Kaleidoscope effect

Hibiscus flower sterling silver brooch. 1940s. Danecraft vintage costume jewellery

Danecraft vintage costume jewellery
Officially founded in 1934 and located in Providence, Rhode Island, Danecraft company originates from the famous manufacturer of “Primavera” jewelry. A goldsmith from Pescara, Italy, Victor Primavera was a descendant of an old family, who made jewelry for noble families in Italy. By the way, Italian word “Primavera” means “spring”.
Primavera workshops existed until 1910, then Victor Primavera, Sr. emigrated to the United States. He settled in Providence, Rhode Island and continued jewelry business alongside with James Felch. Their company Felch & Co. founded in 1934 ceased to exist in 1945, when Primavera bought out Felch and changed the company’s name to Danecraft.
Meanwhile, James Felch started another jewelry company which worked for a short period, not more than a decade. Noteworthy, the company marked their products “Felch”.
After Victor’s death in 1977, his family continued the business. So, Victor II headed the board of directors, the youngest Victor Primavera became chief executive officer and his daughter Gale – vice-president.
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The treasures from the tomb, Queen Puabi jewellery

Queen Puabi jewellery
It was an archaeologist Sir Charles Leonard Woolley, who opened Ancient Sumerian jewelry. He led excavations in the Sumerian city of Ur in the 1920s and found the tomb of Queen Puabi (Shubad), whose age is 4,5 thousand years. The treasures from the tomb of Puabi, which, like the tomb of Tutankhamun, did not suffer from the hands of the robbers, are now at the Pennsylvania University Museum and the British Museum. Unfortunately, the part that was at the Baghdad museum was looted during the war in 2003. The ancient Sumerian city of Ur was in present-day Iraq, between Baghdad and the Persian Gulf, close to the gulf.
Until now, there was debate – who this noble woman was, buried with honor? Often called the queen, she might have ruled Ur. According to another version, she was a priestess of Inanna – Goddess of Love, Wisdom, War, Fertility and Lust. Ancient Sumerians had practice to elect the king and his main task was to participate in the ritual, during which he became the husband of Inanna. So, the king took on the divine nature and immortality, not only for himself but also for his people.
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Cats on a roof, brooch made of carnelian, obsidian, pegmatite, cacholong, mother of pearl, verdelite, tourmaline, nickel silver with silvering. 6.3 cm. Mineral jewelry by Anatoly

Mineral jewelry by Anatoly
The creative duo, husband and wife, Anatoly Aronovich and Tamara Alexeyevna live and work in Moscow’s Maryina Roshcha. Anatoly and Tamara, professional geologists in the past, understand the value of minerals, creating jewellery of amazing beauty with high quality of execution. The happy couple have worked all their life in geology, and have traveled in geological expeditions all over their native country, from the far north to the Kamchatka. According to the master, since then stone gems have become love and passion of young geologists.
After retirement, they were able to devote their life and all free time to this exciting hobby. In the summer, Tamara creates mosaics of natural semi-precious stones, and decorates their rural way of life in a country house (dacha). Tamara has learned to handle semi-precious stones and can turn an ugly piece of rock into a bright, vibrant gem. Anatoly invents and creates from these placers bright, cheerful decorations. Noteworthy, the craftsmen use only natural stones, brought from various fields during their geological life.
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Swedish-Italian beauty, Jewellery lover Anita Ekberg

Jewellery lover Anita Ekberg

One of the most iconic faces of the 20th century Anita Ekberg passed away 11 January 2015. Undoubtedly, Anita Ekberg loved jewelry, wore tiaras, necklaces, earrings and bracelets until old age. However, her beauty outshone any jewelry… Meanwhile, better known as iconic Swedish-Italian and Hollywood actress, and a cult sex symbol of 1950-1960s, Anita Ekberg was Miss Sweden 1951.
Born Kerstin Anita Marianne Ekberg on 29 September 1931 in Malmo, Skane, Sweden, Anita Ekberg grew up in a large family, where she was the eldest of eight children. Anita started her career as a fashion model after she had won the beauty pageant in Sweden. Soon after, the crowned beauty left Sweden for the United States to compete for the Miss Universe crown. Although she didn’t speak English, Anita Ekberg entered six most beautiful finalists.
In the United States, Anita met Hollywood producer Howard Hughes, who advised her to change her nose, teeth and name (he said “Ekberg” was too difficult to pronounce). Future symbol of lush beauty Anita Ekberg wisely refused – “when I become famous people will learn to pronounce my name, and if I don’t, then name will not make any sense”.
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‘Autumn’ set. Metal, turquoise, moss agate, hot enamel. Mineral art by Vladimir Orzhekhovskiy

Mineral art by Vladimir Orzhekhovskiy
Born in the Kostroma region 14 December 1951, Vladimir Orzhekhovskiy is a talented Russian artist-jeweler. His father loved to paint, and from childhood Vladimir remembers himself sculpting from plasticine soldiers in hussar uniform. The first bike and the first journey on it to the horizon – it was a nearest forest. Thus began his friendship with a backpack and long miles trips, where he found the secret of eternal beauty and nature.
Vladimir creates amazing works of minerals – quartz, zircon, citrine, pearl, amethyst, rock crystal, aquamarine, turquoise, carnelian, jade, agate, and amethyst. Whatever mineral he uses, he tries to keep its original appearance not to loose its connection with nature. His decorative compositions, sculptures and jewelry pieces can not be confused with anyone else, so unique they are.
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Wearing traditional Russian kokoshnik (folk headwear), decorated with pearls, crystals and beads. Alien beauty Sasha Pivovarova

Alien beauty Sasha Pivovarova
If ten years ago someone had told Pivovarova, simple Muscovite, she would be known all over the world, she wouldn’t probably have believed. According to Sasha, she never dreamed of becoming a model. Instead, she wanted to become a painter and after school entered the Department of Art History of the Russian Humanitarian University.
Pivovarova fell in love with the artist and photographer Igor Vishnyakov. He convinced her that she is beautiful, and just born for the podium.
Then he had to convince modeling agencies. The photographer decided not to waste time, having sent his favorite photos to the best-known New York modeling agency IMG. And after only two weeks, 20-year-old Sasha Pivovarova has opened the Prada show at Fashion Week in Milan in 2005. Six consecutive seasons (unprecedented!) she was the face of the Italian brand.
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Necklace and earrings from the Golden Scarab 2014 collection. Light brown crystals, Czech rhinestone. Firebird jewelry kaleidoscope

Firebird jewelry kaleidoscope
This post features Jewellery inspired by Russian folk tale “Firebird”.
In a far away land a thief was stealing golden apples which had the power of bestowing youth and beauty from Tsar Berendey`s magic Garden. The guards of the Tsar were unable to stop this, for as hard as they tried, the thief always got away. None of the guards could even see this thief. The Tsar was frustrated for he needed the golden apples for himself, as he was married to a very beautiful young Queen.
The only person who spotted the thief was the Tsar’s son, Prince Ivan Tsarevich. As the night came upon the Garden, the young Tsarevich hid under a water bucket and listened closely to every sound around him. At dawn, the Prince almost fell asleep, but the silence was broken by a magical being. The Prince pulled the water bucket up slightly so he could just see through the thin opening. And there it was; The Fire Bird.
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