Jewelry and Rockhound Potpourri

What You See Is What You Get

Quotes Of The Day
Wedgwood Jewelry
Holiday Sale At Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry
Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry
Bargain Silver Jewelry
Forums and Marketing Resources Websites
Turquoise Necklaces
Gloriously Gold Filled
Penny's Potpurri Blog
Vintage Turquoise Jewelry History
Our Favorite Blogs
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Quotes Of The Day

From The Founding Fathers

"As a man is said to have a right to his property, he may be equally said to have a property in his rights. Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possessions." --James Madison, National Gazette Essay, March 27, 1792
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"If, from the more wretched parts of the old world, we look at those which are in an advanced stage of improvement, we still find the greedy hand of government thrusting itself into every corner and crevice of industry, and grasping the spoil of the multitude. Invention is continually exercised, to furnish new pretenses for revenues and taxation. It watches prosperity as its prey and permits none to escape without tribute." --Thomas Paine, Rights of Man, 1791
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"In planning, forming, and arranging laws, deliberation is always becoming, and always useful." --James Wilson, Lectures on Law, 1791
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"There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily." --George Washington
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Penny and Doug
cupenny@tds.net
Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry

Wedgwood Jewelry

From: quinntessentialkate

Wedgwood Jewelry has long been considered the epitome of refined jewelry. It lends dignity and a level of sophistication to the appearance of the man or woman who wears it.

Wedgwood Jewelry used to be very hard to find. Before the advent of eBay, collectors went to estate auctions, antique shops, bazaars, flea markets and jewelry stores to find them. Collectors had to "settle" for only those pieces they could find readily, and pay the price asked for them. Not any more. Thanks to eBay, collectors can now choose from many more Wedgwood items, at a variety of prices, and increase their collections.

What does this mean to you --- a person who has a piece of Wedgwood Jewelry to sell? Well, collectors collect certain things. They are quite often looking for one special piece to round out their collection. And you may have it!

What Are Some Things Collectors/Buyers May Be Looking For?

Colors: In addition to the famous "Wedgwood Blue" which is sort of a cornflower blue, Wedgwoods come in lilac, pink, green, teal, yellow (maise), terracotta, black, greyish, and a darker blue. There are also tri-colored pieces. A collector might be looking for a single piece in any of these colors.

Design: There are many different collections of Wedgwood each featuring its own distinctive design. For instance, the scenes from mythology such as the Diana and the Stag, Hebe and the Eagle, the sacrifices to Diana, and the various Muses are popular to collect. Someone might want ONE of each of these images and there are many of them. Many people collect the Cherubs or Putti in their various escapades. Some people collect only Venus and Cupid. Other people prefer the Dancing Hours. Some collect the profiles of famous people, like Charles and Diana. While many people like the newer collections of hearts, stars, daisies, etc. And the images from the King Tut exhibit are always extremely popular. So, the design itself is very important.

Type of Jewelry: Men may like ships, horses, signs of the Zodiac, or Roman figures in their cufflinks or tie tacks. Women may be looking for a particular design on a pair of earrings to match a brooch, bracelet or pendant.

Setting: Wedgwoods can be purchased by themselves as just plaques or they can be already mounted in a setting. The most popular settings include pure gold and silver or vermeil, but they may also be set in pewter or other metals. There should be some indication on the piece as to what type of setting it is. Does it have the lion passant? Or 14kt GF or is it 10kt G? What are those other symbols? Does it say JW? You will want to look at the symbols to find out what the setting is then describe them to the best of your ability in your listing or try to show them in the photos.

Is It Genuine: Each piece of Wedgwood jewelry should be marked Wedgwood or Wedgwood Made in England across the back. There may be other numbers and letters there as well that indicate the age of the piece. If you have a cameo that looks like Wedgwood blue but is not marked Wedgwood on the back, ten-to-one it is not a real Wedgwood. Sometimes the back of the stone has been covered up by the setting, but many of the images are common enough that a collector will know if it is real on sight.

Rare: There are some genuinely rare Wedgwoods to be sure. But there are many other lovely pieces that are not very rare at all and need to be sold for a reasonable price. Do your homework. Watch the listings to find out which ones come up all the time and which ones don't. That will give you some indication of the rarity of your particular piece. Pricing it right is another way to help it sell faster.

Condition: Examine your item carefully before describing it. Is it in perfect condition? Is the stone dirty? The setting tarnished? Are there any fine cracks, chips, or lines in the stone itself? Are they on the surface only or do they go straight through the stone? Are any pieces of the design obviously missing, like missing petals from a flower? Mention them in your listing. Don't make the buyer discover them after the transaction is completed.

The old adage says "A picture tells a 1000 words." As you can see, a good picture is imperative when putting your Wedgwood jewelry item up for auction. Your prospective buyer may be looking very closely at that tiny raised design. Be sure to take a good shot to showcase your piece to its best advantage.
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See our Wedgwood Jewelry available at: Pennysantiquesandwedgwoodpantry

For more Wedgwood info, see our Squidoo Lens at: Wedgwood

Penny and Doug
cupenny@tds.net
Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry

Quote of the Day:
"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain."

Holiday Sale At Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry

Shop For Your Christmas and Other Holiday Gifts Here

For all of November and December, every item in our online store will be 10% off! Take advantage of great bargains in antiques, vintage gifts, and collectibles for your holiday shopping.

Pictured here: SPI Strategy Magazine and Game, Unpunched, Issue #91, Winter 1983. The game is RDF, Rapid Deployment Force. See this and other collectible gift items SPI S&T Game & Magazine

New listings at Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry:
1. SPI S&T Game & Magazine
2. Vintage Ceramic Christmas Gift Box
3. Blown Glass Large Vintage Green Snake Vase

Penny and Doug
cupenny@tds.net
Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry

Quote of the Day:
If not for the military, there would be no USA. Support our Troops through AnySoldier.com

Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry

The latest listings from our Pantry

Bargain Silver Jewelry

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

BARGAIN SILVER JEWELRY

Modernist silver jewelry is hot, especially Mexican pieces and American pieces. But prices are getting high, so some collectors are searching for Siam jewelry, the tourist jewelry made in Thailand in the 1960s and later. Pieces are usually silver with black enamel decorations of Siamese gods, boats, and other traditional designs.

Also starting to attract interest is midcentury silver jewelry from Peru. The Peruvian jewelry designs are based on pre-Columbian art.

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See our selection of Silver, Silver Plate, and Silver Jewelry at our CHShops Online Mall Store at Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry

For more info on Jewelry, see our Blog at: Penny's Potpourri

Our Friend's Links:
Petit Crest Villas At Big Canoe
CHShops Online Mall Stores
RAL TimeShare Resorts Rentals & Sales
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The Online WorldMark Owner Community

Forums and Marketing Resources Websites

June 20, 2009

Along with many other online buyers and sellers, here are a few forums and marketing resource websites that we participate in and support. There is a wealth of information at these sites, both for shoppers and shop owners.

Forums:
CHShops Community
The Selling Lounge
Power Sellers Unite

Marketing Resources:
Really Smart Deals
Every Place I Sell

Penny and Doug
cupenny@tds.net
Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry

Our Friend's Links:
CHShops Online Mall Stores
Petit Crest Villas At Big Canoe
TimeShare Rentals & Sales
The Selling Lounge
The Online WorldMark Owner Community

Turquoise Necklaces

Southwestern Jewelry

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Necklaces are one of the oldest forms of jewelry, rivaled in age and popularity only by the bracelet. With the workability and availability of turquoise, it is no surprise it was used frequently for necklace decoration. The turquoise necklace became a fashion success with the different styles and its excellent complexion compatibility. The necklace is one of the most artistically functional articles, complementing the wearer's face, body shape, height, and age. To suit many fashion requirements and tastes, the turquoise necklace has taken on many forms, all of which fit broadly into the pendant, beaded, or the squash blossom categories.

Turquoise Pendant Necklace
Taking advantage of the relative softness of turquoise, ancient peoples easily fashioned it into pendants. The inlaid turquoise pendant necklace style became more common and popular as people became more versed in the metalworking trade. The inlay process allows for greater creative reign with turquoise pendant necklace designs, providing a setting for individual stones and detailed stone mosaics. Whether inlaid or stone, turquoise pendants harmonize with leather cord, leather strips, and chain. The pendant throughout history has been a very popular type of turquoise necklace. As attractive and well-crafted as a pendant necklace may be, its true beauty and character shines while being worn. Those with youthful necklines should wear smaller pendants to subtly show off their smooth skin; while larger pendants should be worn, when desired, as a featured fashion item.

Turquoise Beaded Necklace
The soft nature of turquoise allows it to be cut into many sizes and shapes, from nugget, to chip, to heishi, which opens up myriad and beautiful turquoise necklace designs. Because there are so many turquoise-compatible gemstones, wood, and metal beads, the only limitations are the imagination and skill of the designer. They are available in various lengths and are available in single and multi-strand versions. As fashion trends steer towards chunky turquoise necklaces, large turquoise nugget necklaces are becoming more popular. Though, it is important to remember, the larger the stone, the less real it can look. If the chunky look is not for you, there are more subtle designs; graduated chip, pebble, and heishi offer a more simple and still elegant look.

Turquoise Squash Blossom Necklace
A relative newcomer to the turquoise necklace scene, the squash blossom necklace was popularized in the mid-19th century by Navajo and Zuni silversmiths. Since then it has become synonymous with American Indian art and jewelry. No Indian jewelry collection can be complete without a squash blossom necklace. It features a crescent shaped pendant called a "naja", which is "crescent" in Navajo, and beads resembling a squash or pomegranate blossom. The squash blossom is famous for its bold features - while this may deter some, it should be noted there are many versions of the necklace with more subtle and streamlined features.

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See our selection of Turquoise jewelry at: Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry

Penny and Doug
cupenny@tds.net
Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry

Gloriously Gold Filled

Friday, March 20, 2009

Exerpts from:

Gloriously Gold Filled!
for "Focus on Design" - The Jewelry Ring
by Cheri Van Hoover

Since ancient times, gold has been the metal most prized for jewelry. Soft yet durable, it can be shaped, etched, and rolled out into sheets just microns thick. It can be melted down and reused over and over again. Best of all, it never leaves black or green marks on your skin! Because it has been so highly prized, the price of gold has remained high throughout the millennia.

Pure gold is too soft to withstand regular wear, so early metallurgists learned to add other metals to gold to make it stronger. These metal alloys have included copper, silver, zinc, and nickel. In addition to making the gold stronger, these materials can also be used to change the color of gold. If copper is the controlling alloy, the gold is yellow or red. If the controlling alloy is nickel, the gold is white. An alloy of silver and zinc creates green gold. In addition to adding strength and altering color, these alloys make gold less expensive. Pure gold is called 24 karat. Other karat designations (10, 12, 14, 18) indicate the amount of alloy which has been added to the gold. For example, 14K gold is 14 parts pure gold by weight and 10 parts other metals.

Even in these lesser concentrations, karat gold is expensive. The 1742 discovery that silver could be fused to copper to create what became known as "Sheffield plate" set metalsmiths on a quest to develop a process for doing the same thing with gold. In 1817 an Englishman named John Turner discovered a technique for applying a thin layer of karat gold over base metal. He patented his discovery and entitled it: "Certain improvements in the plating of copper or brass, or a mixture of copper and brass, with pure or standard gold or gold mixed with a greater portion of alloy, and the preparation of the same for rolling into sheets."

During the Victorian era larger pieces of jewelry were frequently made using this "rolled gold" technology, but standards regarding the quality and thickness of this plating did not yet exist. This lack of standards led to considerable variation in durability and appearance. The terminology used to describe this technique also varied. The rolled gold Victorian era brooch shown in Figure 2 is marked "GILT." Rolled gold jewelry became less popular during the Edwardian era as fashions changed and jewelry became smaller and lighter. Delicate filigree became common. This type of jewelry was fairly affordable for the middle class without the use of plating. The economic boom times of the 1920s, combined with the demand for white metals such as platinum and silver, decreased the popularity of rolled gold even further. During the mid to late 1930s, however, a combination of social forces, economic hardship, government regulation, and changing fashions created a huge increase in the production of what had come to be called "gold filled" jewelry.

Price became an important factor for those buying jewelry during the Great Depression. Disposable income largely disappeared, and although women still wanted to adorn themselves they simply couldn't afford the precious metal jewelry that had been popular in the previous decade. Fashions changed, as well. Beginning in the late 1930s, the style we now call Retro or Retro Modern replaced the Art Deco designs of the 1920s and early 1930s. Retro jewelry was big, bold, and consisted mainly of metals. Warm yellow and rose gold colors dominated the Retro styles, largely replacing the white metals of the Art Deco period. The United States Department of Commerce played a role in the new popularity of heavily gold-plated jewelry by issuing Commercial Standard CS 47-34 which created a precise definition for "gold filled," decreeing that the total weight of gold filled jewelry had to be 1/20 or more (5% or greater) 10K or higher karat gold.

Gold filled jewelry is made from karat gold which has been bonded to the surface of a supporting base metal through a process of fusing and rolling. It is always marked with the karat designation and an indication that it meets the legal standard. Look for marks such as 1/20 12K G.F. or 12 Kt. Gold Filled. Rolled gold plate is also made by fusing and rolling gold onto base metal, but the plating is significantly thinner. Rolled gold plate may be marked 12 Kt. R.G.P. or 1/40 12K R.G.P. Another mark you will sometimes encounter is G.E., or gold electroplate. This is the thinnest of all gold plating techniques. The gold or gold alloy is not fused and rolled onto the base metal beneath, but rather plated in solution using an electrical charge to make the bond. By law, gold electroplate must be at least 7/1,000,000-inch thick, but this is extremely thin when compared with gold filled.
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Pictured above: Wedgwood Egyptian Pendant Necklace available at our CHShops online Mall Store at: Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry

Penny and Doug
cupenny@tds.net
Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry

Penny's Potpurri Blog

Much Ado About Everything

Discussions on Antiques and Collectibles, Crafts and Crafting, Wedgwood, Home Decor, Little Girl's Clothing, Vintage Jewelry, Books and Magazines, Pottery and Glass, Silver and Silverplate, SPI Strategy Games and Magazines, Timeshare Rentals and Sales, Amateur Radio, Supporting Our Troops, Rock Hounding, Antique Guns, and much more.

Vintage Turquoise Jewelry History

The Southwestern Indian Story

Saturday, February 21, 2009
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Vintage Turquoise items frequently come up for sale online. Many of the good, old pieces were sold to tourists from the east in the 1920's & 30's. Navajo and other indian jewelry was all part of the Fred Harvey & Santa Fe railroad experience, which we will discuss in later articles.

As a result estate buyers in the east, who may know nothing about turquoise indian jewelry, will list it for sale very cheaply. However, it can be very hard to tell old, crude pieces from new, shoddy work; especially if all you have to go on is a few pictures.

See our vintage turquoise jewelry at our CHShops.com Mall Store at: Penny's Pantry

Pictured above is a vintage Southwest Indian Turquoise Pendant Necklace available at: Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry

Penny and Doug
cupenny@tds.net
www.pennyspantry.net

Jewelry and Rockhound Potpourri

All Sorts Of Jewelry in Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry

Contents at a Glance

Contents at a Glance

What You See Is What You Get

Contents

Quotes Of The Day

From The Founding Fathers

Wedgwood Jewelry

From: quinntessentialkate

Holiday Sale At Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry

Shop For Your Christmas and Other Holiday Gifts Here

Penny's Antiques & Wedgwood Pantry

The latest listings from our Pantry

Bargain Silver Jewelry

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Forums and Marketing Resources Websites

June 20, 2009

Turquoise Necklaces

Southwestern Jewelry

Gloriously Gold Filled

Penny's Potpurri Blog

Much Ado About Everything

Vintage Turquoise Jewelry History

The Southwestern Indian Story

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