Unique Vintage Finds at Bumbershoot Supplies: A Brief History of Banana Bob

Years ago, Bumbershoot Supplies purchased a large amount of vintage rhinestone and metal components originally made for the Banana Bob company. We are now making these very limited components available as Unique Vintage Finds on our website and in the unique finds section in our Etsy store. There are different items in both places, so be sure to check both out. 

 It's always fun  to see how vintage jewelry components were originally used. With that in mind, we thought we'd share a few Banana Bob pieces from our collection, plus a bit about Banana Bob in general. You will find some of the components in these pieces available on our websites, if they have not already sold. 

Made in the 1980s and 1990s, designed by former figure skater Annie Venditti, Banana Bob jewelry is famous for the intricate components and detailed layered designs. All of the jewelry was handmade, including gluing and setting rhinestones, hand enamelling and soldering metal layers, and as you can imagine it was very time intensive. The company no longer is in operation, due partly to the enormous amount of time to create the pieces which cut steeply into profits. But the jewelry remains and is still very popular among collectors and fans. If you click on the photos, you will get a larger version in which you will be able to see the components in more detail.

  

 With Banana Bob, jewelry designs are often themed and elaborate. Designs are often asymmetrical as well. Banana Bob jewelry was made from very fine elements such as Swarovski crystal rhinestones and US made brass findings. Banana Bob jewelry is definitely for people who wish to stand out in a crowd! 

Many of the components were created specifically for use in the Banana Bob designs. You can often find layers of filigrees bent and soldered into unique components or set rhinestones soldered onto connectors. We have quite a few Banana Bob components in stock at Bumbershoot Supplies. You can find them in special sections in our Etsy shop as well as on our website. These special items are limited, so get them while you can!

Spanish Pearls: The History of Majorica Pearls

At Bumbershoot Supplies, we were very excited because we recently acquired a limited number of unfinished vintage bracelet strands made from Majorica pearls. But what are Majorica pearls and why are they special?

 

Off the coast of Spain, on the island of Majorca are made some the world's finest imitation pearls. The company, Marjorica, has been making beautiful faux pearls for over 100 years.

 

Established in 1890 and moved to the island in the early 1900s, founder Eduard Heusch set out to create pearls as good as the real ones but more attainable. It would not be until the 1920s and 1930s when cultured pearls would become more generally available on the market, and so there was room for Heusch's excellent alternative.

 

Throughout the twentieth century technological advances made it possible to produce more "Spanish pearls", as they were called, and at a higher quality.

source

Upon Heusch's death in 1937, his son took over the company and changed the name to "Majorica Pearls" in 1950, after the island where the pearls were produced. Majorica was the only company to produce faux pearls throughout World War II, due to Spain's neutrality, and the company exported over one million pearl strand necklaces to the United States during that time.

Majorica pearls have been long associated with beauty and refinement, and internationalization and glamour would continue to be the path for the company into the later half of the twentieth century. Majorica sponsored the Venice Film Festival in the 1960s where they associated their pearls with stars such as Sophia Loren.  Even today the brand continues to be associated with celebrities, as well as high end fashion and jewelry design.

 

If you visit the Majorica website, you can view a fascinating video showing how these pearls are made, from hand forming the crystal nucleus, to hand dipping in the secret "pearl essence" to checking, polishing and hand knotting.

 

If you would like to read more about the history of Majorica check out their timeline. To learn more about the process of making the pearls check out their website and this article Gemological Institute of America about Majorica pearls.

If you, like us, love vintage glass pearls you might also enjoy this post about glass pearls and Leonardo da Vinci's pearl recipe.

Featured Artist: Mandy Kallal of Jewelry4Reenactors

 

Our latest featured artist is Mandy Kallal of Jewelry4Reenactors!

Mandy's designs are unique because they draw on her years of experience as a Civil War reenactor and have been specially crafted to be period correct.
 

Mandy loves the Victorian era and many of her designs are inspired by pieces from that time. Her extensive research can been seen in each one of her handcrafted pieces and by her attention to detail.  

Mandy uses materials like coral and mother of pearl, as featured in this brooch and earring set, as they were very popular materials during the Victorian era. 

These bracelets are designed around Victorian mourning jewelry. Often incorporating jet black glass or onyx, these pieces would be worn for years after a loved one's death. This design features an old daguerreotype which was a fairly new technology at the time. 
 

Mandy's beautiful designs have delicately detailed filigrees which would surely look lovely to wear whether you are going to a Civil War ball or a modern day event. 
 

We hope you'll enjoy a visit over to Mandy's website (and also check out her Etsy shop too), to be inspired by her designs and their unique histories. Any one of her special pieces would make a great gift for someone who was interested in history, or just beautiful jewelry!

Sequins Through the Ages

We have some really great sequins at Bumbershoot Supplies, like these vintage French metal sequins shown above, see also the last photo. I’ve been looking into the history of sequins, and recently found an interesting blog post on the topic.

Threaded, a historical fashion blog by the Smithsonian, provides an overview of the history of sequins from King Tut’s tomb (where gold discs were found sewn onto garments) to Leonardo da Vinci’s sequin punching machine, to the gelatin sequins of the 1930s (you can see some above and below, found at BumbershootSupplies) to today’s vast array of contemporary sequins.

I was fascinated to learn that gelatin sequins were introduced as a less expensive alternative to metal sequins, but were abandoned because they were not robust. They collapse into a rubbery blob in water (yes, I have tested this), and a dancing partner's hand on your back could melt them.

Check out the Threaded sequin post here for more tidbits of sequin history. For contemporary sequin inspiration (and a bit of glitter too), I invite you to visit our Pinterest board, All That Glitters.  So many sequins, so little time…

 

Book Review: Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box

When serving the Clinton administration as Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright became known for her use of pins and brooches as a communication tool during her diplomatic duties.  This book, Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box was written in 2009 to accompany a touring exhibit of her pins.  I read the Kindle version of the book on my iPod, probably not the best format for viewing the pins.  However, while there were some unique and interesting contemporary and vintage pieces, most interesting to me were the stories about how Albright came by her collection, and how she used her jewelry to communicate specific messages in a subtle but very public way, highlighting a creative and very female approach to diplomatic negotiations.  This is a light and easy read, with lots of pretty pictures.

What’s in a Name? History of the Word “Rhinestones”

Have you  ever wondered how the word “rhinestones” came to be used to describe the gorgeous glass and crystal baubles used in jewelry designs, buttons, and for so many other purposes?

We sell so many beautiful vintage rhinestone treasures at Bumbershoot Supplies, so I did a bit of research to learn about their name, and here is what I discovered:

“In the early decades of the twentieth century, a few tourist shops along the banks of the Rhine river [in Austria] sold jewelry with stones called “Rheinkiesel”. These were water clear stones which were cut like diamonds, and had red, green and blue blotches inside. They were made from glass molded and cut in Bohemia, and the red, green, and blue patches had been ingeniously fused into the clear glass during the molding process.

“Rheinkiesel, literally translated, means “Rhine pebbles”. Whether the tourists believed that the “stones” had been fished out of the river, or simply bought them for their attractive appearance as souvenirs to take home from their trip cannot be known. At some point a businessman, probably an American importer, gave the small imitation diamonds from Austria the name “Rhinestones”, and to this day the public recognizes them under that name.” (From: Rhinestones! A Collector’s Handbook and Price Guide by Nancy Schiffer)

Miriam Haskell Bracelet Update: Russian Gold Plate Flower Filigree Identification

I’m busy sorting through our recent purchase of metal findings from the Miriam Haskell warehouse, see my blog post here.

And guess what? I found some of the same filigrees that are used in a Miriam Haskell pearl bracelet I am fortunate to own. See my bracelet blog post here.

Here are the filigrees together with the bracelet filigree… We have a match! 

In this bracelet, the Haskell oval plaque is soldered to one filigree. There is a second filigree on the back, both held together with jump rings, right before the clasp.

Both my bracelet filigree and the Haskell warehouse filigrees are plated with Russian gold plate, a type of 24K gold plating used in vintage Haskell pieces. The bracelet filigree and the warehouse filigrees are dramatically different in color, showing how this type of plating can age over time.  For more, see my blog post about Russian gold plate here.  

We now offer new antiqued brass tiny flower bead caps just like those in my bracelet…

And we also carry various vintage Miriam Haskell glass pearls, also originally purchased at the Miriam Haskell Company warehouse.

I’ll keep researching our Miriam Haskell findings to see if I can discover examples of how they were used, I’ll keep you posted!

What is Miriam Haskell Russian Gold Plate?

Russian gold plate, sometimes referred to as RGP,  is that famous rich looking gold plating used extensively by the Miriam Haskell Company in their vintage jewelry pieces as part of their signature look.  My resource for all the following information is the book Miriam Haskell Jewelry by Cathy Gordon and Sheila Pamfiloff, an essential resource for learning about Miriam Haskell jewelry.

Gordon and Pamfiloff say: “…stamped filigrees. They were purchased from suppliers in France and Rhode Island…and sent to Unida Plating of Providence, Rhode Island, which used a process invented by James Brady for coating the metal parts. Parts went through six to seven preparatory steps and then the special dipping process, which created the Russian gold look. The dipping solution contained 24-karat gold, among other (secret) ingredients. It was made by hand with the formula kept locked in a safe, known only to the company manager and his foreman. The process was primitive, according to Sandy Moss, with the dipping timed by hand. As more and more filigrees were dipped in the solution, gold content got lower and lower, causing variations in the coating depth and color on the filigrees…After dipping, filigrees were lacquered.” (page 45).

Because the plating was “primitive”, Haskell Russian gold plate can take a variety of hues.  Also, the plating was done over brass filigrees and other brass findings. Since the plating was thicker or thinner depending on when in the batch the metal was plated, durability and patina can vary over time, as shown above.

While Russian gold plate is what many people think of when they think of vintage Miriam Haskell pieces, the Haskell Company also used other finishes in their vintage designs, including light silver (see the silver leaf charms above), rhodium-look silver and Russian silver, a dark antique silver.  Some designs were also made using black metal parts (Gordon and Pamfiloff, page 45).  Contemporary Haskell designs include gold, light silver, antique silver, imitation rhodium, pot black and oxidized gold, silver and copper colors (Gordon and Pamfiloff, page 45).  Today, Russian gold plating ala Miriam Haskell is no longer available, although you can find companies that attempt to recreate this effect.

So, it is with great excitement we are able to offer vintage RGP filigrees and other components from the Miriam Haskell warehouse.  The photographs through this post show just a few of the items we have been able to purchase for Bumbershoot Supplies. See this post for more details about our exciting find.

To see many examples of beautiful vintage Miriam Haskell designs, you can visit the authors of Miriam Haskell Jewelry: Cathy Gordon is here. Sheila Pamfiloff is here.

On Our Bookshelf: New Vintage History Resource On Bumbershoot Supplies Website

We are often asked about this history of the supplies at Bumbershoot Supplies and as time permits, I’ve been sharing tidbits about specific vintage supplies in the History and Provenance section of this blog.  For a long time, I have also wanted to share various text resources we find useful and inspiring so I am very happy to announce that Jim has created a new web page on the Bumbershoot Supplies website called “On OurBookshelf”. 

On this web page you will find links to books about the history of beads, books about vintage costume jewelry and books of vintage beading inspiration.  All of these books are in my personal library.  As time permits, I will continue to increase the number of books on the shelf, and I also hope to expand the basic information to share how I use these books and why I like them.

For now, we are providing a link to each book on Amazon.  We are not affiliated with Amazon and do not benefit from this link, we provide it as a convenience for you, so you can easily locate the publication date, ISBN, reviews, and other pertinent information you may find useful.

This is just a start. Our bookshelf is continually growing and evolving. I hope you will find this to be a helpful resource.  Feel free to share any of your own recommendations, too!

Dating Antique Glass Buckles from Vintage Czechoslovakia

I have mentioned elsewhere how much I appreciate the intersection of history, art and artisan craftsmanship that is exemplified by vintage beads and components.  I do enjoy discovering as much as I can about the history of our vintage supplies. These particular vintage, actually antique, glass buckles took me on a journey to Eastern Europe, to Czechoslovakia and Bohemia over 90 years ago.

These buckles are marked M. C. S. R.  The “M” is larger than the “CSR”.  Hard to see, and to photograph, but it's there.

A bit of time spent researching the history of Czechoslovakia, specifically the many names this region of the world has held over time, and I learned that from 1920 – 1938 Czechoslovakia’s formal name was Czechoslovak Republic, with the acronym CSR.  Bingo! Perhaps the “M” stands for “manufactured”. It is distinctly not part of the acronym “CSR” because it was specifically made to be larger than those letters.

We have these buckles listed as being from the 1930’s, but in fact they may be as old as 1920. In general, we like to be conservative in our estimates when we date our vintage supplies.  So in many cases, such as these buckles, the age of a particular bead, button or cabochon may be older than the date we provide.  The Bumbershoot Supplies website, www.bumbershootsupplies.com, is a good resource, because information there is formatted to provide you with the date and place of origin of each supply, as well as links to these types of history blog posts for individual items, as these posts are written. 

If you ever have questions about any of our supplies, certainly feel free to email me, Sharon at sjdurfy@bumbershootsupplies.com and  I’ll do my best to provide any information we may have.

Products related to this history can be found right here at Bumbershoot Supplies.

What is Cherry Brand? History and Provenance of Vintage Japanese Beads and Cabochons

What is “Cherry Brand”? You may have noticed several items at Bumbershoot Supplies labeled “Cherry Brand”. We have beads on wire, rhinestones and cabochons, all glass and all labeled "Cherry Brand".

These items often arrive wrapped in tissue sealed with an orange gummed sakura blossom label.

We love to obtain vintage beads and cabochons labeled Cherry Brand since the label helps us in dating and locating the supplies, providing information about their history and provenance.

My source for information about Cherry Brand comes from Dolce Street Arts and Crafts, a Japanese site. I recommend visiting this link for an English question and answer fact sheet about Cherry Brand. Here is a summary of the information provided.

Cherry Brand was used to label beads and cabochons made by a group of glass artisans in Osaka, Japan, from 1945 to 1952 during the US Occupation of Japan after WWII. Some glass beads and cabochons marked Cherry Brand were made earlier, but the vast majority of currently available items come from this period. Cherry Brand was not a factory per se, rather a large group of individual artisans who were rice farmers during the day and glass workers at night and during the off season.

At the end of WWII, American dealers brought samples of items they were interested in and commissioned these artisans to make similar beads and cabochons. The samples were European, usually Czech and Venetian. This is why you will see vintage and antique Czech cabochons from, for example, the 1920’s and 1930’s reproduced by Japanese glass artisans in the 1940’s. It is very interesting to look through Sibylle Jargsorf’s book Baubles, Buttons and Beads. The Heritage of Bohemia because you will find examples of beads and cabochons that were subsequently reproduced by Japanese Cherry Brand artisans.

In addition to being able to date and locate Cherry Brand beads and cabochons, we also love to obtain them for Bumbershoot Supplies because with Cherry Brand, we can always expect extraordinary beauty, as well as remarkable quality and craftsmanship. When an item is marked Cherry Brand, we know that within is contained a glass treasure, almost always made between 1945 and 1952, in Osaka Japan, by glass artisans working from their homes. Plus with these beads and cabochons, there is a direct connection to the original glass artisan – from their hands to yours. Does that thrill you? It does me!

Products related to this history can be found right here at Bumbershoot Supplies.