candlelight. Even precious and semi precious stones were often foil backed for the same reason. Today this practice is pretty much limited to synthetic stones or crystals and rhinestones.

I hope that you have enjoyed seeing this beautiful antique Georgian brooch!

Happy Collecting!

Be sure to visit my shop for more antique and vintage jewelry!
Wicked Darling

Show and Tell Monday - Locket With a Past

It's Monday and time for Show and Tell! Today I want to share this wonderful locket with you. I am always touched when I find a photo in a locket. Especially when it has obviously been there for so many years. SO many collectors and dealers will remove these photos and I think it is such a shame. Part of the locket's soul...gone forever. (OK...so I am a drama queen!) I can say for sure that as long as I own this locket, this handsome man's image will remain inside.

As with the locket that I showed you on Sunday, this is a huge locket. It measures approximately 2 1/2" x 1 3/8". Not quite as heavy and not quite as ornate as the locket that I showed you yesterday, but stunning in it's own ways. It also dates to the Civil War era. C1860 give or take a few years. It has gorgeous granular work that is typical of the Etruscan styles seen in this era.

Look at those delicate gold flowers! All handmade and applied by a master craftsman. In the center we have five tiny natural pearls.

A closer look at the artistry that makes this a fabulous locket!

You can see how well made the bale is on this piece. Beautiful from every angle!

Here he is. This handsome young man with a mustache and wavy hair. Hand tinted cheeks. Piercing eyes.

I will always wonder who he was. This well dressed young man. One also has to wonder just who carried his photo so close to their heart and treasured this locket so many years ago.

I hope that you have enjoyed today's Show and Tell!

Happy Collecting!
For more antique and vintage jewelry, be sure to visit my shop! :)
Wicked Darling

Show and Tell Sunday - Victorian Locket - Best of the Best!

Sometimes I have trouble parting with my treasures, so I decided to have "Show and Tell" posts. I could not think of a better piece to start with than this magnificent Civil War era locket. It dates to the 1860s. During this era, just prior to the Civil War and during, it was a sign of status and wealth if you had the biggest house...the biggest dresses...and the biggest jewelry! This locket does not disappoint! It measures approximately 2" x 1 1/4" x 1/4". It is massive, very solid and very heavy.

The attention to detail is so amazing! It is done in the Etruscan style. The wire work and granular design work is so intricate! Each tiny green and pink gold leaf is hand applied with so much skill and expertise. Only a master jeweler could have accomplished this.

Even the inside is very impressive. You can see the workmanship in the hinge.

And finally a side view.

I hope that you have enjoyed seeing this beauty!

Happy collecting!

For more antique and vintage jewelry, be sure to visit my shop! :)
Wicked Darling

To Mama, With Love

Let me introduce you to Joyce...Or Mama, as she is known to me and my sister. I love this picture of her! So "Miss Fashion Plate". I have so many wonderful childhood memories of my Mama. She is the best mom ever! Mama always wore the latest styles. Even as a child, I remember the peddle pushers and high heels...red lipstick...Dancing to Love Potion No. 9. (Yes she did...but she will deny it!) Hair always perfect. She was beautiful then and she is beautiful now! The only things that have changed over the years are the fashions and the fact that she has become a grandmother and a great grandmother. Frankly, she has a busier schedule than I do and way more energy!

Eat your hearts out vintage lovers! Wish we had this dress! Mama was my girl scout troop leader. Yes, I can remember stacks and stacks of Girl Scout cookies covering the living room. Themed birthday parties for my sister and me. My favorite was the Hawaiian themed party. Mama made grass skirts for everyone! She always made our Easter baskets and they were gorgeous! Even now, every Easter, Mama sends be a package of Peeps. :) She knows that I love them, but doesn't understand why. Haha!

I think that one of the reasons I love Halloween so much is because of my mama! She always went all out for Halloween. We had a huge picture window that the kids would pass in front of to get to the door. She would dress a dress form like a witch and play scary music. She would even dress up herself! Fun. Kids now days just don't realize how things use to be.

But on a more serious note. My Mama is always there for me. She always was and she still is! Mama always encourages me. Dries my tears. Makes me laugh. No matter how stupid I was or how bad I was, she stood by me and loved me. Oh...and when my sister and I were REALLY bad, she would pop us with a switch from a weeping willow tree. (I can look back and laugh at this now.) Not just any switch mind you...My sister and I had caught on to the fact that the "fat switches" did not hurt as much...haha...but Mama was onto us! "Go back and get a skinny switch!" These days you can't do that, but you know what...I am thankful for every single time she made us get a switch! (Well every time except the time she thought I rolled a yard. I didn't, but to this day she thinks I did! haha) Anyway...she taught us right from wrong and I am thankful for that because it showed us that she truly loved us! Mama taught us manners and taught us to treat other people like we wanted to be treated.

This is my Mama, my sister and me. Did I mention that Mama made ALL of our clothes! The prettiest dresses ever! She is also an expert at cake decorating. Over the years, her love of creating led her to flower arranging and she opened a florist. She even did the flowers for my first marriage. Sorry Mama, that marriage didn't take! But the flowers were GORGEOUS!

This is us at the beach on our first vacation. Daddy is taking the pic!

And this is Mama today! With Daddy and her grandson Ben. She looks awesome!

This is Mama with Jon, her grandson. I LOVE this picture!

Mama, thank you so much for all of the years of love and memories! Here's to many more years to come. More memories in the making. I love you so much!
Happy Mother's Day!
Pam :)

A ParisianTreasure From The Universal Exposition Paris 1900

I have been keeping this treasure tucked away for almost 30 years. It just seemed the proper time to share it with everyone. It has some crumbling pages, and they have yellowed with age, but they are all there. This is a souvenir book from the Universal Exposition Paris 1900. I love the ads and the illustrations...even though I don't speak French, I can make out a lot of it. And of course with the illustrations...no language is required. Beauty is beauty. For years, I have scoured the internet and collector's books, but have never seen another one like it! Just thought you would enjoy a peek. If you have any information to share on this treasure...please do! Enjoy! :)

It's May First...Do You Know What That Means?

Yes...time to dance around the Maypole...But more importantly, It's my sister Sandy's Birthday! Happy Birthday to Sandy! This is a pic of Sandy standing on the beach in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was our very first vacation...just a few years ago. :)

Sandy is one incredible person and I am so proud of her! Oh...and I love her a lot! She is a full time mom, sister, daughter, wife, grandmother and friend. She some how finds the time to take care of her family and friends, do volunteer work and go to school. She just started back to college and is making straight As!!! Yep! She just got accepted into the nursing program. She is smart and pretty! Sandy also has the best sense of humor and loves playing practical jokes on people. Let's just say that I have been on the receiving end of quite a few of them. To this day all I have to say is "daddy long legs", and that story comes up! Oh...it's funny NOW! I still cringe when I see one of those creepy things. :)

This pic is from Sandy's birthday party...a few years back. Hmmmm seems like yesterday. That's her wicked sister next to her. I seem to remember that a fight ensued over a powder puff...or a doll...or something that day. Can't believe we still have that discussion! :)

Sandy, I wish that I could send you to Scotland for your birthday! I also wish that I could be in Charleston to celebrate with you, but you know that I will be there in spirit. Here's wishing you the best birthday ever! Enjoy your Kentucky Derby party...and your mint juleps. Oh, by the way...my horse, Devil May Care will win! Haha

With all my love,
Your wicked sister. :)

Please Allow Me To Introduce Jack

Let me introduce you to Jack. He just turned one. I think in cat years that must mean the terrible twos! He chewed my blinds into this shape. This is no camera trick or photo shop. Just the work of Jack. Apparently an artist at heart. (Ha ha...Jack thinks no one can see him. He likes to spy on us.) Just thought I would share a little bit of my home life with you.

This would be Jack with his older brother, Neno. He loves Neno so much and Neno is so patient! Yes, Neno is "a little overweight". Guess Jack thinks he is a giant water bed.

Jack is literally into EVERYTHING!

Disclaimer: Jack did not harm anyone during the writing of this post. Well...Not yet! :)