amandainvermont
VFG Member
Oh my. A fest of jewelry. What fun. I also hanker after the painted container to the left of the jewelry crate, which also seems to be filled with jewelry.
Clearing our Grandmother's vintage/antique hoard!
- Thread starter PhoenixSisters
- Start date
PhoenixSisters
Registered Guest
It was Amanda! The Carnegie Necklace was in there along with a small selection of this spread. Its a.... Novelty watering can? I think?
Just pulled out a 1965 Grossé which is also exciting. Caught in a particularly annoying snarl of beads so worth the work.
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It looks like barge ware / canal ware - the traditional hand painted folk art of those who live on narrow boats on the canals. It's a true English folk art, I'd love to see more of your can.
And it's a water can, rather than a watering can - eg it's not necessarily for plants, but just for water in general.
ETA - apparently it's a 'buckby can' - originally for drinking water. It may have an artist's name on the bottom.
PhoenixSisters
Registered Guest
Finished going through the box, a mere 11 hrs later! Here are some of my fav finds, not because of value but just things I like and thing are pretty! A few sets of dress pins, some monster antique brooches, much orange glass, some Egyptian revival and pretty enamelled bangles. Also a bonus water can pic for you Ruth. Not sure this would ever have been functional And no signature on the bottom but it is very charming, particularly now it's not full of knotted strings of beads!
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Thanks for the pic. I love these.
This one may not have been used, but these were definitely made to be functional - even painted like this. Often they'd have the name of the boat around the central section.
These days narrowboats have more prosaic water tanks, but back in the horse-drawn days these cans were essential kit.
Nowadays they're probably bought for more decorative reasons. No reason you couldn't use it though, unless yours is a kind of an imitation rather than the genuine article. But it looks right to me.
Here's someone selling them today
https://kayscanalcraftyarts.co.uk/buckby-cans
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PhoenixSisters
Registered Guest
Thanks for the info Ruth, so interesting. Ours has a tin lining but it's a bit flimsy - I'll ask my grandma where she got it if I remember next weekend
PhoenixSisters
Registered Guest
Thanks Karin.
Anyone have any idea what this mark on the back of a brooch might say? Could be 198 but having spent two days stating I still can't work it out. Bonus cute lil ring stand and unknown pretty clip for your trouble
Anyone have any idea what this mark on the back of a brooch might say? Could be 198 but having spent two days stating I still can't work it out. Bonus cute lil ring stand and unknown pretty clip for your trouble
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PhoenixSisters
Registered Guest
I wonder if it's just nonsense to imply value it doesn't doesn't hold tbh, I read it as either 1198 which is equally useless :DThanks Karin.
Anyone have any idea what this mark on the back of a brooch might say? Could be 198 but having spent two days stating I still can't work it out. Bonus cute lil ring stand and unknown pretty clip for your trouble
that ring stand is AMAZING!!!
Laura @Metro Retro Vintage is a jewelry guru....maybe she's familiar with the mark...
PhoenixSisters
Registered Guest
it's SO cute, I found the bottom a while back but only just discovered the ring stand part in the jewellery crate. Its been nice to reunite a few things. I also, after days of ignoring what I thought was a horrid bracelet have just realised this is actually a centipede brooch it has two pins on the backthat ring stand is AMAZING!!!
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Rue_de_la_Paix
VFG Member
All of the jewelry is lovely and some it it downright exciting! I particularly love the Scottish silver brooches with the topaz glass centers, as I collect those. And the Egyptian looking sterling (?) silver bracelet with the blue scarabs is divine.
PhoenixSisters
Registered Guest
Thanks Barbara! I'm trying my best to sort the jewellery out but beyond looking for hallmarks, signatures or things I think are "pretty" it's all a bit of a guess.
Hopefully it's okay for me to say this, if not I'll obviously delete, but if any of you guys have specific collections of things you'd like me to look out for, feel free to drop me a message so I can keep an eye out. Given the volume of stuff we're sorting through, I always worry I'm ignorantly binning/boot fairing stuff I should pay attention to. Given the amount of help you all have given so generously I'd honestly rather arrange a way to donate anything that's not of enormous value but has meaning to your collections than try and sell it given we have no contacts/market/expertise and are just making it up as we go around full time jobs/moving/trying to stop the house from falling in!
Again, apologies if that's not in line with the rules, I'd just like to give something back if I can
vivavintageclothing
VFG Member
I LOVE the centipede brooch--how fun!
amandainvermont
VFG Member
Yes, that centipede brooch is FABULOUS!
Metro Retro Vintage
VFG Member
The only thing that comes to mind at the moment is Sphinx (Sphinx of London), since they often used design/style numbers in back and not all are signed, however, I normally see 4 digits and haven't ever seen it preceded by "no.".
Those combination of stones is also typical of Florenza, but again, I've never known them to number their pieces. These are guesses on my part and I'm sure you'll get more feedback shortly.
You probably know that the round topaz/cairngorm pieces are Scottish or in that style. Your grandmother has amazing taste!
That is so sweet! The VFG has a donate button here.
PhoenixSisters
Registered Guest
That's good to know! I have a few signed Sphinx pieces and it does resemble them materials wise. My latest guess is it says 4198 but I guess it's just a mystery!The only thing that comes to mind at the moment is Sphinx (Sphinx of London), since they often used design/style numbers in back and not all are signed, however, I normally see 4 digits and haven't ever seen it preceded by "no.".
Those combination of stones is also typical of Florenza, but again, I've never known them to number their pieces. These are guesses on my part and I'm sure you'll get more feedback shortly.
You probably know that the round topaz/cairngorm pieces are Scottish or in that style. Your grandmother has amazing taste!
That is so sweet! The VFG has a donate button here.
I think one of the nicest things about this project has been realising that my grandma actually had a good eye and wasn't just an eccentric lady who bought anything as I thought growing up. Though I will say her passion for enormous shell necklaces remains a mystery to me!
Once we sell some things I will definitely make a financial donation, and my inbox is open if you see anything you've been searching for that I can unite you with