I started another blog...

[tayloropolis]

Since I'm obsessed with jewelry lately, I started a new blog: Recreating Georgian Jewelry

Here's what I've posted about recently:

Anna Wintour and her Georgian Collet Necklaces

Extant Georgian Girandole Earrings

Huge Georgian Girandole Earrings in Portraits

Sparkles FTW!

Comments

[nuranar]

Whee, this is totally fascinating! Something I've been wondering about for a LONG tie: What was the original earring hardware like? I mean the part that actually went through the ear? I've always thought that posts were invented far later, but portraits don't seem to show the big long hooks that people use for mid-Victorian jewelry. And most museums don't show the backs, or the jewels were obviously updated to more "modern" fittings at some point. But I want to know what they actually did.

[tayloropolis]

I would say that the vast, vast majority are hooks. There are a lot on my historic jewelry pinterest page: http://www.pinterest.com/damesalamode/historic-sparkles/

And even though there aren't any that are visible, I think some of them MUST have post backs. I don't know how you could hide a hook on some of them. This is a good idea for a blog post!

[nuranar]

Maybe the hooks are a lot smaller, then, and soldered (or whatever the proper jewelry technique is) directly to the jewel fitting. I don't see long, plain, dangly hooks; they're short and solid. Is that what you're talking about

[isiswardrobe]

How neat!