Cats in mythology and jewellery

Cats in mythology and jewellery
According to belief, prowling the night with glowing eyes, showing extraordinary physical flexibility and agility, cats accompanied old women who practiced magic as witches. Both witches and cats had the power to control or predict the weather. When a cat washed its face, rain was supposed to follow; if it walked away from the fire, a storm was brewing. Caution and even discomfort was the typical reaction to cats, hence the common Irish greeting, “God bless all here except the cat.”
On the Isle of Man, all cats were believed unlucky, while in Ireland only black ones were to be avoided—unless their blood was needed for healing rituals. In Scotland black cats were believed to be shape-shifting witches, a belief that may explain some common American Halloween decorations. The contemporary fear of black cats, like their association with witches and Halloween, may be Celtic in origin, although some have traced the connection to the Greek goddess of witchcraft, Hecate, who was also associated with cats.
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Boucher vintage brooch. Crystals, enamel. Owl symbolic jewellery

Owl symbolic jewellery

People around the world recognize the majestic power of the night-hunting owl. According to the Celts, the bird symbolized age and its attendant wisdom. Owls have a long history with humans. The relationship is probably not as close as that between humans and diurnal birds of prey. Nevertheless, owls abound in myths, poems, paintings, and folklore.
Perhaps, the owls’ almost human “face” that makes them so popular with many people. Today representations of owls, whether it is a painting, a sculpture, or a piece of jewellery are popular with collectors. However, owls are probably hated and feared in some cultures as much as they are liked and revered in others.
According to Indian law and Greek mythology, owls represent wisdom. In many countries owls symbolise bad luck or death, while others believed them to guard the souls of women or ward off famine or plague.
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Blue Bird Vintage brooch, marked GE WLIND. Bird symbolic jewellery

Bird symbolic jewellery
In most cultures, birds have always played major roles as symbols. A few of these include the sacred ibis of Egypt symbolized the moon god, Thoth, a deity of wisdom, apparently because its curved bill resembled the crescent moon. Cranes were symbolic of Apollo, the Greek god of the sun. The hoopoe plays a major role in the “The Conference of the Birds” in Islamic mysticism. Doves are well recognized as symbols of love and peace, and the Holy Spirit in Jude-Christian cultures is often symbolized as a dove. Birds are found as emblems or escorts of Celtic goddesses, especially the carrion-eaters, such as crows or ravens, that accompanied goddesses of war and death. Birds sometimes represented souls leaving the body, as their connection with warrior goddesses would suggest, but they also were seen as oracular. The designs formed by birds in flight were the basis of a now-lost system of divination.
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Fine hair combs of the first half of the XIX century. Comb and Hair symbolic jewellery

Comb and Hair symbolic jewellery
A symbolic object, comb is associated with the mermaid, who used to sit on a rock combing her lovely hair, the better to lure sailors to their deaths. Invoking the principle of sympathetic magic—like attracting like Scottish girls were warned not to comb their hair in the evening when their brothers were at sea, because it might draw the energy of a dangerous mermaid to their ship. Combing one’s hair on a Wednesday would result in sterility, although the reason for this belief is unclear.
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A part of etiquette – Vintage mourning jewellery

Rare Vintage Mourning jewellery
The tradition of mourning etiquette included mourning dress and jewellery. Originally, it was a privilege of the royal courts of Europe from the Middle Ages. But from the 1840s, family-mourning dress became available in couture salons, or private dressmakers working at every social level.
The vast array of products included widow’s weeds, indoor caps, fans, underwear, gloves and black-edged handkerchiefs. Also, the special jewelry included black jet and “in memoriam” rings, brooches, earrings and lockets. In fact, mourning etiquette contributed to the development of early forms of plastic used in imitation of jet jewelry, and finally, to the development of modern fashion.
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The Living Flower. Salvador Dali surreal jewellery

Salvador Dali surreal jewellery

– What do you want my heart? What do you wish, my heart?
– The beating heart of the ruby!
Dialog of El Salvador and Gala

Masterpieces – like children. For their birthday are responsible two. She was the muse, and he – the performer. He offered a brilliant implementation of each of her insane desires. She wanted to shine and luxury – he came up with jewelry. Jewellery Collection of Foundation “Gala – Salvador Dali” – a luxurious heritage of the genius.
The history of the Dali jewelry began in 1941. Dali drew sketches on paper, carefully working through all the details of the forms to the material and color. Then, he personally selected the materials and stones, and watched how a goldsmith Carlos Alemany embodies his idea of ​​gold.
Noteworthy, American millionaire Cummins Catherwood purchased the first 22 items. In 1958 the owner of the collection became The Owen Cheatham Foundation, which bought all subsequent jewelry creations of Dali.
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Designed by Jeanne Toussaint for Cartier brooch. 1940. Flamingo inspired jewellery

Flamingo inspired jewellery
Designed for Cartier brooch was acquired by the Duke of Windsor just before the German occupation. The generous plot size of the brooch makes it exceptional for this period. After the sale of the Duchess of Windsor jewelry at Sotheby’s auction in 1987, on the market appeared many copies of this brooch made of precious stones and crystals.
Flamingo – a symbol of the fulfillment of your desires. Called a fire bird, some species of flamingos have bright plumage resembling flames. Meanwhile, some birds have gentle pink color of feathers and are called the bird of dawn. Pink color of Flamingo for most people represents a symbol of beauty and elegance.
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