LADY JANE GREY-HUES IN GRAY

The focal of this assemblage necklace is a beautiful Victorian Art Nouveau sterling silver and velvet heart pincushion. Stamped with hallmarks to both front and back.

It is suspended from sterling silver wire wrapped gemstones and pearls which include iridescent Labradorites, faceted rock crystals, faceted jet rondelles and silver filigree rhinestone beads.

The closure is a sterling silver Victorian reproduction Shepard's hook from Danette Darbonne.

Dangling from the nape is a sterling silver Art Deco watch case depicting a winged cherub and heart. The case opens allowing you to place tiny treasures of your own inside.

The gray hues of this necklace made me think of Lady Jane Grey and her tragic life. Great granddaughter of Henry VII, she was schemingly used as a pawn by her aristocratic family who coerced King Edward VI to thwart his Catholic half sister Lady Mary, heiress presumptive and successor to the throne. On his deathbed at age 15, King Edward VI named his Protestant cousin Lady Jane Grey as his successor to the throne. Also known as the "Nine Day Queen," Lady Jane Grey was executed by beheading for high treason on 12 February 1554.

à L'ami

French for: A Friend. This is a French horn Georgian era (1770-1780) trinket box lid. Under the 14K rimmed glass cover is a beaded design made from tiny natural seed pearls on top of dark blue enamel. à L'ami is written on a small rectangle of ivory. Some of the pearls and gold braid have become dislodged but it is still breathtaking. Soon to be one of my newest assemblage creations.

TINY ANTIQUE FLAMING SACRED HEART RELIQUARY EX VOTO

This is one of the smallest ex voto reliquaries I've seen.

It measures 1.88" in length.

The flame and heart are embellished with paste rhinestones.

These devotional items are considered to be votive offerings.

Pilgrims traveling to various religious sites around the world would suspend them from a Saint's robe, most often a statue.

They opened like a locket to allow the pilgrim to add a devotional message inside.

Religious in nature and most likely Catholic.

Just amazing!

ANTIQUE STERLING SILVER HEART PIN CUSHION

This is a beautiful late Victorian or early Edwardian sterling silver pin cushion.

Soon to be featured in one of my jewelry assemblage creations. 

So, keep a weather eye on Metal Corset for its debut!

WOODLAND NECKLACE

Assemblage necklace featuring a Victorian thimble case in the shape of an acorn hand carved from vegetable ivory (tagua nut) suspended from sterling silver wire wrapped gemstones with two lampwork glass eggs designed by Ellen Ingram of Starcatcher.

Newly listed to Metal Corset.  Check it out!

LOVER'S EYE RECREATION IN WATERCOLOR ON ANTIQUE IVORY PIANO KEY

This is my first attempt in recreating a 1700s Georgian Lover's Eye.

It's painted in watercolor on an antique ivory piano key.

Once cut out, it will be placed in a Georgian locket.

The last photo is of an authentic Lover's Eye.

HEART AND HAND

Newly listed to Metal Corset is Heart And Hand, my newest assemblage creation.

It features two very special antique items from my collection suspended from a Victorian Revival gold plated bangle bracelet.

1. Antique Flaming Sacred Heart Ex Voto flacon reliquary, and

1. Victorian Pinchbeck mother of pearl hand that was once a brooch.

The flame of the antique flacon reliquary unscrews because it was most likely owned by a religious individual, perhaps a priest, to hold holy water. The front is beautifully engraved "A M" for Ave Maria surrounded by foliage. The reverse is engraved, "Dinan 1er 8bre 1907.

The Victorian mother of pearl hand is set in Pinchbeck, a metal invented by a clock maker Christopher Pinchbeck in the 1700s to resemble gold. The hand wears a ring set with a turquoise stone and a hand chased bracelet. It is absolutely stunning!

Check it out!

PETITE FRENCH DIEPPE PRE-BAN IVORY CHERUB AND ROSE STICK PINS

These are two magnificent French Dieppe petite micro carved pre ban ivory pins, circa 1800s.

Unfortunately, Etsy deactivated them from my shop........

Here's the original Etsy listing description:

I've recently had the pleasure of finding two extremely fine and magnificent Petite French Dieppe micro carved stick pins.  They most likely hail between late Georgian to early Victorian.

Note:  The Cherub and Rose are sold separately.  $320 each. 

The cherub's head measures a petite 7mm in length.

The sash across the cherub's chest is the strap to his quiver.

The Cherub stick pin's overall measurement is approximately 2.5" total.  The metal still has remnants of gold wash, but most has worn away showing the silver metal (most likely sterling) beneath.

The carving detail of this cherub's face is absolutely divine!

In very good to excellent wearable antique condition with surface wear commensurate with age.

The cherub's head measures approximately 7mm, equivalent to 0.27".  Amazing!

Trésor du Passé

Trésor du Passé, French for Treasures from the Past, is my newest assemblage bracelet creation. The treasures I've included in this incredible bracelet are:

-Tiny Victorian gutta percha pocket knife in the shape of a shoe
-Victorian watch fob compass
-Antique carved bone rose
-Victorian pressed horn cameo button
-Victorian plaited hair memorial heart padlock
-Victorian braided hair memorial brooch
-Victorian brass hand
-Victorian Art Nouveau rhinestone GF locket
-and 7.5" Victorian GF textured link chain.

  

Newly listed to Metal Corset.  Check it out!

IMMORTAL BELOVED

Newly listed to Metal Corset is Immortal Beloved.  An assemblage necklace featuring an antique, circa 1720-1860, Scandinavian Hovedvandsaeg.

These hinged silver heart (wedding) boxes were given to young women as a promise of marriage by her betrothed.

Immortal Beloved is also the mysterious addressee of an unsent love letter written by composer Ludwig Van Beethoven in 1812 which was found in his estate following his death. It has been widely debated on the intended recipient of this letter.

I've suspended this Hovedvandsaeg from a necklace comprised of sterling silver wire wrapped gemstones with one side dedicated to pearls because pearls symbolize tears.

Check it out!

"IN MEMORY OF" ASSEMBLAGE NECKLACE CHOKER

Newly listed to Metal Corset is "In Memory Of" my newest assemblage creation consisting of five Victorian mourning hair brooches in various styles (four with enamel) flanked by two carved gutta percha bracelet medallions on a Victorian Revival mesh choker.

Check it out!

FEMME FATALE I-VICTORIAN MATCH SAFE VESTA ASSEMBLAGE NECKLACE

Match safe vestas continue to fascinate me not only because they were functional utilitarian objects, but also for their whimsical and sometime naughty (risqué) qualities.

In the Victorian era, match safe vestas were suspended from a watch chain or chatelaine belt and held short match sticks (vestas) inside. 

Femme Fatale I is an assemblage necklace creation featuring one of my Victorian match safe vestas in the shape of a woman's bloomers or pantaloons.  I've suspended it from a necklace created with sterling silver wire wrapped gemstones, pearls and a length of silver Victorian Albertina chain. 

Check it out!

DESIRE III-Assemblage Chatelaine Belt

Desire III is my latest assemblage creation and also my first attempt in creating an assemblage belt.

I've tried to emulate a Victorian Chatelaine belt which women from that era used to suspend their utilitarian possessions, ie., scissors, pin cushions, match safe vestas, etc.

This chatelaine belt comprises of several antique textural silver tone chains long enough to fit the waist of a size 14.5 dress form. Three very collectible antique items are suspended from this belt:

1) Victorian or Art Deco rhinestone chatelaine purse with original chain

2) Large 8" French 1800s brass ex voto Sacred Flaming Heart flacon (A flacon is a vessel used to hold holy water. The top flame portion of this ex voto unscrews off allowing you to place a message of devotion inside if so desired.)

3) 1800s French brass Notre Dame meerschaum reliquary depicting The Madonna and Christ Child.

The chain belt measures approximately 32" in length and is adjustable.

Check it out at Metal Corset.

DESIRE II

Desire II is my latest assemblage creation featuring nine different Victorian jewelry components including the following:

Victorian vulcanite half locket with a dried flower pressed beneath glass, Victorian gutta percha full locket depicting a maiden wearing a crown of grapes and leaves, Victorian brass chatelaine hand, Victorian gold plated full locket with seed pearls and opals, Victorian bog oak depicting castle ruin, Victorian half locket with braided hair memorial under glass, Victorian enamel and hair memorial under glass, Victorian carved ivory depicting loves birds and a Victorian rhinestone half locket depicting a woman's face and flower surround.

These items are suspended from vintage chains. The necklace closes with an antique bone ring and brass Shepard's hook.

Definitely one of a kind and certainly a statement piece!

ANTIQUE MEERSCHAUM PIPE CLASPING HANDS

I'm so in love with this piece!  It's an antique hand carved meerschaum pipe depicting two clasping hands.  What an amazing and unique piece to add to an assemblage necklace creation.  Keep a weather eye for its debut.

VICTORIAN WAX SEAL WHEEL

Soon to be listed to Metal Corset II is this amazing Victorian wax seal wheel.  It's missing one prong/seal, but the other 6 are intact and depict the following:

-Male profile cameo-like bust.

-Flower and the motto:  Forget Me Not.

-Heart in hand with the motto:  Love Truth.

-Hourglass or tempus fugit (Latin for Time Flees) with the motto:  Time Is Short.

-Masted ship with the motto:  Such Is Life.

-Tobacco tamper.

So, keep a weather eye on Metal Corset II for its debut.

VICTORIAN FAITH HOPE AND CHARITY WAX SEAL STAMP

Newly listed to Metal Corset II is this Victorian Faith, Hope and Charity bronze/brass wax seal stamp.

It depicts a cross with a leaning anchor and a flaming heart.

Also, the initials SBM.

The symbolism for Faith is represented by the cross.  The symbol for Hope is represented by the anchor.  And lastly, the symbol for Charity is the flaming heart.

The origin of Faith, Hope and Charity comes from, 1 Corinthians 13.  "And now these three remain:  faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love."  (Thank you Artofmourning.com for symbolism)

1 Corinthians 13

from 1 Corinthians 13

Check it out!

The Maiden's Last Dance-Carnet De Bal Assemblage Necklace

Here's a beautiful assemblage necklace featuring an Art Nouveau Carnet De Bal. A carnet de bal is French for book of dance.  It depicts a bouquet of chrysanthemums. This carnet de bal still retains its original telescopic pencil.

I took a length of heavy textured antique silver tone chain and combined it with sterling silver wire wrapped rock crystal and antique wood rosary beads. To close the piece, I've added an Art Deco rhinestone pot metal brooch and Victorian gutta percha t-bar.  Check it out!

Sterling Silver Wax Seal Assemblage Chandelier Earrings

I've taken two of my sterling silver wax seal charms and created this pair of assemblage chandelier earrings. Each sterling silver charm is hand impressed using a Victorian wax seal fob intaglio.

One charm depicts a dagger piercing a heart with the French motto, "Dis Moi Oui," translated to, "I Say Yes," the other a hand reaching out from a heart towards another heart with the motto, "The Hand That Can Feel For Another."

Pot metal paste rhinestone connectors and dangles from an antique Art Deco necklace and fresh water pearls are wire wrapped together with sterling silver wire. Two pewter flaming sacred heart charms have also been added to make this stunning pair of assemblage earrings. All suspended delicately from hand forged sterling silver French earring wires.

I had a lot of fun creating these earrings and you can find them newly listed to Metal Corset.  Thanks for stopping by!