Tuesday, January 27, 2009

VINTAGE JEWELRY

Michelle Obama wore an antique silver and paste pin at her husband's inauguration



Vintage jewelry attracted worldwide attention last week. Michelle Obama wore an antique silver and paste pin ("paste" is imitation diamonds made of leaded cut glass, often with a foil backing) at the neckline of the lemongrass-colored dress she wore at her husband's inauguration. The news media at first said the dress had a "beaded neckline," but the decoration was actually a large rectangular pin with an open, double-circle pattern originally made to be worn on a sash. The pin, dating from Lincoln's era, had been bought in Florida a few years ago for an online shop in Canada. It was sent to a store in Chicago and purchased there for the dress. It probably was originally made in England.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

As always Michelle was the Queen of fashion and the pin just set it all off beautifully.

And, again, not having to spend a arm and leg, i.e. not real diamonds ,to look absolutely perfect and cost conscience at the same time.

What a wonderful and thoughtful first lady, thinking of others in her presentation and not just herself.

Applause, applause

bluemlein said...

why did you not say "carole tanenbaum" was the canadian who originally supplied the brooch to mrs. obama's favourite chicago store?

carole tanenbaum has been collecting vintage costume jewellery longer than virtually anyone we know of! certainly longer than most current vintage collectors have been alive.

her items are regularly featured in any fashion magazine you can think of in the us and canada - even the odd british one.

Anonymous said...

I have come a across a ring that I am trying to find out more information about. Personally, I don't want in my home and am wondering if it is worth anything. It is a silver ring that has a red background center with a cross on it. Around the center it says "kkkkinvisibleempire". On the left side it says imperial wizard, on the right side there is a name & 1985, with a klansman. Can anyone direct me on where I might sell or value this?

Unknown said...

Loving the idea of costume jewelry with premiere fashion/historical events....Recycling is today's "buyword"....I second the applause