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!