Saturday, January 29, 2011

Objects of the Day: A Rhinestone Necklace and Dress Clip

Costume jewelry of the 1930’s an 40’s had as much flare as the real thing. During that era, contrasting stones were hallmarks of jewelry design. Often arranged into fan-like patterns, diamonds were set against the richness of sapphires, rubies and amethysts. A popular accessory of the 1940’s was the dress clip. These could be fastened at the bodice, shoulders or waist of a gown and were often worn in pairs. Sometimes they could even be used as shoe ornaments or attached to an existing necklace to create a whole new look.


This rhinestone necklace dates to the 1940’s and shows the predominant style of contrasting stones. Here, we see faux amethysts and diamonds in a popular pattern of the time. The necklace has been mounted for display in a custom-made, velvet-lined shadow box. Above the necklace, a dress clip from the mid 1930’s has been mounted. With its late Art Deco styling, the clip is the perfect complement to the necklace. Together, they make for an eye-catching and unexpected bit of wall art.



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