There have been a couple notable auctions of Kenneth Jay Lane jewelry. One was at Christie’s in New York on April 9, 2001.  The highest price paid was $4,700.00 for a faux gem-set belt of rubies and sapphires set in gunmetal (length 31 inches–I’d wear it as a necklace!). It is said that the Duchess of Windsor was biuried in a KJL belt. Creepy?

The ornate Jackie O necklace and earrings went for a bargain $646.00 (earclips not shown). These are available by special order through Beads by Mail. Call Jane at 800-572-7920 if interested. My price is lower!

KJL duplicated a precious gem necklace presented to Jackie by Ari.

Also available in turquoise, sapphire, and other colors.

The auction included very few pins or rings; most lots were necklaces, bracelets or earclips. There were a total of 184 lots. This was pre-Euro, foreign buyers paid in DM, Francs, Lira.

The second auction occurred after Jackie’s death in April 1996. More on that later.

“A man must have aunts and cousins, must buy carrots and turnips, must have barn and woodshed, must go to market … must saunter and sleep and be inferior and silly.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

So there you have it, permission from no less a serious thinker than Emerson to act silly!

Some years back I took a few oil painting classes.

The painting I did of a pair of pears turned out well

enough to frame. Now I am starting again. The first step

was to read everything I could about oil painting.

Landscapes, still lifes, color mixing, types of brushes,

oil colors, portraits, painting children … the list goes on. Lots

of very talented painters have written useful books, which lead

to other books, museums, etc.

I’ve been a jazz pianist all my life, and am encouraged by the thought

that many musicians pursued other art forms. Tony Bennett for example,

an accomplished oil painter. I saw a list of other living musicians

who painted or sculpted. I found a list of workshops led by recognized

artists and plan to attend as many as I can afford. They aren’t cheap, but

the results make them worthwhile. (When I add up the money I invested on

music lessons …)

This new challenge will keep me young! To stay vital and alert into your sunset,

try new things, always learn, and keep moving (so says Dr. Oz!). Living here in Colorado Springs,

it’s easy to get outside and enjoy the scenery. Here’s the pear painting I mentioned

above. I think the frame suits it well. Also a silly shot of my adorable grandkids,

whom I plan to paint later this year, after a couple of workshops.

My first oil painting that I like

LUSCIOUS RED NATURAL CORAL

I have too many beads! Here is a gorgeous strand of red Mediterranean

all natural coral, I found when looking for another item,

in a hard-to-get 5mm size, that would make a standout

necklace. I have seen these for sale at up to $450.00. The natural red coral

is getting extremely rare. If you like these, get more info on my web page.

Luscious, rare coral perfectly round & matched.

Gotta go, havent eaten yet & it is almost 1 PM. Love to blog. Happy Sunday, everyone!

PS. Started attending a drumming class. What fun!

I had a good idea. I have a lot of small quantities of gemstone beads,

pendants, millefiore charms, etc. I made some GRAB BAGS

with a variety of very pretty and useful beading components and findings.

Here’s a sample, and you can order on this page.

Pearl AssortmentLots of goodies here!

Lots of goodies here for little money!

Each baggie sells for $5.99 plus $3.00 postage. A good value!

Happy Creating,

Jane

Are you “good as gold”? Of course you know
“silence is golden”. Have you found your
“pot of gold” at the end of a rainbow?
Are you a member of the “golden agers”?

See fabulous gold jewelry by Kenneth Jay Lane at http://beadsbymail.com/kjl_gold.htm   

GOld is a mineral with the symbol Au
and an atomic number of 79. It has been
a highly sought-after precious metal
for coinage, jewelry, and other arts
since the beginning of recorded history.

The metal occurs as nuggets or grains
in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits.
Gold is dense, soft, shiny and the most
malleable and ductile pure metal known.
Pure gold has a bright yellow color and
luster which it maintains without
tarnishing in air or water.

Gold has served as a symbol of wealth
and a store of value throughout history.
Gold standards have provided a basis for monetary policies.

Gold market 1/3/10: $1166.00 per ounce.

Gold is insoluble in nitric acid, which
dissolves silver and base metals. This
property is exploited in refining. Nitric
acid has long been used to confirm the
presence of gold in items, and this is
the origin of the colloquial term “acid test”,
referring to a gold standard test for genuine value.

See fabulous gold jewelry by Kenneth Jay Lane at http://beadsbymail.com/kjl_gold.htm   

Because of the softness of pure (24k) gold,
it is usually alloyed with base metals for
use in jewelry, altering its hardness and
ductility, melting point, color and other
properties. Alloys with lower caratage,
typically 22k, 18k, 14k or 10k, contain
higher percentages of copper, or other
base metals or silver or palladium in the alloy.

Copper is the most commonly used base metal,
yielding a redder color. Eighteen carat gold
containing 25% copper is found in antique and
Russian jewelry and has a distinct, though not
dominant, copper cast, creating rose gold.

Fourteen carat gold-copper alloy is nearly
identical in color to certain bronze alloys.
Fourteen and eighteen carat gold alloys with
silver alone appear greenish-yellow and
are referred to as green gold.

White gold alloys can be made with palladium
or nickel. White 18 carat gold containing
17.3% nickel, 5.5% zinc and 2.2% copper is
silver in appearance. Alternative white gold
alloys are available based on palladium,
silver and other white metals, but the
palladium alloys are more expensive than those using nickel.

High-carat white gold alloys are far more resistant to
corrosion than pure silver or sterling silver.
In medieval times, gold was often thought to be beneficial for the health, in the belief that something that rare and beautiful could not be anything but healthful.

Even some modern esotericists and forms of alternative medicine assign metallic gold a healing power. Some gold salts do have anti-inflammatory properties and are used as pharmaceuticals in the treatment of arthritis and other similar conditions.

However, only salts and radioisotopes of gold are of pharmacological value, as elemental (metallic) gold is inert to all chemicals it encounters inside the body.
In modern times, injectable gold has been proven to help to reduce the pain and swelling of rheumatoid arthritis and tuberculosis.
Gold has been known and used by artisans since the 4th millennium BC. Gold artifacts appeared in Central Europe from the 2nd millennium BC.
Egyptian hieroglyphs from as early as 2600 BC describe gold, which king Tushratta of the Mitanni claimed was “more plentiful than dirt” in Egypt. Egypt and especially Nubia had the resources to become major gold-producing areas for much of history.
The legend of the golden fleece may refer to the use of fleeces to trap gold dust from placer deposits in the ancient world. Gold is mentioned frequently in the Old Testament, starting with Genesis 2:11 (at Havilah) and is included with the gifts of the magi in the first chapters of Matthew New Testament.

The Book of Revelation 21:21 describes the city of New Jerusalem as having streets “made of pure gold,

clear as crystal”.
The south-east corner of the Black Sea was famed for its gold. Exploitation is said

to date from the time of Midas, and this gold was important in the establishment of

what is probably the world’s earliest mint in Lydia around 610 BC.
The Romans developed new methods for extracting gold on a large scale using

hydraulic mining, especially in Spain from 25 BC onwards and in Romania from 150 AD

onwards.
One of their largest mines was at Las Medulas in León (Spain), where seven long

aqueducts enabled them to sluice most of a large alluvial deposit. The mines at

Transylvania were also very large, and until very recently, still mined.
Romans also exploited smaller deposits in Britain, such as placer and hard-rock

deposits. The various methods used are described by Pliny the Elder in his

encyclopedia Naturalis Historia written towards the end of the first century AD.
Kenneth Jay Lane Gold Jewelry
Jane Shafrin owns Kenneth Jay Lane Sales, kennethjaylanesales.com, a comprehensive fashion jewelry web site focusing on the designs of world-renowned jewelry designer Kenneth Jay Lane.

Ancient Egyptians and Jewelry

The recent discovery of thousands of Egyptian mummies in a network of tombs reinforces the fact that Egyptians were obsessed with dressing the mummies in the proper clothing and jewelry to prepare them for their trip to the underworld.

Egyptian burial sites have provided knowledge about the history and use of beads in ancient civilizations because so much beaded material has survived in their sarcophagi. Much of this jewelry was too fragile to have been worn, but has survived because it was made specifically for use in the other world.

Egyptians practiced pantheism and also believed that the naturalistic likeness of a deceased person or creature in the form of a statue or painting contained the ka, or actual life-force, of that individual.

The Egyptian civilization was a peaceful one — they were protected by the surrounding desert, yet the annual flooding of the Nile ensured that crops would flourish.

For example, children wore fish amulets to protect them from drowning.

The Ba bird, a statue of a person with huge outstretched wings, represents the soul of the dead.

The scarab or beetle signified rebirth, creation, and power. The bottom of the beetle was inscribed with a person’s name. This led to the development of the signet ring.

Horus, the sky god, was a falcon wearing a double crown. Often only the eye of horus is shown on an amulet or carving.

Egyptians shaped jewelry into many different creatures such as snakes, birds, horses, monkeys and apes, frogs, pelicans, rams, or spiders. Each shape represented a specific type of power or idea.

Palm branches symbolized millions of years.

The basket symbolized royal power.

The patroness of birth is Toerris, the hippopotamus goddess.

Anubis, the jackal, was another symbol of royal power.

Osiris was the great god of the underworld; Isis was his wife, and her son was Horus-the-child.

Thoth was the god of wisdom. His sacred animals were the ibis and the baboon.

Astarte was the goddess of love and war, often depicted on horseback.

Egyptians wore rings with large bezels containing cartouches with symbolic meanings.

Much of the jewelry found in Egyptian tombs was made of faience, a vitreous (glass) paste which when fired turned a beautiful blue-green. Many pieces were made from gold worked in complex designs. Egyptians also used semiprecious stones such as agate, carnelian, quartz, lapis, and some of the jaspers. They were quite sophisticated in the jewelry fabrication techniques they used.

Statues and drawings from the early Egyptians are naturalistic, depicting facial features and body types exactly as they were. Most of the statues wear some type of jewelry, and we know that both men and women pierced their ears.

RINGS–ORIGIN, PURPOSES, HISTORY 

It is thought that the ring is a modification of the cylindrical seal which was worn attached to the neck or arm and eventually reduced in size so that it could be worn on the finger.

Signet rings were used in Egypt from a very remote period. The custom of wearing rings went from Egypt to Greece. Rings were made of various materials such as gold, silver, ivory, and amber.

Another origin of the ring is the knot. Knotted cords or wires were favored charms in primitive times. They were often used to cast a spell on someone, at other times the power of the charm was directed to an evil spirit. Magic virtues of rings may have originated in this manner.

Often, rings are made in the form of a knot. The lovers knot ring resulted from this form.

See a stunning display of Kenneth Jay Lane’s rings at http://beadsbymail.com/kjl_rings.htm

Many objects including rings were found in Persia dating from the 2nd millennium before Christ. The find included rings of sepentine shape with many spirals, as well as rings with bezel set paste gems and the frequent knot design.

The oldest Greek ring bearing an inscription is from the Mycenean period and is a gold hoop with the name Lenarka engraved on it. Several of the Greek personages from Homeric times owned engraved rings. Helen of Troy is depicted in a painting wearing a ring with an enormous fish engraved on it.

The Romans wrote laws regarding the wearing of rings by men. The iron ring was regarded as a mark of individual honor. Citizens of lesser birth wore gold rings. Roman women were not limited by these sumptuary laws and could wear rings of any metals or design. Freed slaves wore gold rings to identify them as freedmen.

In India, both men and women wear toe rings.

During Medieval times and the Renaissance, as well as later, ladies’ gloves had slits over the fingers so their rings could be displayed.

In the 16th century, rings were assigned to be worn as follows:

the doctor: on the thumb
the merchant: on the index finger
the fool: on the middle finger
the student: on the pinky
the lover: on the fourth finger

Wealthy Egyptians wore only filigree or openwork rings in summer to keep their fingers cool.

Shakespeare’s signet ring bears a beautiful rendition of his initials WS in a circular disc.

See a stunning display of Kenneth Jay Lane’s rings at http://beadsbymail.com/kjl_rings.htm

The parts of a ring:

Bezel or head: the top of a ring into which stones can be mounted or set into separate holders called collets.
Collet (kohl-ay): receptacle for stones which can be either cup shaped or made from metal strips bent to shape.
Hoop or shank: the part that goes around the finger.
Shoulders: the part that joins the hoop and the bezel, frequently decorated. Most of KJL’s rings have stones or other embellishment in this area.

Cuts of stones:

Cabochon (CAB-oh-shaun): a stone with a polished, domed upper surface and a flat back. Also called a “cab”.
 
Facet: the face of a stone cut and polished.
 
Girdle: the widest part of a stone.

Brilliant-cut: introduced in the 17th century, has an octagonal table at the top and 58 facets above and below the girdle. By far the most frequent cut for diamonds and precious colored stones.

Cushion-cut, princess cut, marquise, emerald, pear: all are types of stone cuts.

Bet you haven’t seen any of these wonderful KJL pieces yet. The pins are such fun!

Here's your gold star, you rascal you!

Anytime day or night "collar"

Dramatic, intense shot of color bib

Very art nouveau-ish zebra

See more about these great new styles at Kenneth Jay Lane Sales.

The Creative Process (very briefly)
 
I’ve been wanting to write about the creative process, especially
as it applies to jewelry design.
Our creative juices flow the same no matter whether
for cake decorating, costumery, fly tying, architecture,
writing a novel, or designing jewelry. An idea for
something you want to create blossoms in your mind.
Who knows where it comes from?
 
From a visit to a museum or a junkyard or even
your kitchen. Once the creative process starts, each person
finds a unique path to the realization of the final
product, which is an amalgam
of countless experiences, thoughts, skills, and fantasies.
 
If you want to explore further, there are many good books
and articles about creativity.

Consider, for example, the traditional bride seeking her special gown.
She has seen tens or even hundreds of wedding
dresses but wants to create her own look. Her creative impulse
might result in a specific fabric or color, the choice of flowers she carries,
the way she wears her hair. Her perfect appearance on the big day
should give her a feeling of accomplishment and joy.
Creativity does that. Even if you don’t finish.
 
I remember as a child wanting to make a necklace from
the “recipe” in a newspaper. The instructions required me to
collect canteloupe seeds, dry them, dye them, and
string them. (My mom did her best but we didn’t complete the
project. I think the seeds disintegrated when we tried to
pierce them with a needle to string them.)
I remember spreading
the seeds out on paper towels to dry them. I sat
there picking scraps of canteloupe off the edges of the
seeds. It was fun. And it was my idea. It was also messy.
 
Here, I plan to show as clearly as possible how I
designed a necklace and earrings set.
 
I wanted to make: a youthful, colorful and lighthearted
design with plenty of pizzazz. I read the fashion mags so something
I saw must have given me an idea.
 
What I wanted to use: pretty, handmade millefiore (thousand-flowers)
drop-shaped beads.The authentic ones from Murano.
(Beginning glass artisans are only allowed to make
beads, until they have skills good enough for the larger pieces,
sculpture, chandeliers etc. But millefiore takes a great deal of skill.)
 
Sterling hoops with loops, for a Gypsy-inspired
flavor and lots of movement to catch light.
Hoops are always in style.
 
Since the Venetian millefiores have an artistic,
can’t-be-ignored look, I wanted to soften that edginess. I could
have used small sterling beads or colored seed beads
but that seemed too blah.
 
I needed something with a bit more of its own presence.
I grabbed a handful of Swarovski crystals, and they had the
oomph I needed.
 
Where the millefiore beads had a somewhat matte,
flat finish but screaming color, the crystals sparkled with
light and life although colors are soft. Almost
any jewelry design can get better with the addition
of Swarovski, the world’s benchmark for crystal.
 
Here is the result. It was so easy to put together, once
I had the magic combination. The crystals are in topaz and aqua,
colors present in the Venetian beads. But there is no
attempt to match exactly.

 
Any woman who wears this set will feel glamorous,
be noticed and get compliments. It’s completely
unique.
 
Just in case you like it, the earrings and necklace
are for sale at $60.00. Call me at 800-572-7920
if you want to own them.
 
About matching: it’s important if you are purchasing an
expensive cultured pearl necklace. Each and every pearl must
match the rest on the strand perfectly. Otherwise,
I find combinations and mixes more exciting.