Handmade Designer necklaces :American Indian and Ethnographic Auction

Sat. Sept 26 the Skinner Auction House, Boston Gallery, will sell two collections of American Indian items. These are handmade designer necklaces by Native Americans. There is a picture the Boston Globe Newspaper of a beautiful silver and turquoise squash blossom necklace which is expected to bring $1,500-$2000.

TheHunt for Variscite

The Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona has a wonderful Museum Shop. www.heardmuseumshop.com. When I was there a few years ago, they had a fine necklace made by an American Indian artist. It combined turquoise, lapis lazuli (royal blue), spiny oyster(orange) , and a beautiful opaque emerald green stone I had never seen before called Variscite. I wanted that variscite to use in a necklace. but could not find it. I supposed it was rare and that only the native American jewelers had access to it.
However, in researching the variscite I discovered it was a relatively common mineral that was found in Western and Southern United States, Ireland, Wales, Hungary and more. It is a cousin to turquoise.

A while later I was again traveling in Arizona, this time to Jerome, an old mining town . There was a mineral shop there and I spotted one strand of variscite shards (shown in the pictured necklace above) hanging on the wall. The new store owner could not identify the stones. The label from the previous owner said "Snake River". There is a Snake River in Utah and a Snake River Mine that produces variscite and I think that is where the stone shards in my necklace are from. The necklace above has two strands of variscite, Nepalese inlaid beads, and ethiopian handmade brass beads. It can be purchased through necklacesbyadner.com

Antique African and Vintage Murano glass beads

This handmade designer necklace from Adner-Bergart.com is presently in the Color Obsession Gallery in Mashpee, MA. At an opening party, I met an acquaintance who is "intuitive". Although there were four of our necklaces displayed, she went right to this necklace, lifted it up, and said she just had to touch the yellow beads. She said they were old, there was a story, but she did not know what it was.

The yellow opaque glass with turquoise patterns on them are about 100 yrs old. They are called Bodum and were made for African kings . Collectors covet Bodum beads and the best ones still have colored patterns on them.

This was the first necklace that Andrea and I made. We made a long one and a short one and they both sold immediately. We have two more left to sell. What I love about this necklace is how the turquoise glass beads glow. It has history, a great color combination, and rare beads.

The Bodum beads are combined with the rust satin vintage Murano glass beads, Czech blown turquoise glass circa 1920 and new recycled glass beads from Ghana.

Vintage Miriam Haskell Necklace

Imagination is shown in the design of this Miriam Haskell necklace. Both the beads and the color scheme are unusual. They must have made it many times before they got it right. Although it is costume jewelry, and generally made from inexpensive materials of the time, they have become desirable collectors items. There are many different styles of Haskell necklaces . The thread that runs through them is innovative design, inexpensive materials , and a big statement.

The Collectors Weekly, www.collectorsweekly.com , has information about Miriam Haskell necklaces. They said " she was not a designer, but an excellent talent scout. Frank Hess was her first find... and designed necklaces from 1926-1960 when Robert Clark took over." Presently some Miriam Haskell necklaces are on sale through Collector's Weekly .

Bead Weaving

My friend Harriet is weaving beads to make this amazing necklace for her friend Alyce. It is a true labor of love because it has taken her hours and hours of combining and weaving the beads together into a necklace. This is what she has finished so far. Alyce has a golden completion and Harriet considered this when she chose the beads for this necklace. The ivory and gold tones beads balance the roses and whites to help the necklace blend with Alyce's coloring .

Harriet and Alyce are part of our Bead and Feed group . We help, admire, and inspire each other in our art and beading. We also eat very well and talk a lot . Everyone brings something for lunch. Good for the mind and soul.