For as long as humans have adorned themselves with shiny objects, they’ve found a way to make less expensive variations of the jewels that they see other people wearing. Costume jewelry—especially of the Nineteenth and Early-Twentieth Centuries—was actually quite well-made. In fact, as much skill went into the creation of costume pieces as did the “real” ones. The only difference was the materials that were used. In some cases, wealthy ladies had paste or rhinestone copies of their real gemstones made so that they could wear them to certain events without fear.
Here, we see a necklace and brooch dating to the early 1900’s. In typical Edwardian style, the necklace features a large pendant suspended from a gold-tone chain. The pendant itself is set with an opalescent center stone and dangling faux pearl drop. Swags of rhinestones adorn the piece. I found this necklace in a local antique store and thought that it would look rather smart in a shadow box. The brooch features rows of pink rhinestones set in a gold-tone metal and neatly compliments the necklace with its sunburst shape.
My parents expertly crafted this shadow box for me with its blue mohair lining and antiqued gold frame. I like to display small objects in shadow boxes. This is an excellent way to give importance to an item that might otherwise be lost. It’s also an excellent way to create interesting wall art.
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