One of the many perks for working in the jewelry department is that I am fortunate to see many gorgeous pieces from the major names in the industry such as Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef and Arpels, and others. However, for every sale, designers come across our desks who are not well-known today, and […]
Under Pressure: How Coins are Made
Beyond simply the level of wear present on a coin’s surface, there are several characteristics of how each piece is produced that influence its overall appearance and even grade. One such factor is weakness of strike. In order to fully impress the design of a coin from its cylindrical metal dies onto the planchet, or […]
SNAKES ON PALISSY PLATES
I grew fond of the potter Bernard Palissy (1510-1590) ) when I was a little girl. He was a Renaissance man with a background in chemistry, geology, philosophy etc… But what drew me in were his “pots”. He put snakes on plates and created lush crawling environments, which inspired a long line of ceramic artists whose […]
Katherine Hepburn: No Morning Glory
I belong to a family of old movie fans and book lovers. I like to think this is the result of superior intellect and elitist literary tastes, but it probably has more to do with my conscientious parents making the radical decision to shut off the telly for good when I was five. This deprivation […]
What is Estate Jewelry?
Estate jewelry is a term applied to antique and period jewelry from a particular design era that has been previously used or owned by another individual. This jewelry tends to appeal to people with an eye for quality workmanship who look to the estate jewelry market for well-made items that were much more expensive when […]
The Boxing Gloves of the Century
In 1971, I turned ten years old and discovered sports, not necessarily in that order. This was the year of both my first major league baseball game and my first college football game, and it was also the year of the Fight of the Century: Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier. The Fight of the Century was how the […]
Silver Party: Wager Cup, not Solo Cup
This past week, I came across an unusual object; she was a lady made of silver, wearing a hollow skirt and holding a small pivoting vessel above her head! She is a wager cup, a popular German party gaiety of the 16th century. In German, a Jungfrauenbecher! The party guest were offered a drink from […]
Peter, the Mint Eagle
One of the many quirky facts associated with the early United States Mint is that the Philadelphia coining facility once had a resident Bald Eagle (aka Peter the Mint Eagle). According to the Coinage Act of 1792, also known as the Mint Act, American gold and silver coins were to be designed with an eagle […]
