Happy New Year

This necklace is so fun! I was very lucky to find on an antique market in France this gorgeous collectible Lea Stein pink pearlized parrot brooch from the 60's and I had for a very long time a necklace with graduated translucent pink beads from Marvella also vintage 60's. 

Stein, a French trained artist who was born in Paris in 1931, began making her whimsical pieces of jewelry in 1969, when her husband, Fernand Steinberger, came up with a process of laminating layers of rhodoid (cellulose acetate sheets) with interesting textures and colors. The layers were baked overnight with a secret component of his creation and then cut into shapes for various designs of pins, bracelets, earrings and shaped decorative objects.

These vintage pieces of jewelry were made from 1969 until 1981 and are identified by a v-shaped pin-back which is heat mounted to the back of each piece.




Marvella is the trademark initially used by Weinrich Bros. Co. founded about 1911 in Philadelphia. The Post WWII Marvella jewelry consists primarily of simulated pearls, and plain and faceted bead jewelry. In the mid 1950s, the earrings sold for $10.00, single strand necklaces for about $15.00 and multi-strand necklaces for $20 to $30. Marvella also offered simulated pearl jewelry set with quality goldtone findings and settings.
Marvella was purchased by Trifari in 1982. 

Happy Holidays!

 One of my last creations, perfect for dressing up for a Holidays party. Vintage filigree silver and crystal brooch with 3 strands of faceted high quality iolite. You can also wear the necklace without the brooch.

"Holidays in Paris" 4 French Artists at Giorgi Gallery

I'll be one of the participating artists at the exhibition "Holidays in Paris" at Giorgi Gallery , 2911 Claremont Avenue Berkeley, Ca.

       

 “Holidays in Paris”

Four French-American artists will present their most recent work at Giorgi Gallery. The show “Holidays in Paris” will be on display December 8th to 31st. Opening reception is on December 10 from 5 to 9 pm. The gallery visitors will then have the opportunity to meet the artists, enjoy some live music while sipping some wine: A great evening in perspective.

Fabienne Bismuth, Sculpture; Joe Boissy, Paintings; Elisabeth Michel-Meyrueix, Jewelry & Valerie Sobel, Mixed Media & Wearable Art.

French singer, Catherine Vincenti will perform with French opera arias and songs from well-known French singers like Edith Piaf or Yves Montand.

“Holidays in Paris”: a beautiful night, a night of beauty. Come enjoy this special event with us.

French Out of the Box Private Sale Nov. 18 & 19

Fall Show at Provence Stone Oct. 28 & 29

Marcasite & White Opal Necklace

I found this delicate sun-shaped pendant this summer in France, at an antique market in Forcalquier in Provence. It is made of sterling silver and marcasite and has in its center a round white opal.  As soon as I bought it I knew I wanted to use white opal beads with it. And voila!

Photoshoot in Napa

Here are some of the pictures with my jewelry that were taken in Napa at Cuvee Restaurant, the full article was published in Clout & About  by Kaye Cloutman, Lulu Del Rosario and Treena David-Chirico.

Many thanks to the whole fashion team, great pictures by Martin Delfino Photography, beautiful model Yulya Mango, Carmela Solon did an outstanding job with the make-up as well as Libby Gale with the hair styling. The dresses are by designer Gail Ballesteros-Shrive. 

Yulya is wearing a marcasite and mother-of-pearl necklace

(see my previous post) 

and in the last picture with Executive Chef Jordan Mc Kay,  delicate Swarovski crystal and 

sterling silver triangle chain earrings.

Marcasite and Mother-of-Pearl Pendant Necklace

The focal piece of this necklace is a marcasite, mother-of-pearl and sterling silver signed vintage brooch with a double strand of vintage faceted Czech glass beads. Marcasite jewelry is made with pyrite used as a gemstone.

This piece was just chosen for a photoshoot in Napa to compliment a designer's dress.

Vintage Danecraft Brooch & Rock Crystal Necklace

 This vintage Danecraft cast sterling silver brooch is very reminiscent of their style with its beautiful flower design. The very clear and shiny faceted rock crystal makes it stand out in this necklace.


Danecraft, Inc. was founded in 1934 (or 1939) in Providence, Rhode Island by Victor Primavera and James Felch. This company has always been known for high quality silver jewelry, often with designs inspired by Scandinavian makers.

Danecraft sterling was especially popular and aggressively advertised during the 1950s. 

My jewelry featured on Daniela Degrassi Photography Blog

Jewelry Photography :: the versatile talent of local artist Elisabeth Michel-Meyrueix

Filed under: Vendors I love — admin @ 1:05 pm

Although I have known and appreciated the talent of Elisabeth Michel-Meyrueix for a few years I had finally  the pleasure to photograph her unique Jewelry just recently. Elisabeth’s unique jewelry showcases antique or vintage pieces mixed with semi-precious stones and precious metals.  She studied in Paris and started to design jewelry after moving to the United States. Designing jewelry allows her to combine her background of studies in art, history and geology with the creating process. When she travels around the world, she looks for beautiful antique or vintage brooches or pendants that will become the centerpieces of her necklaces. She sometimes keeps some of these incredible finds for years before finding the right stones to compliment them. For her, a necklace is like a painting, colors and texture have to flow and blend together. And like paintings all her necklaces and bracelets are signed with her unique tag. She has been designing jewelry and participating in artists Open Studios and fairs since 2003. You can see Elisabeth wonders for yourself visiting the upcoming Peninsula French Fair.

Our top image is “Etoile Diamant” late 19th/early 20th century 14k gold, pearls and diamond brooch with garnet beads. Below: a “Limones Vert” – antique handpainted Limoges china brooch with green moonstones beads, and “Limoges Blue” antique handpainted Limoges china brooch with blue kyanite beads.

I believe Elisabeth stunning work is also perfect for brides out there that want to wear something unique and sophisticated, like the above  “Papillon Chrysantheme” rare antique Chinese Kingfisher and pearls ornament with freshwater pearls. Isn’t it beautiful!? And below, “Gris Perle” vintage French rhinestone brooch with grey freshwater pearls, and “Peach Triangle” vintage French rhinestone brooch and peach freshwater pearls

This stunning final piece is”Mousse sur la Neige” dragon carved jade pendant, maw sit sit beads and antique Chinese dragon sterling silver beads. Visit Elisabeth’s blog to see more of her work and upcoming events!

Happy Valentine's Day

A Valentine necklace with a vintage rhinestone heart pendant, dark apatite and vermeil, and matching earrings.
The day is named after a Christian martyr Saint Valentine and was established in 496 AD by Pope Gelasius I.
It first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
                                              Happy Valentine Day to every one!

Limoges Porcelain Pendant Necklaces

Limoges Brooch & Lapis

These three necklaces showcase antique Limoges porcelain brooches. The manufacturing of hard-paste porcelain was established in the city of Limoges, in the center of France, in 1771 after the discovery of local supplies of kaolin. Limoges still maintains today the position it reached in the 19th century of premier manufacturing city of porcelain in France.

Limoges brooch & green moonstone

Limoges brooch & blue Kyanite

Early 20th Century Italian Cameo Necklace

The pendant in this necklace is a shell cameo set in gold-plated silver. It is Italian work from the early 20th century. The portrait of a woman is delicately hand-carved in the shell. This particular one was designed to be worn either as a brooch or a pendant. The beads are faceted rondelles of green garnet.

Ancient and Renaissance Cameos were made from semi-precious gemstones, like agate and onyx or glass. Old cameos are carved with the traditional and difficult method directly out of material with layers or banding in different colors.
The earliest known use of shell cameos was in the 15th and 16th centuries, during the Renaissance. In the 18th century, new shells were imported in Europe and sparked a big increase in the production of shell cameos. They were extremely popular after the mid 19th century.
The shell most used since this period is the bullmouth helmet "cypraecassis rufa" which has a white upper shell layer and an orange-brown lower layer.
The world center for shell cameo carving is Torre del Greco in Italy.