Victoria Flemming is known for creating modernist style ceramic cufflinks produced during the 1950’s and 1960′s. Tourists in New Orleans could purchase jewelry directly from her or buy a set of links at The Custom Shirt Shop in Manhattan. The designs were sometimes whimsical, and sometimes abstract. However, before she was a jewelry designer she painted china.

The Fulper Pottery factory employed Victoria Flemming as a decorator in the 1940’s, but she disliked her job. The low wages and the grimy factory offended her. Seeking something better she moved across the river to NYC and found work as a china painter in a number of small factories.

Although her work from this period is rarely seen here are photos of two hand painted china plates signed V Flemming. One has a beautiful lily and the other features heart shaped leaves. The backs of the plates are plain with no indication of a maker. So they were most likely the output of a small workshop. At Affordable Vintage Jewelry we always have the unusual and strive to showcase items that will start a conversation. You might even find a pair of Victoria Flemming cufflinks!

Bell Trading Post Ring C1950

The old Bell Trading Post, was an off-shoot of the Fred Harvey “Tourist Era” of jewelry that began around 1900. The company was located in Albuquerque, NM and was founded by Jack Michelson in 1935. They sold “Indian Jewelry” to tourist locations throughout the western U.S. The business was named “Bell” because Jack’s wife Mildred maiden name was Bell. Later, gift ware & moccasin divisions were added to the existing Bell Jewelry division. In 1972, their name was changed to Sunbell Corp.

The items manufactured by Bell Trading Post can be categorized as Indian souvenir jewelry. Unlike items produced and designed by Native Americans, souvenir jewelry has a machined-made uniformity, and relative delicate proportions. The pieces were smaller and lighter, as size was dictated by an inexpensive price. Genuine turquoise was often imitated but seldom used, and some pieces were made of sterling and others base metal. Finally, the designs were usually stamped, with motifs easily recognized by the tourist: thunderbirds, rain clouds, and bows and arrows.

Collecting Indian souvenir jewelry has recently come into it’s own. This type of jewelry brings back fond memories of summer vacations and the flashy items we always tried to get our parents to buy. At affordablevintagejewelry.com we almost always have several pieces in stock.

1930's Marcasite Ring - Made in Germany

Marcasite jewelry was first made during the late Victorian period. The cut stones are made from iron pyrite, or fools gold, and they have a gray and gold color. In the 1920’s marcasite jewlery was designed to imitate the look of pave diamonds and white gold that was so popular in this era. Like diamonds marcasites sparkle and flash in the light, and sterling silver substituted for white gold or platinum.

Vintage marcasite jewelry produced from the 1920’s to 1960 is very different from the jewelry produced today. In the early and middle part of this century the American jewelry industry had a large pool of highly trained labor. Stone setters, who apprenticed in Europe, worked in the factories of costume jewelry makers in Rhode Island and New Jersey setting rhinestones, glass, and marcasite in the same way as they would diamonds or other precious stones. They created jewelry with prong or “bead” set stones secured in place by small pieces of metal.

In bead setting, a seat or hole for the stone is cut into the metal. Then a tool called a graver is used to push the metal that is around the seat towards the stone. The process is repeated until there is enough metal over the “corners” of the stone to hold it securely. Then a beading tool is pressed onto the metal on the stone. The beading tool shapes the metal into an attractive looking “bead”. This is where the term “bead set” originates. Marcasites in jewelry made before 1960 are set in using this method.

Today marcasites are set using glue or epoxy. This method requires no skilled labor and is cheaper to produce. However, over time marcasite stones set in this manner will loosen and be lost. Solvents such as nail polish remover, ammonia, and even moisture effect the glue used. The quality and durability is simply not the same. So if you love this type of jewelry and you should seek out the older pieces.

Please go to affordablevintagejewelry.com if you are interested in purchasing the vintage marcasite jewelry pictured in this post or other quality vintage jewelery.

Bauring Mistletoe Brooch C1940

Sooner or later the sold items in my store will have to be deleted. If an item is fairly commonplace hitting the delete button is easy, but when an item is more rare or unique it seems a shame. So for this blog entry I wanted preserve the image and information concerning this wonderful sterling brooch by the Bauring company.

This finely crafted mistletoe pin signed BaurING Sterl. Bauring was an American jewelry company specializing in high end platinum and sterling jewelry. Their time in business was shortlived, roughly 1930 to the end of the 1940′s. Jewelry by this company does not come up often, and it should be sought after for its excellent quality and workmanship. If you go to affordablevintagejewelry.com you can see jewelry of similar quality and worth.