Handmade Chainmaille

Description

This bracelet features sterling silver and gold-filled handwoven chainmaille with an antique watch fob charm.

Details and Materials

• Fits wrist sizes 6" - 8" (if your wrist is 6", let me know on the order and I'll remove some links)
• Oxidized sterling silver and gold-filled jump rings
• oxidized sterling silver lobster clasp
• antique gold-filled watch fob

Origin Story

Developed around the 1770's alongside the invention of pocket watches, fobs were worn by both men and women, attached at the waist or to a belt. Their popularity continued throughout the 19th century but gradually became more associated with male attire. Some watch chains held multiple decorative fobs where they dangled similarly to a ladies charm bracelet when draped on a vest.

Description

This statement necklace features a converted brooch, c. 1940, made of brass with amber rhinestones and a stacked floral design. The chain is handmade from 15 mm brass chainmaille rosettes.

Details and Materials

• necklace is 20" long, can be clasped shorter
• focal pendant is 1 1/4" wide, 2 1/2" long
  
• brass chainmaille and lobster clasp

Description

This necklace features links from a silver-toned antique belt, circa late 19th to early 20th century, and handwoven, gold-filled chainmaille. Each of the seven links is in the shape of a butterfly, with faux cut steel gilded accents, and measures 1 1/4" x 1 1/8."

Details and Materials

• 18" long
• each butterfly is 1 1/4" x 1 1/8"
• silver-toned metal
• sterling silver lobster clasp
• gold-filled jump rings

Origin Story

Cut steel jewelry gained popularity in France during the 18th century when King Louis demanded that citizens turn in their diamonds to help fund war efforts. This type of jewelry features tiny faceted and polished steel studs carved to mimic diamonds and individually riveted in place. Similar in appearance to marcasite, cut steels sparkle brilliantly when polished. Pieces can be dated by looking at the size of the cut steels, which were individually hand-riveted, and the number of facets. Older buckles feature smaller studs with as many as 15 facets. Cut steel jewelry fell out of fashion in the early 20th century when production quality declined and other trends emerged.

The cut steels in this piece are "faux," meaning they are stamped rather than riveted. This dates the components in this necklace to between the late 19th to early 20th century.

Description

These earrings feature vintage navette pendant beads, which are green with flecks of gold, c. 1930, on brass chainmaille handwoven into a chandelier design. 

Details and Materials

• 2" long
• variety of colors: green with flecks of gold
• 15 x 7 mm vintage glass navettes
• jeweler's brass jump rings
• gold-filled ear wires

Description

These one-of-a-kind earrings feature handwoven brass chainmaille and an antique hand-faceted green glass button bead, made in Northern Bohemia circa 1910.  

Details and Materials

• 2"” long
• jewelers brass jump rings
  
• faceted glass button
• vintage gold-plated ear wires  

Origin Story

The glass buttons were produced circa 1910 in Northern Bohemia, a region in the north of the Czech Republic that – since the 14^th century – has been renowned for its beautiful jewelry and button manufacture.  I purchased these beautiful buttons from a vendor in Prague.

Description

This bracelet features an antique pierced and gilded brass button with cut steel embellishments [circa 1900] on handwoven brass chainmaille, and an antique gold-filled fob charm.  An antique gold-filled watch fob dangles near the clasp.

Details and Materials

• focal antique button is made of brass with cut steel studs and is 1 1/2" in diameter
• chain is 1/2" wide
• bracelet is 7 1/2" long
• length can be customized to fit your wrist, so please indicate your wrist size when ordering.
• brass jump rings and lobster clasp closure

Origin Story

Cut steel jewelry gained popularity in France during the 18th century when King Louis demanded that citizens turn in their diamonds to help fund war efforts. This type of jewelry features tiny faceted and polished steel studs carved to mimic diamonds and individually riveted in place. Similar in appearance to marcasite, cut steels sparkle brilliantly when polished. Pieces can be dated by looking at the size of the cut steels, which were individually hand-riveted, and the number of facets. Older pieces feature smaller studs with as many as 15 facets. Cut steel jewelry fell out of fashion in the early 20th century when production quality declined and other trends emerged.

Description

This colorful necklace features a circa 1930 "apple juice" bakelite dress clip, converted to a pendant.  Vertical rows of clear and amethyst-colored rhinestones add sparkle, while the handwoven brass chain features vintage (circa 1960), faceted lucite links.  An antique glass button dangles from the clasp.

Details and Materials

• 24" long
• bakelite pendant is 2" long and 1 3/8" wide
• length can be shortened or extended - please indicate desired length when placing your order for this piece
• brass lobster clasp and jump rings
  
• vintage faceted oval lucite links

Origin Story

Bakelite was an early plastic, developed by Leo Baekeland in 1907. It was originally used for industrial purposes due to its ability to withstand heat.  It appeared in costume jewelry beginning in the 1920's and increased in popularity through the 30's and 40's.   Bakelite was often intricately carved and came in a wide range of beautiful colors.  Authentic Bakelite jewelry is highly collectible.

Dress and fur clips debuted in the 1920's, when costume jewelry first gained popularity. It is said Coco Chanel introduced the idea of wearing less expensive costume jewelry as art, instead of wearing fine jewelry as a symbol of status and wealth.  When first introduced, dress clips were worn in pairs, often worn opposite one another on the neckline or straps of a dress.  Popularity waned in the 1950's, when brooches became a more desirable personal ornament.  Today, you'll see vintage clips attached to the dresses, sweaters, handbags and scarves of trend-setting celebrities.

Description

This one-of-a-kind necklace features an antique gold-filled pendant with a a cluster of grapes.   The pendant was originally a locket, circa 1900, that has been soldered closed.  

The chain is a combination of handwoven, gold-filled chainmaille and antique book chain segments.

Details and Materials

• 22" long, can also be worn as short as 16"
• locket is 30 mm in diameter
• with the jump ring, book chain link and pocket watch clip, the pendant drops about 3" from the chain.
• gold-filled lobster clasp and jump rings
• antique locket 
• antique book chain links
• antique watch clip

Origin Story

Book chain necklaces feature links shaped like the bindings of books, and were during the Victorian era. This necklace style re-emerged throughout the 20th century during various Victorian revival periods, particularly during the late 1930's and 40's. 

Description

This necklace features a handwoven oxidized sterling chain with a large, antique cut steel shoe button with blue, purple, gold, bronze and silver-colored studs, circa 1880.

Materials and Details

• necklace made from sterling silver-filled jump rings
• sterling silver lobster clasp with pave diamond ring
• antique cut steel button is 40 mm 
• chainmaille necklace is 20" in length
• chainmaille bail and button drop 3" from the base of the necklace

Origin Story

Cut steel jewelry gained popularity in France during the 18th century when King Louis demanded that citizens turn in their diamonds to help fund war efforts. This type of jewelry features tiny faceted and polished steel studs carved to mimic diamonds and individually riveted in place. Similar in appearance to marcasite, cut steels sparkle brilliantly when polished. Pieces can be dated by looking at the size of the cut steels, which were individually hand-riveted, and the number of facets. Older pieces feature smaller studs with as many as 15 facets. Cut steel jewelry fell out of fashion in the early 20th century when production quality declined and other trends emerged.

Description

These earrings feature sterling silver chainmaille love knots with antique love tokens, dated 1872 and 1875.   The love tokens are engraved on the backs of Liberty seated dimes, which have a 90% silver content.  

Details and Materials

•  2" long
• Sterling silver ear wires
• Sterling silver chainmaille connectors and jump rings
• Antique silver coins

Origin Story

Love tokens are coins that have been filed smooth, usually on one-side, and hand-engraved most commonly with initials or, even-rarer, pictures.  This tradition was said to have originated in Great Britain and started in the United States during the Civil War (1861-1865), when soldiers would engrave coins either to carry as dog tags or to send as gifts to their sweethearts back home.   Liberty seated dimes were the most common choice for these tokens, although other coins were used.  Post-war America saw the rise of sentimental jewelry and engraved love tokens became so popular they were said to have created coin shortages  By the end of the 19th century these charms had gone out of style, largely propelled by the discovery or large silver mines that drove the value of silver down; while this made it more accessible to the masses, it also reduced it's "trendiness" and gold became the preferred jewelry metal.  This, combined with the rising popularity of photography, shifted interest towards gold and gold-filled lockets for the next several decades.