Antiquities

Oh, Athena...

not being able to take one's eye off of something antique will normally inspire one's hands to search for the perfect pieces of antiquity to set for the lovely ladies of the interwebs...

BEHOLD!!!

A butterfly wing cabochon necklace: when I tell you this was insanely hard to set you must believe me. There were three layers, unattached, one of them being a butterfly wing from some 60 odd years ago, fragile as a nerve and needing great care in handling.

I held my breath a whole lot, but my oh my was it worth it.

These glass pieces, set in brooches were things you brought back from tropical climes: lots of them hail from Rio, and so I have named her after the place she was likely born.

The color is the richest cobalt blue and the sheen of the wing reminds me greatly of labradorite.

The second is a wonderful medium-sized hand-painted porcelain cabochon, set very simply in sterling.

This piece is likely from before 1900: it is extremely old and has a patina and some light surface wear that indicates it was well-loved while it was being worn.

Here, in the next phase of life I predict more love and more oohs and ahhs from those who behold it:

this little old piece will practically blush in its setting for all the praise!!

In the Metal Shop shortly!