Brooches and buttons

My mom, aunt, and I went on Saturday to an antique show at our local Shriner's temple. It was quite nice. Usually there aren't alot of vendors, but I guess since it's getting closer to Christmas, there were more than usual this time around. Lots of antique jewelry, furniture, clothing, and odds and ends.

I bought two costume jewelry pins. I'm starting a new job in a couple of weeks where I'll actually be able to wear the pins I have stored away. My current job as a bookseller isn't really ideal for the of wearing pins. I'm always dodging people, shelves, etc. and carrying books everywhere. The promotional pins that I wear tend to get snagged on something or other so real pins are not an option for me ^-^"

I love this pin. The woman who sold it to me thought it might be Victorian silver. LOL I must admit that I was excited about the fact that the pin might be that old, but sadly it wasn't after I was done cleaning it when I got home. The vendor told me that I could tell if it was silver by cleaning it with toothpaste. My archaeology training took her words with a grain of salt. I really didn't know if it was advisable to clean jewelry with toothpaste....maybe it is, but I didn't want to risk it!

When I got home, I proceeded to clean it with some silver cleaner. My mom and aunt advised me to clean a bit on the back of the pin just in case. This is a photo of my flower pin all cleaned up. I still don't know if it's silver. I can't really tell. There is a 'maker's mark' on the back that I could finally read after cleaning up the piece. It's made in Mexico so I'm pretty sure it isn't Victorian. I'm quite tempted to take my pin to a former co-worker at my archaeology job and ask him about it. He deals in antiques as a hobby ;) Even if it isn't as old as the vendor thought, I do love it. It is quite unusual.

As much as I love the previous pin, I think this one really stole my heart when I saw it. It isn't a real cameo, just your average costume jewelry piece. I love cameos, LOL but can't afford them that often. This is the second cameo in my collection. I have another one that I bought when I was in England last year. It was an Edwardian period cameo from 1905 that is trimmed in 18k gold.

The subject of cameos reminds me of a customer that I had earlier last week. She had a gorgeous (very small) cameo ring on her finger. I, of course, told her that I loved it. She was surprised and said, "I can't believe that you know what it is. Most people don't." LOL I think my heart broke a little bit when she told me that most people don't know what a cameo is anymore. She said it wasn't antique, but she had it made for her when she was in Italy.

(Sigh) It reminds me of Anne Rice's book Blackwood Farm. The main character Quinn always buys cameos (or has them made) for his Aunt Queen because she had been collecting cameos since she was a little child and her grandfather had given her a cameo of 'Rebecca and the Well.'

The next few items I got the last time we were at the antique show, but I forgot to post them on my blog ^__^"

A cute pin I bought for $10. I was debating on whether to buy it and my aunt said it was whimsical so I bought it! The same vendor was at the show on Saturday, but I didn't buy anything even though I did see some pins designed by Coro. I would have gotten one, but I didn't know enough about that designer's pins and how I could identify them. I'll have to research them and see what I can find the next time an antique show comes up ;)

I bought these buttons from a lady who was selling German buttons and fabric. I couldn't buy many of them since I just wanted something unique for future projects. I love these buttons! They are clear glass with small grape bunches engraved and then painted ;)

These are my favorite!! I only bought four of them because she was asking $1 per button. They are (according to the vendor) black amethyst buttons that were made in Germany during the U.S. occupation. I love the adorable gold deer on the front of these buttons!!! I had to have a few ;)

Hopefully, next time I'm at an antique show I'll be able to afford a real cameo and maybe some more fun buttons!

I was hoping for a visit from the postman today, but sadly I didn't get the cross stitch patterns I ordered ^_^" Maybe tomorrow ;)

Thanks for visiting and happy stitching!