Monthly Archives: July 2016

Ivar Holth silver and enamel bluebell pendant



I have a bit of a thing for Scandinavian silver jewellery, including the enamel pieces made by the Norwegian silversmiths of the mid-20th century. In this genre you come across a lot of brooches but not so many pendants. Which is why I’m pleased to be offering this little sweetheart in my shop. It’s vaguely pentagonal in shape. The enamel work is white with a delicately painted bluebell in the centre. The hallmark is 925S and the maker is Ivar T. Holth, as indicated by the maker’s mark (a letter H in a circle). As is often the case for Norwegian silver and enamel pieces, the silver is covered by a light gold wash.

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Here’s the back:

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Silver pound note charm – mad money!



So called “mad money” charms were a staple fixture on the charm bracelets of the mid-20th century. Some of them consisted of a precious metal (silver or gold) box with a glass/crystal window, some of them had a more cage-like structure, and some of them were like this lovely thing below, which is basically a Perspex cylinder finished off at each end with a silver finial.

I don’t know if anyone who wore a charm bracelet with a mad money charm on it ever took the pound note out and spent it. But back in the 60s or early 70s, a pound could go quite a long way – for example in 1970, a pint of beer cost about two shillings (10 pence after decimalisation). So your “mad money” pound note could have bought several drinks, plus food and a ride home.

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Sterling silver Cleopatra necklace by Andreas Daub


I bought this sterling silver Cleopatra necklace about six years ago from a fellow seller when I first joined Etsy. I loved its elegant simplicity and the feel of the links in my fingers – very soothing and tactile. Near the clasp at one end are some hallmarks, including the signature “A*D” for German jewellery manufacturer Andreas Daub. I have a bit of a thing about Andreas Daub, as this post shows.

I’ve now put the necklace up for sale in my Etsy shop. Why would I do this, if I love it so much? Well, these days I’m “traditionally built” rather than slim, so my neck is no longer graceful and swan-like. Necklaces like this one don’t lie flat any more – they bend upwards at inappropriate moments, even when you add an extender chain. So it’s time this beauty found a new home, I think.

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