Ode to Miriam Haskell

I don't make very many short necklaces because I think they tend to be more formal, but I think this one could be dressed up or down. I used a 14k white gold shell cameo with white beads from an old Miriam Haskell necklace and seed beads that I extracted from a 1940's vintage purse. This necklace sells for $355. Please email me at KellyEFielding@gmail.com to inquire about purchasing any of my work.

I love this necklace because it has so much texture and variation. I took apart two old vintage necklaces for the beaded strands and the rest is actually new chain. I like mixing old materials with new ones because I think it gives my pieces a modern twist.

The history of gold dates back to the Chalcolithic period, 4th millennium BC. Records show its use by ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, Romans, and Mali of Africa. The Aztecs even believed it was a direct product of God. Gold is considered to be the most desirable among all other precious metals, which in turn, resulted in its use as the standard for many currencies; hence, "the gold standard."

In terms of American history, the discovery of gold only dates back to the 19th century. The first records of it in the United States date to 1803, where it was found at Reed Gold Mine, North Carolina. It is often thought to have been discovered in California, but that did not take place until almost 50 years later. When traces of it were eventually found at Sutter's Mill, a massive migration ensued, now known as "Manifest Destiny." Ultimately this migration resulted in the colonization of America's west coast.

"On January 24, 1848, gold was discovered in California. As the eyes of the world turned toward Sutter's Mill, people headed in that direction. They went by wagon, by horse, and by foot, seeking their fortune. This migration led to new towns all across the country. California's population was increased 2,500 percent in one year

As a result of this migration, railroads were expanding. IN 1840, there were 3,000 miles of track; by 1860, the total had grown to 30,000. Railroads were definitely on the move, bringing economic success along with them." (Bell 13).

Gold has long been used to indicate status and wealth. Because it is both malleable and pleasing to the eye, it is generally alloyed with other base metals in jewelry. By altering the fundamental properties of gold, jewelry designers and manufacturers have more control over things like melting point, ductility, and even color.

In this particular necklace I used 18k gold plated chain and sterling silver.

Price: $438. Please contact me at kellyefielding@gmail.com to inquire about purchasing any of my work.

Bell, C. Jeanne, G.G., ed. Answers to Questions About Old Jewelry. 7th edition. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2008.

Silver Chain and Crystal Necklace

This necklace comprises two strands of silver crystals from the 1940s and five strands of vintage silver chain. It is truly a statement piece. I love mixing different materials together because I love the textured effect. In this particular necklace I used five different styles of silver chain to achieve the look I was going for.
Silver has long history, dating back to antiquity. It was used by the ancient Egyptians to make jewelry because they considered it the next best metal to gold. They used the symbols to identify each metal; A perfect circle for gold, and a semi-circle for silver. Historians have also suggested that his symbol might be a direct reference to the shine of the moon.
The ancient Romans also had many uses for silver. They used it to pay debts, create religious relics, and make jewelry. There is evidence that the process to separate silver from lead dates as early as 5000 BCE. It’s malleability and durability made it perfect for creating wearable works of art.
Silver was first mined during the Bronze Age to create jewelry. It was easy to find throughout Europe, but the process of mining it was incredibly dangerous and toxic. Miners commonly died from lead poisoning, so they began using slaves instead. Silver mines close to Athens were found around 500 BCE, and proved profitable enough for Athens to build its first navy.
In the years of WWII, the jewelry industry suffered a significant blow due to restrictions that limited the amount of imported silver in the United States. There were severe shortages, so manufacturers and retailers could not re-stock their silver inventory. The September 5, 1942 Business Week reported:

“Sales are high level, but present bread-and-butter stock can’t be replenished. The most serious shortage is metal. The Supply of silver plate and of inexpensive jewelry made from base metals is now strictly limited to inventories that manufacturers and retailers have on hand. There will be no more when these are exhausted. Sterling silver has been widely used to replace the baser and scarcer metals.”

Other shortages included cultured pearls from Japan and the Dutch East Indies, and high-quality imitation stones. Despite these limitations, costume jewelry producers continued to experience high sales because people could not buy cars and home appliances, so they spent their money on jewelry instead. In 1944, order L-45 was rescinded, and restrictions on gold and platinum were lifted. Jewelers were ecstatic, and the federal excise tax on jewelry was raised from 10 to 20 percent in hope of stimulating jewelry sales.

This necklace sells for $375. Please email me to inquire about purchasing any of my work at KellyEFielding@gmail.com

Reference Sources:

A Source for Silver Jewelry Information. 2010. 9 April, 2010 http://www.silverjewelryinfo.com?SJI_about.html.
Bell, C. Jeanenne G.G. Answers to Questions About Old Jewelry. 7th ed. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2008.

Art Nouveau Enamel Jewelry

This necklace is made from beads that I took from an old Miram Haskell necklace that had fallen apart. I saw it in an antique store and even though it wasn’t in the greatest shape, I saw potential. So, I deconstructed that, and another necklace to create this design. It’s one of my longest pieces, so it can be worn several different ways. It wraps around the neck up to three times, and can also be worn as a bracelet.
The larger white beads are enameled, a popular technique used by Art Nouveau jewelry designers. Enamel is a glass-like mixture of silica, quartz, borax, feldspar, and lead. Metallic oxides are added to produce different colors and the materials are ground into a fine powder that is then applied to the bead.
Enamel jewelry dates as early as 1800 BCE, where it was discovered in Egyptian tombs. It was made popular by the fact that it could produce a variety of effects in jewelry, and it was durable enough for everyday wear. There are several different enameling techniques, but the most popular is known as cloisonné.
“ For cloisonné, a design is drawn on the article and traced with fine gold wire. This wire forms partitions into which the enamel mixture is poured. Since powdered enamel tends to shrink when fired, several firings are sometimes necessary for each color. After all the colors are fired, the enameling is polished-off even with the top of the wire.” (Bell p. 146).
Enamel jewelry is highly collectible, and can be very expensive. The process to create enamel jewelry requires a lot of time and effort. I have a lot of respect for the artists who use enamel because I know how hard it is to do. Enamel jewelry dates as early as 1800 BCE, where it was discovered in Egyptian tombs. It was also found in burial sites in Northern Greece, where it combined precious and semi-precious stones such as emeralds, amethysts, garnets, and pearls.
The modern use of enamel began around 1920, during the Art Nouveau period. Some of the most famous enamel art was designed by the Evans Case Company, and came in the form of compacts, cigarette cases, and lighters. The company later went on to design some of the most collectible Art Nouveau jewelry in the world.

This necklace is sold.

Reference Sources:
Bell, C. Jeanenne G.G. Answers to Questions About Old Jewelry. 7th ed. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2008.

Signed Vintage Jewelry

I love this necklace because it is simple and easy to wear. Like many of my pieces, this one was also inspired by 1920s fashion jewelry. The style is still relevant today and can be worn with just about anything.

When I’m shopping for materials to use in my jewelry, I try to pay attention to signed pieces. The most common form of signing is usually found in engravings on clasps, hooks, and tags. Costume jewelry can be very difficult to identify, so these engravings are important indicators of value.

“If you have two pieces that were obviously made from the same mold, one has a signature on the back but the other does not, it is easy to assume that the signed piece is the most valuable…But it takes a “trained eye” to tell if an ordinary piece by a common company which is signed is more valuable than a striking, well-made piece of unsigned jewelry.” (Bell p. 324).

Most people would be shocked to know how valuable costume jewelry can be. There are so many factors that go into determining the value of old jewelry; so engraved logos are only part of it. Vendome, a superior jewelry manufacturer that started in the 1950s, signs the clasp I used in this necklace. They became very popular during the 1960s, as a subsidiary of Coro. Vendome is known for its high quality craftsmanship and the beautiful designs of its principle designer, Helen Marion. She had rhinestones imported and used only the best faceted crystal beads.

This necklace sells for $185. Please contact me by email to discuss purchasing my work at KellyEFielding@gmail.com

Reference Sources:
Bell, C. Jeanenne G.G. Answers to Questions About Old Jewelry. 7th ed. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2008.

Lucite Tie Necklace

This is my absolute favorite necklace design. It was inspired by a trip to Venice with my family, where I researched ideas for my new collection. It is made out of vintage Lucite, from the 1950s and beads I took from an antique lampshade.
Glassmaking in Venice dates as early as the 8th century. In 1291, the government of Venice banned glass furnaces from the central islands, confining them only to Murano. It is thought to have happened due to fear of the fires glass furnaces might cause. The prevailing theory, however, suggests that isolation would ensure secrecy for master glassblowers, and prevent them from sharing information with foreigners. Artisans were practically forced to stay there so they would not have contact with international competitors.
Venice ultimately came became the leading source for fine glass in Europe, and served as a main source of trade. In 1921 Ciacomo Cappellin and Paolo Venini founded their glassworks company, Vetri Soffiati Muranesi Cappellin, Venini & C. Their focus on modern design techniques took fashion trends into consideration and catapulted the glasswork industry into the 20th century.
As the glass industry of Venice continues to evolve, contemporary firms still rely on traditional skills. This means that glassblowers work as artisans rather than artists, a distinction that defines the history of their work. Today, tourists are given the opportunity to go inside these once forbidden factories to watch live glassblowing demonstrations. I was fortunate to experience this first hand and I could hardly believe my eyes when the artisan turned a large globular form of matter into an intricate horse sculpture.
The success of Murano’s glassblowing industry is largely due to its location. Throughout the Renaissance period, travelers would stop to visit the glass workshops on their way to the Holy Land. Italy is home to some of the most important religious relics in the world, so Murano experienced a lot of traffic during this time.
Reference Sources:
Carl I. Gable. Murano Magic: Complete Guide to Venetian Glass, Its History and Artists . Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 2004
Austin, Jamie Sue. “A History of Murano Glass.” LifeinItaly.com. Murano, 8 April 2010. Magazine on-line. Available from http://www.lifeinitaly.com/murano/murano-history-1.asp. Accessed 8 April 2010.

Collectible Cameos

This multi-strand necklace is made from vintage aurora borealis crystals and seed beads from the 1930s. The hand-carved Western Germany cameo in twisted rope style gold-tone frame includes a rhinestone necklace and dates to the 1960s. It is made out of shell.
Lockets and “frame style pendants were popular in the mid 1960s,” but cameos have been around since the 16th century. In 1805 Napoleon I called for “a Prix de Rome,” to promote the art of stone engraving. Subsequently, Pope Leo XII founded the first school dedicated to the art of cameos.
The early cameos were made from stone. In the 16th century, workmen turned to shell to meet the demand for more cameos at less expensive prices. Cameos were set in rings, brooches, earrings, and bracelets. The men wore them in watch fobs, rings, and pins. Stone cameos were cut from onyx, agate, sardonyx, cornelian, coral, lava and jet.” (Bell 23).
This particular cameo has been mounted as a brooch, with a safety catch. This means that it is no older than the early 1900s because safety catches weren’t invented until the 20th century. Cameos are made by carving out background material to create a relief. Typically the ones made from stone are considered more valuable than ones made from shell. It is, however, the craftsmanship that ultimately determines a cameo’s worth.
The type of metal used is another indicator to how old a cameo is. This cameo is certain to have been made after 1840 because it was the year gold electroplating was patented. “Nine-karat gold was legalized in 1854, and a piece in 9k would have to be made after that date” (Bell p. 25).
Cameos were cherished souvenirs from Italy that people considered works of art. By the mid 1800s Italian cameo artists had expanded their shops to reach England, France, and even the U.S. They were commissioned by important social figures to commemorate status and wealth, as written about in Godey’s Lady’s Magazine.
“Peabody the celebrated Cameo Portrait Cutter, 140 Chestnut Street, is kept busily engaged with the portraits of some of our most eminent citizens.” (Bell p. 24).
Cameos are still widely collected today, and include a variety of motifs. Scenic cameos, such as “Rebecca at the Well,” for example, were popular around 1860 because they were harder to make and more expensive. The general imagery includes a “cottage, a bridge, and a girl.” (Bell p. 25).
I personally love cameos more than any other kind of vintage jewelry because they tell a story. They commemorate real people in history, which I find absolutely fascinating because they are so personalized. In today’s world, where everything is mass- produced or made in China, the demand for handcrafted jewelry has dwindled. So please, support your local jewelry artists!
This necklace has sold.

Works Cited: Bell, C. Jeanenne, G.G. Answers to Questions About Old Jewelry. 7th ed. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2008.

Why Vintage Miss Julie?

Most people have no idea where the name for my jewelry line, Vintage Miss Julie comes from, so I decided to write about it in my blog. It comes from a line in my favorite movie, To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar. After Wesley Snipes (Noxeema Jackson) and Patrick Swayze (Vita Boam) are both crowned “drag queen of the year,” they decide to take John Leguizamo (Chichi Rodriguez) with them to a nearby restaurant to discuss plans for Hollywood. During this scene Patrick Swayze’s character has a cathartic experience when discovering a picture of Julie Newmar on the nearby wall. She quickly snatches it and proclaims, “Look at her, vintage Miss Julie. Try to describe her and not use the word statuesque.”
I love this movie for so many reasons, but this line has always stood out to me because I love Julie Newmar and anything vintage. This movie epitomizes everything I love about fashion. Its overall message is about helping women find their inner beauty and the confidence necessary to have great style.”
I recently deleted my style blog to focus on this one because I think style and jewelry go hand and hand. Jewelry is as much a part of fashion as shoes or handbags, so I thought, why not talk about them all under one roof? I have so many ideas, and important things to discuss in fashion. So, please stay tuned…
whoever you are.

Long Black Necklace

This is one of my favorite necklaces because it is simple and easy to wear. The crystals were taken from an old 1940's necklace that I found in an antique store. I find a lot of three-strand vintage crystal necklaces that feel too formal to wear every day. I like to rework them into one long strand so they're a little more wearable. These are truly some of the most beautiful crystals I have ever seen in my life and when I saw them I knew they had to be mine... well at least for a little while.
Black is actually one of the hardest colors to work with because it can be very harsh, and it can also get lost in an outfit. So many women love to wear black so I wanted to find black beads that felt really special. Trust me, these do. The aurora borealis crystals are like none I've ever seen. Unlike the clear aurora borealis crystals that reflect gentle shades of blues and purples, these reflect vibrant shades of red, green, gold, and purple.
Photographing jewelry is one of the great mysteries of the world because it is next to impossible to do well. Lucky for me, I happen to know one of the best product photographers in the business. Renee Vento photographs all my work and I don’t know what I would do without her. When I started this business I never even considered how difficult it would be to photograph my work. I tried setting up a makeshift lighting system in my apartment, I merchandised it on different fabrics, I even watched this guy on uTube give a product photography demonstration. None of it worked. If you can hire a professional to photograph your work I highly recommend it, because good pictures are everything.
This necklace is my take on a 1920's flapper style necklace, long and flirty. It is my favorite era and I think its style is still relevant. Especially considering the standard body type of models today.

“In the 1920s fashion was defined by new body awareness, which manifested itself not only in ideals of beauty but also went hand in hand with a more permissive society and new types of sports. This was a golden era for extravagance and, above all, for outrageousness. Flowing fabrics enveloped the extremely stylized female figure-the ideal type being boyishly slim with matchstick-short hair. Jerseys and knits, wide-legged pants, fringed dance dresses, long chains or strings of pearls, called sautoirs, and opulent tassels were used to bolster the new lifestyle.”

From the 1920s on fashion has been all about glitz and glamour. You simply cannot have fashion without jewelry.

This necklace sells for $195
Please email me at KellyEFielding@gmail.com to ask about purchasing any of my work.

Works Cited:
Buxbaum, Gerda, comp. Icons of Fashion: The 20th Century. New York: Prestel, 2005.

1920's Style

This necklace is reminiscent of early 1920’s fashion jewelry. It reflects the style of an era whose masses wanted fun, beautiful jewelry that was affordable. Crystals were used rather than diamonds so fashion-conscious woman of the early 20th century could achieve a chic sophisticated look. This period, also known as the Art Deco movement was characterized by longer necklaces made of pearls and crystals.

After 1929, when the Great Depression hit, designers were forced to look for more cost effective ways of producing jewelry. Coco Chanel and Elsa Shiaparelli are among the most famous fashion designers to use non precious stones in their work. They ultimately made less expensive jewelry more desirable to wear.

This necklace is composed of 1950’s clear and silver crystal rondelles, and sterling silver chain. It is one of my absolute favorites and sells for $165

Vintage Miss Carnegie

This necklace has a very unique history because it involves one of the most famous couturiers of the early 20th century– Hattie Carnegie. The black beads you see here came from one of her early 1940’s necklaces. I found the necklace in an antique store and I loved the beads so much I had to have it.

Hattie Carnegie was originally born in Vienna, Austria in 1889. She moved to the United States in 1900 with her family and settled in the heart of New York City. She began as a young hat maker and in 1909, opened her own store called “Carnegie-Ladie’s Hatter” with her best friend Rose Roth. Their business was a huge success due to Carnegie’s fashion forward sense of style despite the fact that she could not sew.

Carnegie’s inspiration came from Parisian designers such as Coco Chanel, and she even adopted some of Chanel’s designs to bring them closer to her American clientele. Before the stock market crashed in 1929, she had become one of the biggest designers in America. After the crash, however, many of her customers were no longer able to afford such expensive pieces, so she began her ready-to-wear line.

In 1918, Carnegie incorporated her business as Hattie Carnegie Inc., and shortly thereafter introduced her jewelry line. She manufactured it to match her dresses and always used expensive materials. It was even worn by Hollywood and New York celebrities of the time. She is known for combining faux pearls, rhinestones, and beads in interesting ways.

This custom necklace includes black Hattie Carnegie beads, faux pearls, antique lampshade beads, and a vintage Marcasite clasp. It sells for $200

Lucky Lucite

This necklace is a combination of vintage Lucite beads, white aurora borealis crystals, and beads taken from an old antique lampshade. My favorite thing about this necklace is that I get to talk about the history of Lucite. The clear ball beads in the necklace are actually a resin, which was created by Dupont in 1937. They became very popular around the 1940’s and 50’s in costume jewelry because Lucite was inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use. It came in almost any color and by 1950, it had al most completely replaced Bakelite, a more expensive form of plastic. It’s biggest claim to fame is perhaps the popular 1950’s Jelly Belly Jewelry line.

Lucite beads are no longer being produced they way they were back in the 50’s, though they are still widely collected and used by modern jewelry designers such as myself. The prices of Lucite do vary a considerable amount because it is becoming harder to find.

This necklace sells for $195

Vintage Mr. Swarovski

1940’s Vintage faux Pearl and Aurora Borealis Necklace with 14k gold Florentine Cameo

Vintage Swarovski crystals date back to 1892, when Daniel Swarovski invented the electric glass-cutting machine. His first factory was built in Wattens, Austria, where the Rhine River served as his source of energy for running the machine. It is thus, this famous river that gave birth to the term “Rhinestone.” By 1913 Swarovski had its own factory and had developed a formula for a flawless crystal.

Throughout the 1920’s the demand for crystals grew worldwide. The biggest designers in fashion, like Coco Chanel used them to design costume jewelry that every woman wanted and desired at the time. Fortunate for the Swarovski company, this trend never really died, and even women today can’t seem to get enough of the Swarovski bling.

The Aurora Borealis trend of 1956 gave rise to an entirely different style of crystal. A metallic coating was applied to the crystals, to create an iridescent effect, which became one of Swarovski’s trademarks. Daniel’s grandson, Manfred Swarovski, later went on to perfect this process alongside Christian Dior.

This necklace is reminiscent of 1920’s style and character. I paired some beautiful Aurora Borealis crystals with some faux pearls from the 1950’s as well for a dramatic “flapper” effect. The cameo is the only part of this necklace that is not vintage but it is 14k white gold and hand carved in Florence. It sells for $275.

Bohemian Glass

The history of bead making in Czechoslovakia is an interesting one. Bohemian craftsmen gave rise to the world’s largest glass industry during the Renaissance period, but it wasn’t until the industrial revolution that new machines could produce vast quantities of identical beads. After centuries of competition with Venice, Czech glass makers went on to master the process of pressed glass.

After WWI the bead industry had nearly collapsed and it wasn’t until after the Great Depression that bead production resumed. Subsequent to the war, Bohemia became part of the new Czechoslovakian state, and in 1945 the entire industry was nationalized under communist rule. In 1958, the communist party had no choice but to look for goods to export in exchange for hard cash, so the Czech Republic once again became the largest exporter of glass beads in the world.

This necklace is a beautiful example of how Czechoslovakian glass came to be part of my vintage Jewelry line. These beads probably arrived in the U.S. during the late 1950's/ early 1960's.

This necklace sells for $250. Please contact me by email to purchase any of my work at KellyEFielding@gmail.com

My Vintage Love

M For the past year everyone I know has been talking about blogs, and the truth is I didn't really understand them until I saw the movie Julie and Julia. Cheezy as it may sound, that movie has opened my eyes up to the world of blogging. I actually had a really hard time getting to this point because I rarely email, or text, and I don't have a Facebook page.

I make vintage jewelry out of vintage jewelry. All of my materials come from antique stores around San Diego and L.A. I love old jewelry because I feel like it has a story to tell when you wear it. Kind of like if you were wearing these earrings, and someone came up to you and said, "I LOVE your cameo earrings!" You would reply, "Thank you, these beads came from an old 1950's bracelet."

I have taken crystals from chandeliers, purses, and even lampshades. So, I decided to post these earrings, along with my first blog- dedicated to the telling of these stories! They are sterling silver with white beads from the 1950's and the shell cameos are set in 14k white gold. They are one of a kind, and sell for $135.