Profile avatar
lilysjewelryhist.bsky.social
Many lost styles, materials and traditions have limited our vision of jewelry. This is my attempt to highlight some of them; please join in. I am a silversmith living in Northern Minnesota.
160 posts 26 followers 15 following
Regular Contributor
Active Commenter
Posts 15 Comments 35

My mother’s engagement ring. She told me 2 things about it: she never liked it and wanted a filigree one, but her mother thought this one was a better value (dysfunctional family, anyone?). Also, they thought it was hot because it was so cheap. 1.1 carat in platinum.

submitted 8 days ago • 1 comment

My own work

submitted 12 days ago • 0 comments

We are old and worn, but were/are loved. From my childhood. We reminisced about the old Woolworth's. The junk jewelry aisle was fascinating! Sometimes I saved my allowance for bijou. No maker's mark, but pin back seems interestingly attached, either with a screw or some complicated soldering.

submitted 105 days ago • 0 comments

The Ponytail Cone! If someone wanted these, I would joyously make them! Other “lost styles” from the book are sterling watchbands with gems, pillboxes (my dad had one as a gift from my AFS sister in Uruguay), hair combs, and hat bands. Please please please bring back the bolo tie, sincerely, Lily.

submitted 117 days ago • 0 comments

“Collar corners” again! I’m again studying Indian Jewelry Making by Oscar Branson, Treasure Chest Pub., 1977. an amazing, indispensable book. He shows detailed, exploded processes to build jewelry. He answers many questions with detailed pictures. And a treasure trove of lost styles. More to come.

submitted 117 days ago • 0 comments

Single Earrings from Charles Loloma, legendary Hopi jeweler who changed jewelry arts & died in 1991. It is unacceptable that he is largely forgotten; please google him and his work. If I created a shortened, feminized version of these earrings, would it be homage or theft? An eternal question!

submitted 119 days ago • 0 comments

Since it's Christmas Eve, let's discuss hoards, a group of jewelry or other valuables, usually buried & named after the discovery site. The Cheapside Hoard, buried around 1700, was maybe a jeweler's inventory. Funky "olde" photo from AATreasures Of Britain, 1976 Collins Pub. More photos in comments.

submitted 130 days ago • 2 comments

I was lucky enough to get this 10k ring for $5! I will honor the man who (obviously) wore it for 30 years, then I will use the metal to make gold leaves for my berry earrings. It will be sturdier than the keum-boo leaf that you see here (tip of leaf starting to peel!).

submitted 140 days ago • 0 comments

I am reading "The Innocence of Objects" by Orhan Pamuk*. It is one of the most amazing books I've ever read. Honestly, I can't describe it. These earrings** were, it seems, given by Kemal's dad to his secret girlfriend. *Nobel Prize in Literature, 2006 **Made in Istanbul, Turkey? I don't know!

submitted 145 days ago • 0 comments

Last night, while watching my daily Dschinghis Khan video (Genghis Khan in English; the band is German), I noticed these silver collar tips. A completely lost style! Still available in country-western shops, but who'll wear them? What do you say, @dieworkwear.bsky.social ?? (Video is "Mexico".)

submitted 151 days ago • 0 comments

"How about eternal rest; now there's a thought!"

submitted 154 days ago • 0 comments

@madamegilflurt.bsky.social

submitted 154 days ago • 0 comments

A note as to where I get my photos: in my 73 years, I have amassed (hoarded?) a satisfying number of jewelry books. Some of these are quite unknown, and as such I rarely copy photos off the internet. Of course, items from my own collection are my own photos.

submitted 156 days ago • 0 comments

Extra posts for the holiday! Tiffany, around 1900. Drawing for a peridot, ruby, diamond and green garnet choker. I LOVE this drawing, probably more than I would love the actual choker. Each motif is beautiful, but together I think they distract. From Tiffany Jewels by John Loring, Abrams, 1999.

submitted 156 days ago • 0 comments

Described in A WORLD OF EARRINGS by Anne van Cutsem (Skira/Rizzoli, 2001) as from Tamil Nadu, India. "Women wear several pair of pandi hoops in the rim of their ears." So meant for the upper ear, not the lobes? I can't verify info & can't find pandi hoops on the internet. Still beautiful.

submitted 156 days ago • 0 comments