Guest Curation: Vintage & Antique Jewelry Edition ft. Lexi Caoili

Lexi’s Picks of the Week 

1. Victorian 14K Pink Gold Diamond (As FD) & 2 Pearl Ring Size 5 ¾ (Remember Yesteryears)

2. 14K Garnet & Grey Pearl Openwork Pinky Gold 1 ½ in Pendant Pin Brooch Jewelry 5.2 DWTS TL WGT (Remember Yesteryears)

3. Gutta Percha Hand Painted Lady Pendant Gold Filled Chain Jewelry (As Found) (Remember Yesteryears)

4. Jewelry Box with Contents 10.5” x 12” (Hamilton Group)

5. Rare 1920’ Rose Quartz 14K Gold Chain Cut Rock Graduated Crystal Faceted Necklace (Avant Garde Estate Sales)

6. Ethan Allen Dresser with Locking Jewelry Drawer (Clearing House Estate Sales)

7. 14K Victorian Pin Brooch W/2 Seed Pearls Enameled Pink Gold 1 6/8 Jewelry 3.6 DWTS TL WGT (Remember Yesteryears)

Q&A With Lexi

AN: What got you into collecting vintage jewelry?

LFC: I have always loved things with a past, with a story. It’s so romantic to wear a ring that someone carried through their life and wore before me. There is just so much more heart in a piece that has already seen a life or two. I started at thrift stores and estate sales with fun costume jewelry that reminded me of my grandmother’s vanity full of sparkly things. And then as I was able to afford older, rarer pieces, I moved to auctions and antique stores!

AN: The classic "stranded on the desert island" question": If you could only bring two pieces of jewelry with you, what would you choose?

LFC: First I would bring my most prized piece. It's a ring from 1727 - it’s a sentimental mourning ring in remembrance of a 23 year old unmarried woman. The ring has beautiful love birds, a heart shaped crystal, and a crown - all powerful symbols of how much this person was loved in their short life. 

Mourning ring R:R:OB 28 May 1727 AE:23. White enamel, Rococo ribbon band, doves and Georgian heart

Second, I would bring the only piece in my collection that is an heirloom. It had quite a journey to get to me, so I like to keep it near and dear. It had been my aunt’s, given to her by her mother when she turned 16, and in turn given to me on my 16th birthday. Unfortunately it was stolen and likely ended up in a pawn shop shortly after it was gifted to me. I was searching “estate jewelry” on Etsy one day and happened to find it! It is a one of a kind creation my family had made, so there was no doubt it was the ring! Now that I have it back in my jewelry box, I cherish it and the family hands that held it for me. 

A beloved family heirloom, miraculously found after being stolen 15 years earlier!

AN: What characteristics do you look for when selecting new pieces?

LFC: I love for a piece of jewelry to tell a story. With sentimental and mourning jewelry, you can gather a lot of information. With names and dates, you can find out so much about who the jewel was made for. In my most recent find, this gorgeous urn ring from 1780, I was able to find so much out about the Broadbent family. From the bank they founded in Sheffield, England to the home they shared - the gorgeous Page Hall which is still standing and surrounded by their grounds which have been turned into a public park for all to enjoy. That’s the heart of it for me - being able to trace the love and life that are forever remembered through these little trinkets. 

Mourning ring: Jane Broadbent, OB: 30 June, 1780, AE: 24. Black enamel, Sepia miniature with urn and weeping willow tree.

AN: If money were no object, what piece of jewelry would you buy?

LFC: If money were no object, I would buy a posey ring. These super sentimental rings, named after the little bits of lovely poetry hidden within them, have been worn as symbols and reminders of love since the Middle Ages. With naive script and phrases like “Joy without end,” these seemingly simple gold bands are treasures you can wear!

Written by:

AuctionNinja Staff

May 17, 2021     Updated 03:06 PM

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