{"id":16584,"date":"2022-08-16T19:10:23","date_gmt":"2022-08-16T13:40:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gjepc.org\/solitaire\/?p=16584"},"modified":"2022-08-16T19:10:28","modified_gmt":"2022-08-16T13:40:28","slug":"a-pick-me-up-book-on-antique-jewellery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gjepc.org\/solitaire\/a-pick-me-up-book-on-antique-jewellery\/","title":{"rendered":"A \u2018Pick-me-up\u2019 Book On Antique Jewellery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Beth Bernstein<\/strong>, author of \u2018The Modern Guide to Antique Jewellery\u2019, offers insights into what to look for and where to locate rare finds.<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Beth Bernstein\u2019s new book \u2018The Modern Guide to Antique Jewellery\u2019 is filled with fun factual tidbits that are presented in a witty, conversational style, with lively narratives exploring each piece\u2019s history. Discover why it is a must-read for all enthusiasts and collectors, who have \u201can affinity for the jewels of the past.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Beth Bernstein<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What sparked your love for antique jewellery?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I started collecting antique jewellery in the mid-1990s, I learned quickly that on Saturday mornings, if you were going to get \u2018the good stuff,\u2019 you had to beat the other antique-jewellery enthusiasts to the markets. This meant leaving the house just as the sun was rising. It also meant building relationships, so you could meet up with the exceptional dealers and scour through their new wares in the hope of finding that rare piece before they had even set up their stands and stalls. I didn\u2019t know much at the time, but I knew what I was drawn to: the subtle glow of Georgian rose-cut and mine-cut diamond rings, and \u2014 as a hopeful romantic \u2014 sentimental jewellery, which I still collect today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While at markets, I tried to educate myself, viewing and reviewing pieces from different time periods and in various styles, from Victorian lockets to Edwardian and Art Deco diamond brooch clips. I began to learn how to recognise styles and elements from different eras, but I also met new dealers, widening my scope of contacts. I often wondered what it was that intrigued and enticed me about antique jewellery. The more I was around the jewels from the past, the more I understood my obsession, one that has lasted 25 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a sacred beauty to these pieces, offering a connection to the past, to the jewellers who made them, and to the people who owned them. There are magic and mysteries that lie behind these jewels, which leave collectors like me imagining and finding more meaning each time we wear them. They defy time and offer modern-day collectors keepsakes that transport us to a place where each piece seems to resonate with our own moments and memories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Victorian double snake ring with mine-cut eyes in 15-carat gold, circa 1860. Courtesy of Beth Bernstein (Personal Collection)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Which are your most treasured finds?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They vary with the meaning and how I obtained them. One of my rings that I never take off (for almost 20 years) is a ring with an applied horseshoe that has a small diamond in it. It was on its way to a scrapper and I rescued it; I purchased it for $22 and I have seen similar ones today for around $1,400. It seemed to belong with me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other pieces include a Georgian giardinetti ring, two poesy rings with wonderful mottoes that have so much significance to me, and a paste riviere necklace that looks like pink topaz and is in perfect condition. I also love an acrostic piece that is very rare and sentimental which spells out Regard. And then there is one Art Deco diamond bracelet with all different cuts of stones. The dealer I purchased it from asked me to buy it back for four times what I paid for it around 8 years after I bought it. I realised it was worth about 10 times what I paid and loved it so I kept it. The list goes on\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The book has been published by ACC Art Books.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What prompted you to envision the book as a \u2018go-to guide\u2019 for antique jewellery enthusiasts?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would have loved a book like this when I started collecting. I read massive scholarly books that were wonderful, but I couldn\u2019t take it all in and often skimmed through or settled in on a time period and then would go to the next. I think this book is a true tour guide that offers the reader insight into the times, the jewels, different perspectives from the dealers and stores and ultimately gives them a working knowledge as they read it, yet they can go back to it again and again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rivi\u00e8re necklaces from the 19th century in amethyst, garnet and pink topaz. All courtesy of Fred Leighton<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

How does the book empower newbie collectors?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think that if starter collectors begin to read this \u2014 they will immediately relate to the intro and the first chapter and then want to move on to read more. They will also have the end chapters which is how to shop different venues: antique shows, auctions etc\u2026 and all of this will empower them to be more confident about collecting and once that happens the passion kind of takes over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You seem to be drawn to jewels from the Georgian and Victorian eras. Why does it hold so much appeal?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were steeped in sentimental meaning \u2014 I personally like late Georgian and early Victorian. It was a time when people couldn\u2019t express their feelings freely so many of the jewels spoke to romance, lust, passion, friendship through the language of flowers, acrostics, rebus, and gemstone meanings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Plique-\u00e0-jour enamel and diamond dragonfly brooch by Boucheron, the wings mounted en tremblant, Paris, circa 1900. Wartski, London<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

You have quoted many noted antique jewellery retailers such as Macklowe Gallery, Pat Saling, ALVR, Fred Leighton. How long did it take to put this book together \u2014 and what was the process like for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had interviewed all of these experts before for articles and also purchased jewellery from some in the book. I knew what they excelled in speaking about (many of them are even quoted in multiple chapters) and what photos they would be able to offer to illustrate the book. They were all amazing to work with during the process which took about 10 months to write and put together \u2014 this was at the beginning of the pandemic. Everyone was so wonderful in sending what I needed during lockdown when they had so much more challenging things to think about. And then, unfortunately, the pandemic set the book back eight months due to furloughs and paper shortages, and shipping problems so the process went much longer than expected and all involved were so supportive and if I needed to change something were right there in it with me again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Three-tiered necklace comprising three rows of alternating pink and orange garnets set in elaborately textured gold collets with delicate looping design elements, circa 1900-1910. From each tier of the necklace hang tear-shaped boulder opal beads. Courtesy of Macklowe Gallery. Photograph: Anthony Virardi at Macklowe Gallery<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In your book, you have outlined 10 pieces that would help kickstart a jewellery collection \u2014which are the top three from your personal collection?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signet rings, especially when I find them with my initials from different people in my family, riviere necklace and brooches. I am very big on brooches as you can wear them so many ways which I do think I cover in the book, and have worn them every way I can think of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Beth Bernstein, author of \u2018The Modern Guide to Antique Jewellery\u2019, offers insights into what to look for and where to locate rare finds. Beth Bernstein\u2019s new book \u2018The Modern Guide to Antique Jewellery\u2019 is filled with fun factual tidbits that are presented in a witty, conversational style, with lively narratives exploring each piece\u2019s history. Discover…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":16585,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[110,79],"tags":[],"thb-sponsors":[],"class_list":["post-16584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-viewpoint"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nA \u2018Pick-me-up\u2019 Book On Antique Jewellery - Solitaire magazine is a International jewellery magazine - India\u2019s leading B2B gem and jewellery magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow\" \/>\n<meta name=\"googlebot\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"bingbot\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gjepc.org\/solitaire\/a-pick-me-up-book-on-antique-jewellery\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A \u2018Pick-me-up\u2019 Book On Antique Jewellery - Solitaire magazine is a International jewellery magazine - India\u2019s leading B2B gem and jewellery magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Beth Bernstein, author of \u2018The Modern Guide to Antique Jewellery\u2019, offers insights into what to look for and where to locate rare finds. 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