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 In 1944, order L-45 was rescinded, and restrictions on gold and platinum were lifted.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.
