Neat/sparkly things going to auction at Freemans
Freeman’s auction house, at 18th and Chestnut, is doing a couple of auctions next week that are full of neat stuff: A biannual jewelry/clothes/bags one, and the auction of Lehmann Brothers’ sizable art collection. There’s several things in both that I think are pretty awesome, starting with the above woodcut titled “Stock Market” (sad trombone) which I’d want mostly for the wah-waaaaah factor but at least partially because it is very neat up close. More art and sparkly things after the jump…
∃ x: x <3
For all those who use the “less than three” heart far too often (as I do), be happy: there exists a little <3 necklace made just for people like us. It’s made by etsy seller bekathwia from Brooklyn, and it is unfortunately $150. Ah, well.
Apologies to all mathy sorts reading if I got the title of this post wrong; it’s been a long-ass time since discrete.
Armour rings at Topstitch
Goddamn, I love these Vivienne Westwood rings they’ve got over at Topstitch. I never wear jewelry on my hands and arms, because it always starts bugging me and I unconsciously take it off and forget where I left it and there’s another ring gone forever, but the obvious medieval vibe of knight’s armor plus the Catholic imagery of the orb logo makes me wonder if maybe I wouldn’t lose this one… besides, it’s so big it’d be harder to lose. And it’d at least feel like I could lay a holy war down on someone’s ass when walking alone at night.
Topstitch, 54 N 3rd St.
Inside out
Fairly awesome necklace of the day, if you’re wanting to follow the tradition of Madonna and Lady Gaga by putting the inside on the outside, but not particularly psyched to run around in your underwear: This dangly vertebrae whatnot, designed by Molly Epstein of Tyler.
thanks Alli!
Memorial Ring
A few weeks ago, while having our usual weekly coffee and chat at Gleaners, I noticed that my best friend had on a new necklace. At first sight, my reaction was “totally badass” but before I opened my mouth I realized that the charm in question was more than what a stranger may understand. Hanging around her neck was the shell of a bullet, a bullet that was shot this autumn during the 21 gun salute at her grandfather’s funeral.
Normally, I try to keep it light around here but when I stumbled upon this sterling silver Fallen Heroes Memorial ring, by Dover, PA artist Michelle Verbeeck, it was a sobering reminder that sometimes the beautiful, interesting or wildly unique things we see people wearing aren’t just the viral trend of another successful photo spread in Vanity Fair. Sometimes, there’s more behind the brass bobbles and rumpled suit jackets. Sometimes the clothes and accessories tell a story much deeper than that of a clothing designer’s artistic inspiration and around here, we’re thankful for that.
Verbeeck is donating 20% of the sales from the Fallen Heroes Memorial Ring to the American Widow Project.
Jewelry Designer Chrissy Cook
Continuing with the jewelry theme we’d like to extend a hearty handshake and congrats to Reading, Pa jewelry designer Chrissy Cook for her 2010 Niche Award nomination. She has been nominated in the professional category of fashion jewelry for her Three Dome Ring (pictured above). And in case you aren’t familiar with the the Niche Awards, the awards’ site explains:
The NICHE Awards program began in 1990 to celebrate excellence and innovation in American and Canadian fine craft. Artists are recognized in professional and student divisions.
The professional division of the 2010 NICHE Awards was judged by a distinguished panel: gallery owners Bruni Obriecht, Kelly Richard, Diane and Madis Sulg and Susie Wilber; arts advocates Clemmer and David Montague and Emma Quin, who was aided by associates Mark Lewis and Sara Washbush; and tradeshow representative Rebecca Mercado.
The winners of the 2010 Niche Awards will be announced Feb. 12, 2010.
Cook has some rather innovative ring designs that make better use of the space between your fingers than the space on top of your fingers. I like to think of the ring below as the brass knuckles of the fashion world. Can you imagine the shiner one of these would leave?
The bracelet below consists of garnets, citrine and smokey quartz set in a railroad-track-esque chain of sterling silver rectangles. It kind of looks like it would be at home in a Piet Mondrian painting or in a piece of Frank Lloyd Wright stained glass.
And looking like it would be equally comfortable in the world of abstract art is this Curve Oval Pendant necklace and Curve Oval Onyx ring. All of Cook’s jewelry is available for purchase on her web site.
Freeman’s fine jewelry auction
Freeman’s (at 18th and Chestnut) is having its biannual fine jewelry and watches auction today at noon, and I seriously love just scrolling through the pictures of all the insane vintage jewelry they gather up. There are of course a whole lot of things covered in diamonds up for auction that you can check out at the Freeman’s website, but I’ve always liked colors. And animals. And complicated watches. And there are a lot for me to stare at.
The above:
Lot 7
18 karat yellow gold and enamel panther cufflinks
Displaying petite round cut emerald eyes.
Estimate $600-800
Lot 109
Lady’s blue guilloche pendant watch, Bucherer
Petite circular blue guilloche enamel and vermeil cased pocket watch face with Arabic numeral and dash dial. Accompanied by original matching blue enamel necklace chain.
Estimate $300-500
Lot 60
Gentleman’s 18 karat yellow gold jump hour retrograde wristwatch, Gerald Genta
retro line
Yellow gold cased mother-of-pearl etched face displaying hours at 12 o’clock, two sectors for retrograde minutes and date, circular water-resistant-type case with coin-edged band, case, dial signed, with 18 karat yellow gold Gerald Genta buckle.
Estimate $5,500-7,500
Lot 120
18 karat yellow gold diamond and enamel fox bangle bracelet
in the manner of david webb
Blue enamel over ‘fur’, flexible fox bracelet is accented by ruby eyes and diamond muzzle.
Estimate $3,500-5,500
Lot 48
14 karat yellow gold and alexandrite dinner ring
1960s
Unusual prong in box set circular cut natural alexandrite, framed by four oval cut alexandrites. Total carat weight approximately 9 carats.
Estimate $20,000-30,000
Lot 158
Lady’s hot pink alligator clutch, Lana Marx
Modified cartouche form, with gold tone teardrop accent on flap, gold tone detachable chain shoulder strap, original dust bag.
Estimate $200-500
Lot 14
14 karat yellow gold reverse painted ring
Basket weave setting with center painting of English springer spaniel.
Estimate $300-500
Tis the Season for Cocktail Rings
It’s the holiday season which means parties and when it comes to planning what you are going to wear to the 10 events you are attending between now and January 1st it can feel a bit daunting. One way to simplify is to pull out that “when in doubt” little black dress every lady has (or should have!) in their closet and add a little class and sass by adorning a finger with a cocktail or “statement” ring. Quick, simple and oftentimes a forgotten accessory, the cocktail ring is a classic that should not be overlooked. So here’s a few to whet your holiday party-wear whistle. And they are all under $100!
The Carribbean Blue Opal by KlaatuCollection, based in Philadelphia, is a cluster of Swarovski Crystals and copper. It’s a nice twist on the classic single stone cocktail ring and comes in at $45.
If a statement is what you really want to make, then may I suggest Lucid New York’s Frog Cocktail Ring. It has already been praised by The New York Times for it’s big personality and small price tag and now we’re jumping on board the fan bus too! You can have this amphibian buddy perched on your finger all night long for $40.
This multicolored Robert Dodd ring ($75) is a great option for people who might not be able to wear metal and appreciate vintage finds. It’s made from celluloid and mimics the look of a classic cocktail ring but is more playful and chunky. Alice, over at The Carrot Box, a ring fanatic with a metal allergy, has a great collection of non-metal rings that can dress up any holiday outfit.
Now here’s a ring that appears to be a classic single stone cocktail ring but actually is quite the opposite. The Michael Kors Very Hollywood Solid Perfume Cocktail Ring hides a solid perfume beneath the stone so you can easily refresh throughout the evening. And at $40 you don’t have to let out the secret that it’s a solid perfume from Sephora, but instead can flaunt around that champagne stone and say “it’s by Michael Kors” all night long and not even be lying.
If you prefer the vintage look, Free People has this great round antique-looking ring without the vintage pricetag. I love the way it hangs over the fingers on either side of it the finger it’s actually being worn on. How’s that for bigger is better? Plus, it goes for just $34. Who knew Free People sold items under $100? I sure did not.
This emerald green glass cocktail ring by Phuze Designs ($62) is another great non-traditional option using a non-traditional material and comes in five other colors. Each ring is unique and has a slightly different shape.
Okay, it’s not a cocktail ring and I’m not suggesting you wear it to your company holiday cocktail party at Le Bec Fin, but I thought this Pac Man ring over at the Craftzine blog was pretty smart and hilarious (even if their hand model could use a bar of soap and a nail brush…).
Tiny Cities
When I was little, I always wanted a mood ring. A few years later, after too many Disney movies, I wanted a moon ring. Now, as a shiny-faced young professional, I want a ring with the 3-d details of Paris, France, San Fransisco or from the City of Brotherly Love.
While attempting to figure out who the people of The Posh Review are (and more importantly, who is helping them throw this), I stumbled across this awesome article about Philippe Tournaire’s (warning: entirely in French!) incredible architectural rings.
“Tournaire is brilliant, he has linked his passion for gems, diamonds, and precious metals to his passion for history and the sciences. All of his pieces entail constructive abstraction, symbolic form, and color connections. All rings are handmade in France, where Tournaire’s workshops are situated. The first shop was settled 25 years ago in Montbrison near Lyon. There, Philippe Tournaire combines both antique craftsmanship and the most up-dated techniques…” (The Posh Review)
It would appear that the rings are being marketed toward putting your own home (or “dream home”) on your finger (clearly for people that have the money to own homes that are jewel-worthy), but my fascination really is in the idea of having a small city on my fingertips. Buzz across the internet implies that the inspiration for the rings came from the Merovingian age.. which I believe is a fancy way of saying it was inspired by the middle ages in western Europe. Awesome.
Inside your head
Skulls: usually, they remind me too much of my brief, shameful dalliance with Hot Topic in middle school for me to wear myself. But in honor of Halloween being tomorrow, we’ve rounded up some jewelry and accessories that would not be found on any faux-goth eighth-graders.
And if you’re talking about skulls, you gotta start with the obvious: Ring, Alexander McQueen, $250.
For the menz: Muerte oxfords, Esquivel, $898.80.
Skull rings, Dior.
Diamond earrings, Jude Frances, $4,800.
Scarf, Topshop, £10.00
Skeletal… cuff? Man, we don’t even know, but it’s kind of fantastic, Delfina Delettrez Fendi.
Sugar skull coin purses, mexicansugarskull.com, 12 for $66.
DJ Skullhead ring from Japanese line Hysteric Glamour.
OK, that’s all for today, gotta finish my costume and get the keg! Yay!