Charmed Bracelets

Garnets and Queen Victoria Love Token: SOLD

Garnets were very popular in the Victorian era, so they seemed appropriate for this one-of-a-kind bracelet, which features a "love token" made from a Victorian silver coin.

Love tokens were a popular gift in Victorian and Edwardian times (mid-1800s through early 1900s). Some were handmade by the giver, others were engraved by jewelers. 

Typically, the original design was filed away and a name or initials and date were engraved on the coin. Women wore them as charms and men wore them as a fob on their watch chains.

This one is a 3-pence coin with Queen Victoria on the face, and the name "Art" and the date 1895 on the reverse. The bracelet has five strands of garnets in various shapes and sizes and closes with a sterling silver toggle clasp. 

Price: $125.

The price includes taxes, postage, and insurance to U.S. destinations. 

THIS BRACELET IS SOLD. If you'd like me to make you something similar, please e-mail me: jeanne.sather@gmail.com

Length: 8 inches, which fits a largish wrist of about 7 inches. 

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Quartz Hoop Earrings--Just One Pair Left

These earrings have been popular, and my bead store is sold out of the beads, which are rounded squares of quartz crystal. 

I have only one pair left, and when they are gone, they're gone!

I found these sparkly quartz beads at my favorite bead store, and I knew immediately that I wanted them for a pair of earrings. 

The quartz beads are square with rounded corners, and the shape bounces the light around nicely. I hung the beads from sterling silver hoops that are slightly larger than one inch in size. 

A classic pair of earrings!

Price: $25. 

The price includes taxes, postage, and insurance to U.S. destinations. 

 

Questions? E-mail me: jeanne.sather@gmail.com

See more earrings: Earrings 

Photo: Monica Strasen.

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Jade Hoop Earrings

These earrings are a simple pairing of deep green jade and sterling silver. They may well become your favorite "go with everything" earrings--at least, I hope they will. 

The sterling silver hoops are one inch across, a size that suits most women. The wire and seed beads are also sterling silver, and the jade is British Columbia jade. 

Price: $25.

The price includes taxes, postage, and insurance to U.S. destinations. 

See also: 

Jade

Earrings

Photo: Monica Strasen.

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Butterscotch Bakelite Earrings

I made these earrings to go with the bakelite bracelet in fall colors, but you can, of course, wear them all on their own. 

The butterscotch bakelite balls were probably made to be used as buttons. I bought a dozen or so of them from a dealer on the Web, and I used one at the end of this bracelet: 

Bakelite Bracelet in Fall Colors  

The sterling silver hoops are one inch across, a size that suits most women. The wire and seed beads are also sterling silver. 

Price: $25

The price includes taxes, postage, and insurance to U.S. destinations. 

See more earrings: Earrings

Photo: Monica Strasen.

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Bakelite Bracelet in Fall Colors

I've fallen in love with bakelite--a very special plastic that was invented early in the 1900s and widely used during the Art Deco period for jewelry, buttons, and household items. 

I have a whole armful of bakelite bangle bracelets that I bought myself for a birthday gift several years ago, and now I've started searching for very special bakelite buttons to use in my jewelry. Antique stores and flea markets are a good source of vintage buttons, as of course is the Web. 

Bakelite buttons are often quite elaborate. Some are hand-carved, like the six-sided button at the center of this bracelet. Some are made from two or more colors of bakelite, like the small button to the right of the center button in the photos. 

The buttons on this one-of-a-kind bracelet are butterscotch and green; some of the "charms" are made by stacking two buttons together to make them more dramatic. 

The chain is sterling silver, as are the toggle clasp, wire, and seed beads. The bracelet is adjustable to fit wrists from about 6 inches to 7 1/2 inches. 

Price: $130. 

The price includes taxes, postage, and insurance to U.S. destinations. 

Questions? E-mail me: jeanne.sather@gmail.com

I made a pair of earrings to match this bracelet: Butterscotch Bakelite Earrings

See also: Happy Bakelite Bracelet

Photos: Monica Strasen. 

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Happy Bakelite Bracelet

I love bakelite, and for the past few weeks I've been searching for bakelite buttons to make bracelets. 

Bakelite is a vintage plastic invented in the early 1900s and widely used in the 1930s and 1940s for jewelry and buttons.

Bakelite buttons are often quite elaborate. Some are hand-carved. Some are made from two or more colors of bakelite, like the ones in this bracelet. 

These buttons are a combination of black and butterscotch bakelite, and are about one inch in diameter. They are in "never-used" condition. 

I echoed the design of the buttons with the square black onyx beads. The chain is sterling silver, and the bracelet closes with a toggle clasp. It adjusts to fit most wrists. 

I have one more of these great buttons that I used to make a necklace. (You can see it here: Happy Bakelite Necklace) 

Price $140.

The price includes taxes, postage, and insurance to U.S. destinations. 

See more: Bakelite

Photo: Monica Strasen. 

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Six Strands of Jade and Agate, and a Bear

This bear charm was also part of the group of charms I bought from a Canadian dealer. It came from a pair of charm bracelets owned by a well-traveled, wealthy Canadian woman. 

The bear is a "Berlin bear," and dates to the 1950s. 

The bracelet has six strands of jade and agate beads in a rich mix of colors and sizes. 

This bracelet is not for sale. it was a special order for a friend of mine, but I can make you a similar bracelet. 

All of the charms in this group would look well with this mix of jade and agate beads, in particular the little duck, either of the hearts, or the jade ball. See: What's New on Charmed Bracelets?

Photo: Monica Strasen. 

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Vintage Pagoda Charm and Jade

This one-of-a-kind bracelet has a very special vintage charm: A sterling silver pagoda that opens to a gold Buddha. 

The charm was one of a group I bought recently from a dealer in Canada. I researched the charm and found that it was made in England in the 1960s, when "mechanical" charms like this were very popular. 

To see another photo of this and other mechanical charms, both open and shut: Mechanical Charms

Jade seems the perfect pairing for this Asian-style charm (pagodas like this are found in both Japan and China), and I made a double-strand bracelet with sterling silver wire, jump rings, and jade beads in three sizes and shapes. 

The bracelet closes with a handmade hook, and has an extender chain to adjust the bracelet for a perfect fit. 

This bracelet is sold, but I have other mechanical charms and more jade beads. If you'd like me to make you something similar, shoot me an e-mail: jeanne.sather@gmail.com

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Animal Talk Rescue Auction: My Auction Item: SOLD

I made this bracelet to donate to the Animal Talk Auction, which is tomorrow night. 

Animal Talk rescues feral and abandoned cats and kittens, treats any medical conditions they may have, spays and neuters them, and finds them new homes. 

The one-of-a-kind bracelet has a unique vintage charm--it's a @1960s "mechanical" charm of a cat climbing up on a garbage can. When you open the can, a fish skeleton pops out! Perfect for a "feral cat charm bracelet."

The charm came from England. 

The bracelet is three strands of sterling silver and black onyx beads in various shapes and sizes. It closes with a handmade clasp, and adjusts to fit most wrists. 

Value: $150. 

Come to the auction to bid on this bracelet. 

Place: Sundown Saloon

820 NW 85th, Seattle

Date:  September 12, Saturday

Time: 6 to 10 p.m.

Tickets: $25

Call Animal Talk Rescue at 206-526-1558 for more information. 

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Simple Button Necklace

I love working with buttons, and this necklace is the result of an afternoon spent playing with my button box!

The mother-of-pearl buttons are spaced with sections of sterling silver chain, and tiny champagne-colored crystals add a bit of sparkle. 

A heart-shaped button and a larger champagne crystal weight the extender chain at the back of the neck, so you look as pretty going as coming. 

The necklace closes with a handmade sterling silver hook. Length: 16 inches plus a 3-inch extender chain.

Price: $70

The price includes taxes, postage, and insurance to U.S. destinations. 

See also:

The Button Box

Summer Bracelet: White on White 2

Photo: Monica Strasen.

@ Jeanne Sather 2009.