December's Birthstone: Turquoise (and a few others)

Turquoise Matrix Scarab Vintage Glass Cabochons.

December's birthstone is turquoise. 

The gemstone turquoise comes in many different shades ranging from white to yellow-green. But when we talk about turquoise in vintage glass it is always about shades of blue and blue-green. We have a large selection of faux turquoise vintage glass at Bumbershoot Supplies and Bumbershoot Designs.

Turquoise Blue Vintage Glass Charm Chandelier Earrings.

Turquoise Sky Blue Vintage Glass Melon Grooved Cabochon. 

Turquoise Cherry Brand Vintage Baroque Glass Beads.

The gemstone turquoise sometimes has flecks of pyrite (commonly known as "Fool's Gold") in it that gives it a metallic variation. Often vintage faux turquoise glass is veined or flecked with metallic gold, brown, white and/or black for an organic appeal.You will often see this type of glass referred to as "turquoise matrix" glass.

Turquoise Matrix Vintage Glass Round Cabochons.

Turquoise Matrix Vintage Glass Cabochon Brass Set Charms.

Turquoise Matrix Cherry Brand Vintage Glass Cabochons.

In 1870 Tiffany & Co. published a birthstone poem in one of their pamphlets. The poem for December goes:

"If cold December gave you birth

The month of snow and ice and mirth

Place on your hand a turquoise blue;

Success will bless whate'er you do."

Turquoise Matrix Vintage Glass Octagon Cabochons.

Turquoise Matrix Vintage Glass Oval Cabochons.

Turquoise Green Matrix Vintage Glass Scarab Cabochons.

Turquoise Matrix Vintage Glass Pear Rhinestones.

We hope this brings you some December inspiration. For more, check out our turquoise collection at Bumbershoot Supplies and Bumbershoot Designs.

And if turquoise isn't for you, you're in luck! December has two other birthstones: tanzanite and zircon. Be sure to check out our tanzanite and zircon supplies and designs at Bumbershoot Designs and Bumbershoot Supplies as well!

Tanzanite Swarovski Vintage Octagon Rhinestones.

Vintage Miriam Haskell Filigrees, Stampings and More at Bumbershoot Supplies

We are very excited to have recently purchased a large lot of vintage Miriam Haskell stampings, filigree and other metal components. We will be adding this stock to Bumbershoot Supplies and Bumbershoot Supplies on Etsy over the coming days.

This blog post is a sneak preview of some of the fabulous vintage metals to come.

We have filigrees…

Stampings…

Charms and more.

Some items are in raw brass. 

Others are finished with that plated finish that Haskell made famous, Russian gold plate. To learn more about Russian gold plate, see my blog post here.

There are even a few items in silver.

 If you have been reading this blog or the Bumbershoot Designs and Supplies newsletters, you know authenticity and provenance of our supplies is important to us. How do we know this is Miriam Haskell stock?  Decades ago our supplier, who had a friend who worked at Miriam Haskell, was invited to purchase stock at the Miriam Haskell Company’s warehouse.  Fast forward to the present, and now our supplier was ready to pass it on.  So it’s a pretty short and direct journey from the Miriam Haskell warehouse to you! I hope you will enjoy watching as these new vintage treasures arrive at Bumbershoot Supplies.