Never Pay Retail for... Antique Jewelry

This takes some serious time investment and, depending on your reckoning of hourly pay, probably is not lucrative. But for a collector of such things, it is so very worthy of the effort. Collectors usually seek a specific item classification by a specific maker. Someone may be looking for Peruzzi, Florence, 800 sterling pieces (as opposed to the Boston pieces). Another enthusiast might only be interested in Austo-Hungarian enamel necklaces depicting St. George (with pearls of course). There are just so many different antique jewelry fetishes that the best thing I can do is give real life examples.

As a rule, you are looking for a seller who does not know what they have or is not sure of what they have.

$12.99

Example: Sterling Guilloche Belt Buckle by Georg Adam Scheid

When I came across this light blue piece, it was listed for $12.99 on eBay. Hold that thought.

$485.43

A search for similar items yielded an almost identical
buckle for £380 ($485*). Both had markings on the back.
One seller knew what he had, the other did not.

94 euros

A further search of eBay showed items made and signed by Scheid ranged in price from €94 ($107) for a small, simple, sterling pin in the shape of a stirrup, holding a portrait of a horse, ...

7,500 euros

to €7,500 ($8,574*) for a small, extremely detailed,
sterling, enamel, and jeweled  pin depicting a Merbaby
riding a Merhorse (not to be confused with a seahorse).

The original light blue buckle sold for $37. It is unknown whether it will again become available (for a higher price).

*Per exchange rates at the time of this writing.

Investitures

I realized I was delinquent in posting pictures of the St. George investiture when the St. Joachim Order conducted its very first United States investiture. With the most recent first:

The Order of St. Joachim U.S. Investiture 2016, 
Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The International Knightly Order Valiant of St. George 

U.S. Investiture 2015, Atlanta, Georgia

   

Chivalry 100

The code of chivalry is often thought of today only in terms of the behavior of men toward women. It is so much more than that. The part of chivalry most remembered today is really better known as gentlemanly behavior. I’ve recently had requests for a crash course on being a gentleman so I will keep this a short yet overarching instruction on the manners of gentlemen.

A gentleman knows and follows the rules. The rules of polite society are sometimes insanely complicated. Luckily, many of them can be summarized within just a few categories.

Dressing: Easy! All the rules about black tie, white tie, casual, business, and other forms of dress are well documented. Whether or not you like them isn’t the issue. Ladies don’t like wearing stockings but we do. Also, no matter what you wear, make sure it is clean, without stains, and hole free. Yes, this means even the items “no one” will see.

No, this is not a stock photo. It was a real dinner I attended.
(It was wonderful.)

Dining: Use silverware starting from the outside and work your way in. Which fork? Use the one on the outside. Once the first course is cleared, the next set in is the one used. The staff will clear any silver which is no longer needed.

Drinking: Glasses have even easier rules. Use the one with something in it. Each course may have its own wine. The staff knows which glass to use so you don't have to. Also, know thy limits. At all times a gentleman must be prepared to defend his lady. Impaired judgement in such cases is a no go.

Dancing: Just be able to stand in one spot and move a bit. Most ladies will make you look good anyway.

Deferring: Always defer to a lady. More than anything else, this rule defines a gentleman. If you are sitting and there are no more seats, no lady should be standing in your presence. If you are walking with a lady, make sure she is on the inside of the walkway, away from traffic. If you are at a party and you are starving, so is she. Make sure she is fed first. And if after the party she asks you for the car keys, defer. She’ll thank you later.

Only Serious Timepieces Need Apply

I recently had a watch stolen from my suitcase. (I'm pretty sure I know which organization of anti-Fourth Amendment criminals took it but that's another issue.) I bought this particular watch a year ago to celebrate a new job. I absolutely loved it. The two tone design (steel and rose gold), and the combination of a black leather strap and diamond face, made it extremely versatile. So after failing to recover it I went on the hunt for a replacement. This is what I discovered.

• This particular watch was only produced for a limited amount of time (no pun intended) and was no longer available.
• This watch was a Bulova analog chronograph which would hold it's value for, well, pretty much ever. Replacing the exact watch was a smart move since I'd only paid 1/4 of the retail price for it in the first place. (Classify this as "Never Pay Retail For... Watches.)
• The new digital Apple watch has just hit the market at some ridiculous price, thus I'm expecting the Apple II next-gen watch sometime next week. Digital watches are still of no interest to me. They never hold their value and frankly, never look good on. I'm old enough to remember the first ones and the snob appeal that came with them. Nothing has changed.
• My choices were limited if I wanted the features I valued in this model. Steel and rose gold with a leather strap is a combination not often found.

So I looked at other options, keeping in mind that summer is around the corner and maybe a lighter look would work just as well. 

After considering various "designer" brands, I came right back to the analog watchmakers I trusted: Bulova, Seiko, and yes, Timex. Don't get me wrong. Fossil and Michael Kors make some lovely watches. But by-and-large they charge the same prices for "crystals" as Bulova charges for actual diamonds. And I am just a girl after all. Given the choice, I'll take the diamonds all day, every day.

So I did buy a different watch. Another Bulova with a leather strap and diamonds. Found it for 1/3 of the retail price. Lovely watch but... just wasn't the "go with everything" piece I'd hoped for.

Long story short, I found one site online that had two of the original watches left. They were the demos. I didn't care. It's like having a good friend back in town.  And I learned something about watches. The classics keep their value for decades. Look on ebay and you'll see. Diamond Hamilton and Bulova watches from the early to mid 1900s STILL go for the same or more than these newer ones. Someday my son's wives will thank me.

The Second Half

The occasion of one's birth at the half century mark can be traumatic. However, after all the very real and traumatic incidents of 2013, I decided that my birthday will be more than just proverbially happy this year. I decided to buy myself something substantial. Something I always wanted but never owned. Something I would use (which put the diamond tiara out of the running).

Sterling

I'd always felt Towle's Grand Duchess was my pattern. When I married, my Godmother gave us a Grand Duchess tea set. It's absolutely gorgeous. I went in search of the flatware to match and it was even more gorgeous! But it was also terribly expensive. So sterling was put on the back burner for "someday."

Towle's Grand Duchess Tea Set

Towle's Grand Duchess Sterling Flatware

Grand Duchess is still extraordinarily expensive. And anyone reading this blog knows I never pay retail. For anything. Ever. So the search was on for gently used Grand Duchess place settings. And they were still too expensive. Almost ready to give up, I decided to look at other patterns at a slightly lower price point. I really didn't want to settle for something lightweight or less ornate. Fortunately, I found King Richard, also by Towle. 

So I guess "someday" is now. Here's to the second half century.

Towle's King Richard Sterling Flatware

Proper Shoes

My husband's grandmother used to say, "If your feet are dressed, you are dressed." Wise woman, Grandma.

Lately I've been on a shoe buying spree. It doesn't happen often but a new job demands it. Black was pretty much already taken care of as well as navy and buff/taupe/neutral/tan. What I'm really missing is dark brown and dijon yellow.  So, out come all the rules about shoes for the office.

• Closed toe
• Leather upper
• Leather sole (if possible)
• Rounded toe (flat toe shoes can lead to ingrown nails)
• Higher vamp (better for your feet and doesn't show toe cleavage)
• Reasonable heel height.
• Comfortable

Granted, these are my rules, but they have never let me down. The first six are all geared toward the last one. Work days can mean being in a pair of heels for up to 14 hours so I'm willing to spend a little more on them in order to protect my feet and maintain my energy level.

My favorite brands for work include Anne Klein, Circa Joan & David, Ralph Lauren (the Zabrina pump is fantastic), Ivanka Trump, and Steve Madden. Donald J. Pliner shoes are worth a mention here. Although they are usually better suited to out-of-office wear due to their casual style, they are consistently the most comfortable shoes I own.

Shoes I steer clear of: Bandolino (these actually damage my feet), crocs (just too ugly for words), and sandals (not office appropriate).

Other considerations:

• Cole Haan tends to run narrow so I don't buy them unless I am in the store and have tried them on.
• Nine West is a win most, lose a few, gamble. I stick to their leather shoes that meet the above criteria.
• Comfort brands are great but often look clunky.

So what did I buy so far? A few pics are worth a few thousand words.
              

For Love of Books

“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.”
―Jorge Luis Borges

I have a passion for books. Not just a passion for reading but for the books themselves. Every room in my house has at least one book in it. Downstairs alone has about 70 feet of linear book space. And, odd as it may sound, some of my friends have even more linear feet in less space. We love to discuss libraries and which books we collect for ourselves. A friendship between book lovers ensures you always have something new to discuss. Books tend to bind people as well as pages.

“In a good bookroom you feel in some mysterious way that you are absorbing the wisdom contained in all the books through your skin, without even opening them.”
―Mark Twain

Books are compact, portable, repositories of knowledge. While there are plenty of television shows which leave me feeling short several IQ points, there are very few books I feel that way about (cough *Thomas Hardy* cough). As much as I read, I still look forward to the knowledge that lies inside a new book. Sometimes knowledge can be scary; however, that makes it more valuable. Inside Cyber Warfare is an excellent example of such a book. I read it in small increments as one might a Stephen King novel. But, as disturbing as it is, the insight is invaluable when working with computers and security on a daily basis. Yes, books give more information about the world of computers than the machines themselves ever will.

“When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left,

I buy food and clothes.”
―Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus

Books are art. An artist may starve but books will feed the soul in more ways than one. On occasion I am struck with the sheer beauty of a book. The smell of a leather book is a heady one. I find leather covers intoxicating not only for their smell but for what they promise. Like a good meal, a beautiful book begins with just the scent. Placed in front of you, the book reveals what wonders lie behind the cover. Bindings sewn by hand and silk moiré end papers come together between carefully stamped gold embossing. Delicious.

When restoring books of historical significance, hiring a true craftsman is essential. Fred Shihadeh was one such craftsman. Needing some books repaired, Fred met an old bookbinder while staying in Bremerhaven in 1960. A voracious reader, Fred took a six month apprenticeship with the old bookbinder who was in desperate need of shop help. Fred learned everything he could from the man and afterward, travelled Europe to learn more.

After returning to the United States he and his wife, Elka, started a custom bookbindery and repair business. His beautiful work and knowledge of an almost lost art led them to commissions of historical significance including the repair of an original two-volume set of the Federalist Papers. The work of Fred and Elka Shihadeh continues to this day in their custom leather restorative FredElka Formula (now called Accessible Preservatives). It is used by book lovers and libraries around the globe.

“Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.

Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.”
―Groucho Marx

Books are companions. To the traveler, they are a piece of home, away from home. To the homebound they are a new adventure outside the walls of the sickroom. They are not offended when put aside for a moment. Like a good friend, they understand the frailties of the reader and are happy to pick up right where you left off. We grow attached to their characters to the point of laughing, crying, and even sharing their antics with others. Beware the avid reader in the middle of a good book. They are prone to both shushing and sharing. Grandmothers may seem annoying when sharing baby pictures but a reader enjoying a good book will practically hold you against your will until they’ve shared a particularly good paragraph. Never mind that you have no clue what the plot is or who these characters are; this is important and you will listen.

Some of the best characters I've ever met are the ones who work inside the world of books. Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next novels are about one such character. Thursday Next is a literary detective. Her job is working inside books to manage misdemeanor misspellings,solve the mysteries of out of character antics (I imagine Hermione has been thoroughly grilled), and save the hanging participles from their precarious perches. Perhaps I identify with Thursday a little too well.

“Books are the perfect entertainment: no commercials,
no batteries, hours of enjoyment for each dollar spent.”
―Stephen King

Books are real. They are not subject to power outages, battery shortages or internet failures. Hard copies of books are worth their weight in platinum when marooned on a desert island or the Duluth airport in the dead of winter. Amazon cannot snatch the book back from you when a lawsuit threatens their profits. This actually happened to Kindle users. From NPR’s story in 2009:

More people are getting used to reading e-books on devices like the Sony Reader or the Amazon Kindle. Recently Kindle owners who had purchased George Orwell's 1984 or Animal Farm had their books snatched back by Amazon when a rights issue arose. The buyers were credited their $9.99, but such a recall could never have happened with actual books.

This story plays into my worst fears for Western civilization. I have nightmares that something horrible will happen to the Library of Congress and it will be Alexandria all over again. If an electronic book can be deleted, it can also be modified, and without a hard copy, could you prove it?

Finally, I leave you with this: If you still doubt their value, you should know they make wonderful bullet stoppers when stacked in a window during a zombie apocalypse. Please don't ask me how I know this.