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Retro Vintage Celluloid Necklace with Pink Seashells
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Costume:
Bakelite:
Pre 1950 item# 509150
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$149
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This ultra-feminine piece of paradise places natural shells, artfully colored to let their iridescence glow through, on a transparent celluloid chain, so they'll seem suspended around your neck by magic. Imagine how beautiful it will be with this season's "goddess" and "baby doll" dresses!
From the 1930s or early 1940s, the necklace is obviously hand-crafted and as pretty from the back as from the front. Each shell is protected by small discs of matching shell, both fore and aft. Condition is superb. The shells with slightly irregular edges were that way originally, since the rich pink color is present. I can't find a flaw anywhere, apart from slight wear at points where wire wraps the celluloid. Length of the chain is 16 inches, shells are slightly graduated in height from about 3/4 of an inch to an inch and provenance is a Gulf Coast estate.
Please e-mail to confirma availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Cute Retro Celluloid Earrings, Fruit-Filled Cornucopias
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Costume:
Bakelite:
Pre 1950 item# 509122
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$79
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Here's real Carmen Miranda stuff, just in time to complement the colorful, exotic fashions favored for warm weather. You'll look delicious in these earrings formed like seashell cornucopias packed with luscious strawberries, grapes, bananas and more. Being of celluloid, they're extremely lightweight and comfortable to wear (not to mention highly collectible). Size is about 1 1/4 inches by 1 inch and condition is nice, relative to age and the delicacy of the material. There are lost grapes (easy to hide by retouching the color) and a few teensy cracks it takes high magnification to notice. The shells show no losses at all and the silver metal screwbacks show virtually no wear. If perfect, of course they'd be worth $100 more. Provenance of these cutie-pies is a Deep South estate.
There's no charge for insured U.S. shipping and gift-wrap is always free when desired. Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Spectacular Retro Pink and Ivory Shell Necklace
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Costume:
Unsigned:
Pre 1960 item# 509097
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$55
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Most likely from the 1950s, this very unusual shell necklace has a bold Modernist look. Four large iridescent pink shells add loads of dimension to the strand of smoothly polished ivory shell beads and shiny silver accents. From a Gulf Coast estate, it's in fabulous condition -- ready to look amazing with this season's stylish pastel fashions. Length is approximately 22 1/2 inches and it closes with a good strong barrel clasp.
Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Fabulous 1950s Vintage Golden Goddess Earrings
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Costume:
Unsigned:
Pre 1960 item# 505210
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$75 SALE
(Reduced from $110)
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These exciting earrings were inspired by the ancient history films so popular in the 1950s: epics like "Julius Caesar," "Ben Hur," "Quo Vadis?", "The Robe," "The Ten Commandments," "Helen of Troy" (in which Brigitte Bardot played) and "Land of the Pharaohs" (featuring a young Joan Collins).
Obviously perfect with the draped goddess dresses favored by top designers today, these dazzlers are three inches long. Starting at the top, they begin with large filigree orbs on clip backs. From these are suspended slightly smaller globes of filigree, each holding an ornate cage of four circles and tassels. These dangling cage sections actually spin all the way around, so the tassels of fine chain link don't just sway as you move; they whirl!
The earrings reached us from a Dallas area estate in lovely condition. Evidently they were used only on special occasions. The metal is most likely gilt brass, since there are no markings. All the openwork keeps them relatively light in weight, so you can wear them very comfortably.
Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Enchanting Vintage Bridal White Woven Bead Choker
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Costume:
Unsigned:
Pre 1950 item# 504277
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$45 SALE (Reduced from $75)
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I keep picturing this treasure with a vintage wedding gown, but of course it would look divine with anything. Tiny white glass beads, the kind often called "sugar crystals," were strung and intricately braided together to form it. The woven area, which tapers from an inch wide at the front to 3/4 of an inch at the back is not quite 14 inches long and the present fastening system adds 5/8 of an inch, for a total of about 14 1/2 inches. At some time, the original fastener must have broken, since necklaces of this style usually have end caps. Now it finishes with a larger bead on one side and the C-ring clasp with jump rings on the other. If you install end caps, you could easily extend the length at the same time with chain -- or skip adding the clasp entirely and use ribbons.
The shade of white isn't snowy, but isn't as dark as cream; ivory would best describe it, but think of a pale ivory. Interestingly, one teensy bead well back in the pattern is of transparent green glass. This is clearly a deliberate inclusion, so likely signified the maker or was meant as a good luck token. This bead doesn't have to show, because that side of the necklace can face the skin.
Provenance of this exquisitely crafted heirloom is an East Coast estate and probable dating would be 1930s or 1940s.
We recently acquired a bracelet that's a marvelous match with the choker. Its beads are a bit pearlier -- a slightly iridescent white -- but the difference wouldn't be noticed, since the pattern and overall effect are the same. Part of the fastener is marked Czechoslov, and probably both necklace and bracelet are Czech; the hardware is identical, except that the bracelet has end caps. If you're interested in the pair, let us know and we can work out special pricing.
Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Long Vintage Safari Necklace w/ 4 Great Carved Animals
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Costume:
Unsigned:
Pre 1970 item# 503839
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$55
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Exotic safari jewelry was just as popular in the mid-20th century as it is today and jewels from that era are fabulous bargains, compared to what's being charged for new ones. Made-yesterday necklaces of carved wood, bone and such are selling for $400 and $500 -- without being a bit nicer than our recent estate finds, which can be yours for a great deal less.
This example, entirely of wood, features four delightful animals carved and decorated by hand. The two elephants are wonderfully whimsical, the lions have elaborate paint work and all are highly dimensional. A lot of time went into crafting these. Even the lions' claws are painted and the faces are extremely expressive, with open mouths. Strung along with the wildlife are wooden beads of diverse shapes and sizes, some of which show a little edge wear but nothing you couldn't touch up with furniture polish. Overall condition is really very good. I expect these date from the 1960s. Provenance is a New Mexico collection and total length is about 31 1/2 inches including barrel clasp.
Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Heavenly Blue Vintage Celluloid Shells Necklace
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Costume:
Bakelite:
Pre 1950 item# 501826
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$175
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This necklace is real Goddess Stuff. Aphrodite would've loved wearing it when she surfed in on that scallop shell and you'll be adored in it now.
The subtle blue hues of these artfully clustered shells range from water-pale to dusky cobalt and they seem to encircle the neck by magic, being suspended on a paperclip chain of transparent celluloid. It's feather-light, about 16 1/2 inches long and in amazing condition for such a fragile jewel. Small holes at the back of some shells are hard to notice and may have been integral to the process of fabricating such intricate shapes. The shells, BTW, are as intricately textured as real ones -- a delight to the touch, as well as the eye. Probable dating would be 1930s or very early 1940s.
As you may have seen, vintage celluloid necklaces are selling elswhere online for around $300 to $600, sometimes even higher, so this is a fabulous deal.
Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Fun Modernist Squiggle Bracelet - Mint
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Costume:
Pre 1970 item# 501822
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$12 SALE (Reduced from $20)
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Piling on loads of bracelets is a huge fashion trend now, so we all need more of them. Here's a real cutie, featuring long squiggly waves separated by smaller links and spherical beads. It has a whimsical, light-hearted feeling and shines like the dickens. Worn seldom, if at all, it's in such amazing condition that I can't tell if it's plated or of the same material throughout. The metal appears to be chromium or rhodium, one of those hard-wearing, tarnish-free substances in the platinum family. The style suggests the Retro period, but I don't believe lobster clasps were around quite that early and this one looks original. Accordingly, my best guess for dating is 1960s. Length is about 7 inches, right for most wrists, and provenance is a New Mexico collection.
Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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1940s Vintage Rhinestone Earrings Floral Fireworks
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Costume:
Rhinestone:
Pre 1950 item# 475534
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$39 SALE
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Reduced now from $59 ...
Set with marquis, round and square-cut rhinestones, these dazzling vintage earscrews are made of an extremely bright silver metal, probably rhodium. Gold foil backs the larger stones that form the flower petals, giving them a pretty warm tone. Accenting the floral forms are feathery bursts of "fireworks" - a motif very popular during World War II. Each earring measures about 1" wide x 1 1/4" tall and backs are screw-type, as is right for the period. Amid the great variety of shapes and exceptional overall dazzle, it's hard to notice, but one stone appears to be a replacement and our price reflects that. These would cost a great deal more, if perfect.
Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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Antique Art Deco Dangle Earrings Faux Ivory and Topaz
Catalogue:
Estate Jewelry:
Costume:
Rhinestone:
Pre 1930 item# 471582
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GlitzQueen History and Art to Wear
Phone: 505.205.1404
$85 SALE
(Reduced from $115)
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These adorable dangle earrings from the Deco era are of the exact shape fashion most favors today - extra-long vertical drops - and their neutral color means you can wear them with anything!
The stylized tulip drops are nicely detailed and made of an early plastic (probably the French equivalent of Bakelite). Accenting these are additional drops of brilliantly faceted topaz crystal. From the front, these appear to be for pierced ears, but they actually have early-type clip backs, so can be worn by anyone. Length is about 2 1/2", condition is superb and provenance is an Arizona estate. That desert climate does wonders to preserve the beauty of antique and vintage jewels.
Probable dating of these is circa 1930 and likely origin is France, based on the plastic used. When a material seems like Bakelite in every way, but doesn't test positive, it's usually the French variation called Galalith (casein).
Please e-mail to confirm availability, order or request more photos. Thanks for looking!
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