By Lisa Hix — A young Victorian woman stands on a beach and stares out past the crashing waves, far out into the ocean, wondering where her sweetheart is now. His ship sailed months ago, and he’s not due to return for years. She has no way to hear his voice saying he loves her. The only comfort she has is the coin in her hand. She runs her fingertips over his initials engraved on one side and forget-me-nots on the other, and she feels soothed. “With love tokens, emotion can be felt in the palm of one’s...

From Hummingbird Heads to Poison Rings: Indulging Our Antique Jewelry Obsession

By Lisa Hix — Estate jewelry might sound like a stuffy topic, but not in the hands of jewelry historian Monica McLaughlin. Every so often, she unearths the most breathtaking, bizarre, and unbelievably intricate works of antique fine jewelry that are up for sale for her column at The Hairpin. The images alone will make you do a double-take. As in, “Is that ring really set with a glass eye?” or “Are those actually taxidermied hummingbird heads on those earrings?” "I’m terrified I’m going to break...

Hand Motifs in Jewelry

By Ada W. Darling — The human hand has been used for centuries as a decorative motif. We find it made of china, ivory, glass, precious metals, coral; in fact, from nearly every material that can be carved or molded. Collectors will find an amazing variety of uses and designs in articles featuring hands, and it is interesting to note that in some cases the positions of the fingers have a special significance. While the hand design was used many years before the Victorian era, it was during that time...

'Roadshow' Appraiser Shares How She Assesses Turn-of-the-Century Jewelry

By Maribeth Keane and Brad Quinn — I bought my first piece of jewelry—a gold ring with a big lapis stone propped on prongs—when I was about 12 with money my grandfather gave me. Then, as a teenager, I worked in my aunt’s jewelry store in New Jersey during the Christmas season. I actually wanted to be a professional opera singer, but I realized I wasn’t going to become Renata Tebaldi. So I went back to school for three years, to the New York School of Interior Design. It was great fun, but I didn’t want to be a...

Hayden Peters Talks About Skulls, Hairwork, and the Fashion of Mourning

By Maribeth Keane and Brad Quinn — Growing up with antiques collectors and costume designers, I developed a passion for the Victorian age and the 19th century. I collected Victorian silver—bracelets, watches, and other things. I worked very hard to pay as much as I could for the best pieces I could find. My interest in jewelry, especially memorial and sentimental jewelry, began when I saw a ring with “in memory of” engraved on the top. I thought it was a wonderful symbol of affection to wear for a loved one. This ring was...

Christie Romero on Differences Between Fine and Costume Jewelry Over the Decades

By Maribeth Keane and Jessica Lewis — I started out with general antiques and collectibles... I was a dealer for a while and bought and sold all kinds of things. Gradually jewelry became my focus. In the mid-1980s I started getting serious, and in 1988 I started teaching small classes, workshops, and seminars, primarily on costume jewelry but also some fine jewelry. Vintage costume jewelry was just beginning to take off as a collectible. Up until that time, most people thought it was junk. They didn’t understand what it was...