AND THE WINNER IS....

Congrats to Leslie - Zephyr Vintage - the winner of the VJSE TEAM Treasury Challenge:

'VJSE Team Treasury Challenge: Juliana is my muse!' by zephyrvintage

Juliana has style, class and is the life of the party! Presented are some glorious pieces of Juliana vintage jewelry, in vibrant fall colors. All are from members of the VJSE team on etsy.

Juliana DeLizza and... VintageJewelry... $58.00	Vintage Glam Goldst... Frogandthescor... $69.96	D and E Juliana Top... PastSplendors $29.00	Beautiful D and E J... waalaa $39.99
DeLizza and Elster ... AntiqueAli $124.99	Green Kramer Rhines... Elsewind $28.00	Vintage Ruby Red Rh... CranberryManor $50.00	Juliana DE earrings... glitzythings $30.00
Juliana D and E Rar... AOJVintageJewe... $795.00	Confirmed JULIANA, ... KatcherrFancy $69.99	Vintage Lipstick Re... STLvintage $39.00	Juliana Orange and ... AgedandOpulent... $145.00
D and E Filigree ba... LillysVintageJ... $38.00	four inch comet bro... hannahsetsy $30.00	VINTAGE winter ice ... VintageTreasur... $184.99	ICED D and E Julian... thejewelseeker $65.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Seasonal Autumn Jewelry: Halloween

'BOO!!! 'Fraidy CATS DON'T Enter HERE! - Halloween by VJSE Gift Guide' by thejewelseeker

Three black cats, three black cats, In black hats, in black hats. They all jumped into the Halloween brew, They teased the ghosts and the goblins too. Did you ever hear such a hullabaloo On Halloween?

Diamond Cut Aluminu... Frogandthescor... $19.96	Vintage Carved Cell... CranberryManor $65.00	Unique figural pin ... glitzythings $25.00	Vintage Plastic Fal... Vintage55 $20.00
Claudette Orange an... AgedandOpulent... $178.00	Enamel Black Cat Cl... waalaa $18.99	Bakelite bracelet o... glitzythings $95.00	Modernist Cat Kitte... Sundayandsunda... $35.00
AJC Theatrical Cats... LillysVintageJ... $25.00	Autumn Acorns and L... Smallstones $28.99	Vintage Grey Enamel... theatticshop $5.00	50's/60's G... mascarajones $295.00
Vintage Hattie Carn... judysgems2 $159.00	Vintage W. German M... AntiqueAli $45.00	JJ HAUNTED HOUSE PE... hannahsetsy $50.00	Vintage Kitty Cat E... mimisvintagesh... $6.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

How to Start Your Collection



Frogs, Frogs and more Frogs!



I collect frogs….oh, and that old 50’s guilloche enamel rose jewelry….oh, and I started this new collection of Les Bernard jewelry…and…oh, I have collected lots of jewelry over the years. 

In the beginning, I went to garage sales, estate sales, auctions, flea markets, antique stores, and of course the antique and collectible street fairs and shows. I shopped on EBay, as well as online malls like Etsy.com. 

If I found something that fit into one of my collections, I would buy it.  Friends, family and co-workers would gift me wonderful additions for my collections.   After about thirty years of picking up every little frog or enamel rose, I had all sorts of jewelry in various states of condition, quality and design.  Allow me to impart some gained knowledge that has since helped to make my collection more appealing.

 

Condition

Purchased as is - poor condition.

The first 100 pieces of jewelry I found were quite atrocious!  Condition is so important to consider when purchasing costume jewelry. 

This past winter I started going through my collectible jewelry and found some pieces had missing stones, broken clasps, chips, scratches, worn plating, and cloudy or worn rhinestones.  I had pieces that were improperly soldered and others that had messy glue where there was an attempt at replacing rhinestones!  I was so disappointed remembering the higher prices that I paid for items in poor condition.

Now, I carry a loupe in my pocket, an extra one in my purse; as well as, in the car.  Examining a piece of jewelry carefully, under amplification, makes it easier to assess a reasonable asking price.  I have also been known to ask the seller if the piece had been repaired, or if I could take it to a window or someplace where the lighting is better.  Take the time to inspect the item before you lay down the money!

Quality 



Duette by Coro






David Anderson Hummingbird



Initially, I had no clue how to really tell quality.  All I cared about was that it fit into the category of either a frog or enamel guilloche rose.  As time went by, though, I realized that some pieces seemed heavier, sturdier and has a designer name on the back of them.  I noticed that the rhinestones sparkled more, or the plating of the metal seemed thicker than others.  The realization occurred to me that I really liked some pieces more than others.  I noticed that the vintage jewelry pieces seemed to have those characteristics that improved the quality.  My observations were that the designers that had the best quality jewelry would plate their jewelry heavier, use quality Austrian rhinestones or used actual gemstones.  I also discovered as in all things there is a low end, a mid range and high end designers.  At the point that I realized this I began buying collector books and joined a couple of online vintage jewelry collector groups.  

In the beginning, I found it easier to rely on signed jewelry, like Schiaparelli, Regency, Eisenberg, Schriener, and Bogoff to name a few of the higher end.  I would look for mid range design companies like, ART, Trifari, Florenza and Hollycraft.  Again, relying on online jewelry groups, collector groups and books helped me to become more familiar with the types of jewelry I wanted to collect.  Remember, quality doesn't always mean that it has a cartouche with a name on the back.  many unsigned pieces reek with quality, so don't discount a piece just because there is no signage!

My Style Preferences

Unsigned beauty

Finally, the last consideration is your personal taste.  What styles do you like or dislike.  I like sweet flowers and pearls when it comes to my enamel guilloche rose collection, but anything goes when it comes to the frog collection.

Are you looking for rhinestones or do you like sterling with natural stones?  Do you like wood or plastics? What era is your favorite?  Victorian, Art Deco, Arts and Crafts or the Industrial era?  Some like to collect figurals, some like the glitzy sparkles and others like wood. 

Once I finally determined what I like to wear and what I liked to look at, buying jewelry was a whole lot less costly and overwhelming; and it was much more fun.

Twitter-Pated Over Jewelry

Enamel Guilloche Rose by ART
A set from my collection

I don't know what is going on today with me, but I feel the "need" to share some of my thoughts about loving my jewelry collections, and the feeling I get when I get a new piece and photograph it.

I don't get my mail every day.  We have lived on a rock quarry for the past year, and I thought we were moving on this year, but my husband agreed to work for our son-in-law another year - so here we are.  I don't mind.  It's interesting to live here.  Needless to say, I don't get my mail every day, because we use our daughters address, and she has to send a package out her through inter office mail.  They don't deliver every day.  We went to her house yesterday for her 35th birthday - WOW - where did time go?  Another story for another day!

She had several packages for me.  I was delighted when I opened them, because several new Tortolani pieces came in (thanks to sellers that are JR members that posted to the cow last week :), and a couple of pieces that are additions to a new small collection that I started a few months ago (including a frog - of which I am a long time collector of).

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When I get a new piece for my collections, I always take pictures of it - or them in this case. 

Les Bernard Collection

I cannot explain how much I fall in love with a piece of jewelry as I view it in close detail under the lens of a camera.  Joy literally overwhelms me, as I view all of the intricate detail that a designer puts into their designs.  Take for instance, the tiny little sparkle of a stone, the itty bitty stippling or texture that is so important in adding to the dimensions a piece might have.  I am always amazed at the difference in stone quality, or wonder how a designer might have made the decision to "add" some feature to a figural piece that gives it more character.

I've taken a lot of pictures of jewelry to sell, but when I take a picture of a piece of jewelry that I truly love...a piece that I collect....something happens to my inner self - a love for the piece really blooms.

Do the rest of you Jewelry Collectors get twitterpated over your collection?  Is this too much information about me?  (ha ha)....don't get me wrong, I still value my husband and my children and grandchildren more than my jewelry but it runs a close second to them.  Just kidding!  However, I am thinking that there are no drugs that could give me that great feeling as receiving something new to add to my collections.

Now, off to put these new jewels into the case with the other precious little sparkling ones!

The Collectors: Vintage Frog Brooches With rikrak :: Etsy Blog

The Collectors: Vintage Frog Brooches With rikrak :: Etsy Blog The Storque is an Etsy Blog. It has a lot of various collector tips and helps and ideas. One of this weeks blog entries is about a Frog Collector. It fits right in with a blog entry I am preparing about being a collector! Check this blog out!

VJSE Team Treasury Challenge Mid Century by thejewelseeker on Etsy

I'm in a contest this week. It is based on "hits"....so, please click on the link, and then click on some of the jewelry and enjoy this mid century modernist silver jewelry presented to you by the VJSE (Vintage Jewelry Sellers on Etsy) Team: VJSE Team Treasury Challenge Mid Century by thejewelseeker on Etsy

Vintage Jewelry Rings

LAUREL BURCH COLLECTIBLE JEWELRY

Laurel Burch - (December 31, 1945 – September 13, 2007)

The story goes that she was a self taught painter and collected junkyard metal to make her creations to sell so that she, as a single mom, could support her children.  Working out of her home, in San Francisco with a few employees, she was able to develop her business; as well as care for her children.    Later that business became known as Laurel Burch Artworks.

Laurel Burch, a designer from the early 1960's until her death in 2007, believed her jewelry was the connector to other cultures; as well as with mother earth and all living things. She said,“In our fast-paced, changing world, we need symbols that are a reminder of the ongoing world of the spirit.” Her jewelry pieces are now highly collectible, but more than that, they represent an era where stylized and modern art opened doors for creative minds like Ms. Burch.

To purchase Laurel Burch Jewelry click on this link:  Laurel Burch on Etsy by VJSE

It's a Labor Day Sale!

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(¸.•´ (¸*´¨( IT'S A LABOR DAY SALE!!!! 15% OFF ANY ITEM!  The Jewel Seeker Store on Etsy

¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨) READ BELOW FOR INSTRUCTIONS!
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It's a Labor Day Sale!!!! 15% off any or several items in our Etsy store - just choose what you want, convo me and ask me to reserve it for you. As soon as I get the convo I will reduce the prices to reflect the 15% off and put them on reserve for you. Then I will convo you back!

Click here to see my full inventory of vintage jewelry:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/thejewelseeker

What a simple way to get an extra good deal on fabulous jewelry!

HAPPY LABOR DAY!!!!