While at the Tucson gem shows earlier this year I found a booth selling some very unique vintage components. They were heavy gauge and not your typical overstocks from now defunct jewelry manufacturers. From their weight, these pieces seemed almost industrial. The whimsical patterns on some of them had me questioning what kind of industry might use such things.
Once I decided to not care what their original purpose in life was, I scooped up a small batch of them to use in some simple earring designs.
I bought a whole series of these domed steel charms. The patterns vary, but are floral, overall. They must have been stamped from a large sheet of a continuous pattern. They're really pretty cute.
How about these? They're like a cross between a peace sign and Pi. I heart them.
This next pair is different -- they're copper and are embossed with a stylized scallop pattern. The natural patina adds another level of interest.
And now for my favorites. These copper charms are heavily patinated and are dramatically long. I spent quite a bit of time deciding what to do with them. As with the other charms, I finally decided that simple was best.
If you have any idea what these may have been used for in their former lives, please let me know! In the meantime, I love them as jewelry components.
Click on the photos to go directly to the listings in my etsy shop!
Once I decided to not care what their original purpose in life was, I scooped up a small batch of them to use in some simple earring designs.
I bought a whole series of these domed steel charms. The patterns vary, but are floral, overall. They must have been stamped from a large sheet of a continuous pattern. They're really pretty cute.
How about these? They're like a cross between a peace sign and Pi. I heart them.
This next pair is different -- they're copper and are embossed with a stylized scallop pattern. The natural patina adds another level of interest.
And now for my favorites. These copper charms are heavily patinated and are dramatically long. I spent quite a bit of time deciding what to do with them. As with the other charms, I finally decided that simple was best.
If you have any idea what these may have been used for in their former lives, please let me know! In the meantime, I love them as jewelry components.
Click on the photos to go directly to the listings in my etsy shop!
3 comments:
Wow, you hit a jackpot on a few of those copper pieces. I would say that the scalloped ones especially were a base for enamel. I have some vintage pieces that have that sort of very finely textured base.
See you in a few weeks!
P.S. Those long copper ones are begging for some numinosity headpin dangles I'm sure!
Now I saw peacock feathers in that third pair. Very pretty!
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