Suddenly blue

All of a sudden, there is a lot of blue in the Jean Jean jewelry box! I did a quick inventory last night and here is what I found. Some of these pieces are already in the shop, the rest are headed there soon.

Save a little love

Is there anything more attirant than antique purses? I am partial to beaded (not mesh) purses from the 1920s, especially ones with brass frames and chains. I have two purses that I really love from this era - both damaged, but oh well. They hang on my wall in my Jean Jean office. I love how they look poofy and full all the time, because of the weight and texture of the tiny seed beads. They feel cool to the touch and they have the most wonderful silk lining. Lovely, lovely.

Lady on the go

Mine!

Antique silver coin pendant from from Nouveau Motley.

Examples from Old Jewelry (Bell) and Popular Jewelry (Ettinger)

In keeping with my love of small, functional things my new obsession is coin holder pendants. Back in the day, this was an indispensable accessory for the lady on the go. Worn on either a chatelaine (a.k.a. the Victorian fanny pack) or later on a chain around the neck, these pendants were designed to hold just enough change for - well - whatever a gal might find herself needing out on the town! They became especially popular at the turn of the century when fashionable ladies started riding bicycles and couldn't hold a purse.

I never though I would find one of these, so I started sweating when I discovered this one last week. It is brass, holds nickels and dimes and is probably from the 40s. I took it to show my friend Sue at one of my favorite local thrift shops and she said "Oh! I had one like this for my bus fare!"

I'm rich

I purchased a giant ziplock baggie full of vintage handkerchiefs the other day. They looked awfully pretty from what I could see through the plastic and, well, who wouldn't want a gallon bag full of ladies hankies? It turns out that they are the softest, most beautiful hankies in the world. I ended up with about thirty and each one is just lovely. Looking at them on my Jean Jean Vintage desk, I just feel rich! So much beauty in such a small pile!

For each finger

As a jewelry shopkeeper, I would probably do well to stock a bunch (a whole bunch) of necklaces. They are sort of one size fits all, easy to wear, fun to collect, etc. But instead I seem to be filling the shop with rings, which are much trickier. I know it doesn't make sense, but I am helpless. I like necklaces, I enjoy earrings but I fall in love with rings. Like these ten I found last week. You will be seeing them in the shop soon!