Saturday, August 11, 2012

Stuff I found this week: Art Deco Bakelite Clock

When I found this, I flipped out. Had to have it. I overpaid to be sure, but it's cute and compact and businesslike and frivolous all at once.  I've had it going for a couple of days now and it looks like the timing is running just fine.  Total score!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Cleaning Costume Jewelry Should Not Involve Vinegar

Huge thank you to everyone out at the show this weekend! I had blast meeting all of you.

*dusts off the dust*

Since our last post, so many wonderful things have happened with the shop. It's been greatly expanded to include other vintage jewelry. We'd been selling brooches and mourning jewelry at shows, but only recently added them online (www.vintagecharmsandbracelets.com ) per request. Well have at it. I'm uploading as fast as I can. Right now I'm shooting for about 5 per day. If you're looking for something in particular, shoot me an email.

Okay, the cleaning jewelry bit

In other news, a friend who shall not be named just ruined a  beautiful piece of costume jewelry. Ruined, guys. So here's my little lesson on taking cleaning tips from people who don't handle costume jewelry:

Don't take tips from people who don't handle costume jewelry. Soaking in vinegar might work great on coins (I don't know), but should only be used on jewelry for less than five minutes. When you leave an old Trifari that is already busted by heavy verdigris in a cup of vinegar for hours and hours, it might crumble before your weeping eyes.

It crumbled before her weeping eyes. Don't be her. I'm already judging and publicly shunning her. I'm privately giving her wine on my sofa as I type this. That's good, I think. She's in that state of laughing through the tears at least. Not quite sure which stage of grief that is.

First use a brush or a toothpick. If that won't do, move up to ketchup. It's the same vinegar acid base, but you can control its movement. Just place it where it on the area of damage. You'll need to check on it by wiping off the ketchup and starting over each time, but that's the only way to make sure the acid isn't wrecking an already delicate piece.

Cliffsnotes version:
No vinegar on costume jewelry unless you check it every 0.53 seconds. Only use a vinegar dip if the other option is throwing the piece away. Victory, if granted, won't be sweet.

If you want to leave a comment laughing at her, that's fine. She's moved on from giggles to hysterics. Stage 6?