Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Teatime Jewelry Week Day 3 - Vintage Earrings

I have had so much fun finding tea-themed jewelry over the past few years, and the earrings are some of the most interesting designs I've found. I like these "cage" style pearl earrings. (There is a similar style of bracelet out there, because I saw it on eBay once, but some evil, wicked person outbid me for it.)

The vintage earrings I've worn the most are probably these Damascene screwback earrings. While researching these earrings I learned a little about damascening, the art of inlaying one type of metal into another.

The ball-shaped teapot is *everywhere* in tea-themed jewelry land, so I've tried to collect the earrings that are a little different, such as these with rubies and pearls. ("Rubies" and "pearls," I should say!)

Here's the same design, but in a different setting.

These gold teapot earrings intrigued me because they're similar to that classic ball-shaped teapot design, but these are simpler and weigh a TON.

These silver teapot earrings have a pierced design and seem kind of whimsical to me. They're also large -- the teapot charm alone is an inch tall!

These earrings struck me as quite kitschy, and more than a little clunky! I think I paid 99 cents for them.

These gold and pearl teapot earrings are some of my favorites. Love the design of these.

These pearl and silver teapot earrings are signed "Coro" and have sort of a space age feel about them. Perhaps these are what Jane Jetson would have worn for an evening out on the galaxy?

Another set of Coro earrings I purchased was eventually joined by the matching pin.

My set is a bit faded, but I was thrilled to see a similar set listed in this new jewelry guide. It's fun to know my earrings were designed in 1948 by legendary jewelry designer Adolph Katz. (And I paid nowhere near the book price for these - more like $10 total.)

The book, by the way, is a great new resource, the second edition of Julia C. Carroll's "Collecting Costume Jewelry 202," which helps you learn how to date your costume jewelry, and I have much to learn. I also have her books "Collecting Costume Jewelry 101" and "Collecting Costume Jewelry 303," and these too are great resources. Looking at lots of photos of jewelry, I've found, helps me develop a good "eye" for scoping out costume jewelry during my antique store visits -- and hopefully I'm learning what to avoid as well!

13 comments:

  1. Wow! I can hardly wait to visit your blog everyday! Amazing collection of tea-themed earrings! Even though tea weaned in the U.S. for a considerable time, it's obvious women's love for tea-themed jewelry has remained constant and strong. I only own two pair of tea-themed earrings and both are for pierced ears -- clearly not vintage.

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  2. I really like the cage style earrings and the Damascene teapots.
    I love wood marquetry, but have never seen the technique in metal.

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  3. Hi Angela, Missed sooo much in the past few weeks and have enjoyed getting caught up. You have such an interesting and large variety of tea themed jewelry! My goodness! It certainly was fun looking at it all. Thanks for sharing. Can't wait to see what else is in store.

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  4. These are so pretty - I think my favorite pair is the large, taller pot (the one described as 'kitchy' and chunky) really neat! I don't know how you do it, but you never cease to amaze...all I can say is wow! THanks for sharing, Joanie

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  5. Love the earrings. It's interesting that you have so many screw backs. I think that obviously makes them vintage since that style was so popular "way back when".

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  6. Wow! You have a great collection of vintage teapot earrings!

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  7. So many shapes and styles of teapots!

    I just love that you are sharing your tea jewelery box with all of us.

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  8. Yes ! There is an evil Ebay spoiler !
    If you bid on a dead rat someone
    would snatch it from your grasp !
    Better luck next time!

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  9. Love the Coro earrings... Such pretty colors...

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  10. So many interesting and creative styles of earrings! Out of curiosity - do they 'pinch' your ears when you wear them?
    Janet P.

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  11. Janet, the screwback style earrings don't pinch my ears because I adjust them 'til they're just tight enough to hang on ... unlike some clip-style earrings I've got that leave my poor ears begging for mercy! (And I don't wear those often at all!)

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  12. I never knew that earrings could be so cute !

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  13. I never knew that earrings could be so cute !

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