Ontique

Best antique engagement rings Antique engagement rings are a unique and beautiful alternative to a new ring. The tradition of giving separate rings for the engagement and the marriage started in Victorian England. The first DeBeers diamond minds in the late 1800s helped increase the popularity of engagement rings. The earliest diamonds were not nearly as brilliant as today’s rings. The first mine cut diamonds were not very clear. This improved in the early 20th century with the European cut diamonds. These are often found in rings from the Art Deco period. Diamond cutting continued to improve and evolve into the brilliant cut that is still used today. Get Diamonds Today Larger stones are found in Victorian rings. While these diamonds don’t have the clarity of newer rings, the stone is generally larger. Rings became smaller throughout the early 1900s and into the Great Depression. Overall, the quality of the diamond affects the price. Clarity isn’t as important in antique rings as it is in new ones. The value depends more on the demand for specific rings. The most popular vintage rings are from the Victorian Era through the 1940s. Distinct styles, settings and stones can be seen in rings from each period. Victorian rings are generally yellow or rose colored gold. The stone can be a diamond, but pearls were just as common in this time period. Edwardian rings have a filigree design in the rings. Some may have Jewish or Christian designs in the filigree. Art Deco rings of the 1920s are generally platinum, white gold or silver. Bezel settings are common in these rings. The setting makes the smaller diamond appear larger. Rings became smaller and less ornate in the 1930s and 1940s. Platinum became less common during the war years and yellow or white gold was commonly used in rings. Carvings on the shank and settings helped make the center stone appear larger.  Where to Find Antique Engagement Rings FIND HERE  Get Diamonds Today  There are several good places to find antique rings. Antique stores often carry jewelry. Some dealers are more knowledgeable than others about the details and value of rings from each period. In some cases, you ca get a really good deal. Some stores under sell jewelry because they don’t know its true value. The ring may not come with a certificate. If not, have it independently appraised for insurance. Jewelers sometimes carry vintage pieces. A good jeweler will be knowledgeable about the value of the ring. You may not get as good a deal, but will have the peace of mind of knowing that you have a quality ring. You will be given a certificate for the diamond when you buy from a jeweler. Estate sales are a good place to find antique wedding jewelry. You can usually arrange to view the items the day before the estate sale. Read about the value and characteristics of antique rings to help determine the value of the ring. Inspect the ring carefully before the sale to decide how high you will bid. You can find information in books at the library or on the internet.  Caring for Antique Engagement Rings Antique diamond jewelry will retain its beauty for years, if you care for it properly. Before you purchase the ring, have the jeweler inspect the prongs carefully to be sure the stone won’t come loose. You don’t want to lose your diamond. Take the ring to the jeweler for professional cleaning and inspection once or twice a year.

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Buying and selling antiques from online antiques stores is becoming a very popular business for many people. There are many different types of antiques that you can buy and sell at these resources on the internet. Often certain types of antiques are more popular than other antiques. If you are planning on buying and selling antiques you need to understand the market and how to make it work for you. The best way to establish yourself is to find the most unique item that you can. It or they should be fairly easy for you to acquire. The next step is to learn everything you can about it. This will help you to shop for antiques in the best possible way.
Some up-and-coming antique items that are becoming more and more popular among collectors can be found at opposite sides of the country. Some of these antiques can be found in New England and date from the time of 1790 to 1860, finding heavy influence from Anglo sources. These New England antiques include hutch tables, highboys, blanket chests, and pewter cupboards. If you are able to obtain any of these antique items from New England you are sure to have a winner when it comes to an antique sale. You may find some of these pieces from New England so beautiful that you may want to keep a piece or two for your own private collection of antiques. Other antique items that are gaining popularity come from the state of Texas. Many Texas antiques have a German influence that can be seen in the craftsmanship. The time period for these antiques is from 1870 to 1900 and includes such items as rawhide chairs, tables, and wardrobes. Most of these antique items can be identified by their tapered legs and by the use of wood from Texas that is known as heart pine. If you are unsure if one of these Texas items is actually an antique or not is by checking the dovetailing that you can find on the corners of the drawers. If the dovetailing is uniform and looks too perfect then more than likely the item isn’t an antique. Dovetailing in antiques looks rough, irregular, and handmade. If you are just starting out with your own online antique shop and want to start up a business of buying and selling antiques, you will have to obtain items such as the ones mentioned above so that you can establish your uniqueness in the antique field. You want to be able to offer antique buyers something that they can’t get anywhere else without a great deal of effort.

Antique jewelry has never been out of fashion – another example of changing things always remaining the same. Vintage jewelry can be ornate, sentimental, classy, and at the same time, chic. For those who want to stand out and be noticed without going over the top with fancy accessories, here’s your chance to do just that. Try Vintage jewelry – they stand out for their elegant designs, skilled craftsmanship, and for their value. Express Your Sentiments Vintage jewelry stands for another era – a time of innocent sentiments and tender romance. Vintage jewelry, almost a hundred years after the reign of Queen Victoria ended, remains popular for their old world charm. Antique jewelry is one way to express your true feelings; whether you wear a piece of Vintage jewelry with the word “Dear” etched on it, or you gift someone close to you a ring with ‘”True regards” embellished on it with rubies or diamonds. Gorgeous Designs Vintage jewelry can be as extravagant as it can be subdued. A little gilt edged work, a small diamond or pearl, and you have a dazzling hairpin which can set off your dress to an advantage without looking out of place. Try an old-fashioned brooch inlaid with mother of pearl or enamel if you cannot afford more expensive antique jewelry. Look for maidenly pinks, bold reds, royal mauves, prim blues, and pristine whites to go with your moods and dresses. Rings, bracelets, necklaces, brooches, pendants, pins, tiaras, even cuffs and rings for men – there is no lack of choices when it comes to Vintage jewelry. If you cannot afford antique jewelry, go for imitation or Victorian inspired pieces. The designs are based on the originals, the workmanship and materials used are similar, only the date of manufacturing has been moved 100 years forward. These modern pieces, created by well-known jewelry houses seeking to cash in on the demand for all things old, are affordable are guarantee quality.

Doing home improvement repairs for African Americans can be very costly and there are many homeowners that do not take advantage of programs that can be available to them. It is important that you look at the Government Grants that are available for African American Homeowners because they can really benefit you and with the cost of building materials and labor on the rise it is important that you try to find an alternative to help you get the home improvements that you need.
Learn How to Get a : Government Grant Now
By using a Government Grant a African American Homeowner can save thousands of dollars on upgrading there home. Some people are just unaware that the Government set aside money in the form of Grants to help homeowners get the upgrades and the repairs they need to improve there homes.
Find the Best : Government Grants
Because of hard economic times it is more important today than ever to spend the extra effort in seeking out and getting the Government Grant to improve your home that you deserve. There is so much money that goes totally unused that you need to take advantage of what can be yours.
There are many Grants that are available on the federal as well as state and local levels so it is critical that you check into all the programs that will allow you to apply for a grant.
It is most important that you obtain the information that you need to get the money that you deserve and a Government Grant is a great way to improve your home.

Winter indicates the coming of the holidays when people are made busy with shopping and some even take the time to sun themselves at another tropical part of the world. But even with the chill that it brings, winter can also be one of the best times for New York City homeowners do those home improvement projects that are being saved for the spring or summer. Though the cold months of winter is considered the off season with enhancing the living condition in your house as well as adding to its market value not a popular task, there are many benefits that many New York homeowners overlook. Given are several reasons why winter can also be a great time to have some home improvement projects done: . Low, low prices. This is why shopping is especially popular at this time of the year. It’s because of the big discounts that stores offer making up for great buys. Because prices including that of home improvement project materials have considerably dropped, then you can be able to buy high quality products for the lowest possible cost. Because merchants aim to bring in customers even with the surrounding chill, hardware and home improvement stores arte mostly on sale. . Special offers. Winter is the time when most businesses, including the contracting industry, are slowed down mostly because of the cold weather. This makes special offers a popular trend where different contractors compete for clients through making their services extra attractive either through giving discounts or doing additional small jobs for free. . Availability of contractors. Qualified contractors, who are not used to being cooped up inside their homes in inactivity, would be very glad to hear from you and are more than willing to do the job for you. Since the contractor you will be hiring is not as busy as the usual working seasons, you will be assured of more attention on the home improvement project from him. Even the littlest of details could earn ample focus and this will eventually bring about high quality project results. Now that you know how rewarding doing some home improvement projects can be in the winter time, you might be thinking: So what do I undertake? Obviously, home improvement projects that can be done indoors are viable. You can work on home organization and have the installation of cabinetry and additional shelving to keep your home free from clutter would prove to be extremely beneficial. Tiling, bathroom remodeling, flooring, kitchen remodeling, plumbing, just to name a few can also be done. Even outdoor home improvement projects can be tackled during this cold season for the family to be able to enjoy the property fully in the coming spring and summer. As not everyday can be snowing or as cold, you can take care of the fence repair since the shrubs are not in full bloom giving you more access to the fence. Winter is also the best time to be pruning your trees in the area because broken and dead branches can easily be spotted without the leaves. To prepare for the coming rainy season, now is also the best time to repair or cover the gutters. And you can even take care of renovation such as turning your porch into a comfort6able sunroom for you to enjoy on sunny days.

You open up a phone book or even the local newspaper, there are tons of advertisements for contractors. Each contractor specializes in certain parts of the home. They can be electricians, designers, engineers, interior designers, plumbers and even joiners. They each have a specific home improvement skill and each one can not do without another.
If you want to do some home improvement which involves removing chunks and adding to it, it’s best in this case to turn to someone with that particular skill. Should this be a new bathroom installation or replacing the old bathroom with fresh ideas, let someone else do the project.
While many suspect all contractors are expensive, this is not always the case. It is possible to look around and find an expensive, yet very experienced contractor. You would pay for labor and materials. The best way to find someone like this is to ask around in your neighborhood, friends and family to see who they would recommend and why. Most people will go with a recommended contractor.
How about if you want to restyle your home? You do not have to do this alone either. There are home interior consultants that are willing to lend their expertise to those who want to refurnish their home to a look they want. It can get quite expensive despite the fact that they are consultants, you have to pay for the materials and the hours they work to tell you what fabrics will work and what others won’t. So on, so forth. This is really not feasible for most people because of the money issue.
Contractors in home improvement are great when looking to get huge modifications done. They should be listed with a governing body, have all the licenses with terms and conditions.
Should it be a small job you are looking to get done, see if a family member or friend can help you. That or you can attempt and do it yourself. You should not have to shell out for the whole thing.
No matter the size of the job, it is important that the person you choose to do your work has got certificates for you to see and the much needed materials that you like before they start on a job. Should they be half way into before you inspect it, you still must pay them for what they did do.

I have been collecting Antique and Vintage Costume and Fine Jewelry for over three decades. Most of what I bought was from the Saturday and Sunday flea markets at the local drive-in theater and at a once a month massive open air antique market held in the mountains near where I grew up. I never paid much, a quarter here, a dime there and sometimes a few dollars however over the years until I really became a serious collector, I probably had no more than $500. 00 in an amazing collection of over 2,500-3,000 pieces.   Over the years I have collected many types of jewelry. At first it was bracelets, then rings and when I got out of college and pursued my career as an interior designer, I found pins and earrings to be practical and suitable. In the mid-60’s to early 70’s I bought a lot of colorful and heavy “plastic” pieces and most were bracelets. I just loved the dull clunk they made when they hit against my desk… well I am sure you know where this is going… you’re right most were Bakelite. One in particular is a wonderful art deco black, red, orange, yellow and green fins clamper bracelet and it is like having a carnival on your arm. It fits great and feels sturdy andit brings me joy. It wasn’t until I received Harrice Simons-Miller 2002 third edition Official Price Guide to Costume Jewelry, that I realized the bracelet is called “Philadelphia” and has a market value of up to $5,000 making it the Holy Grail of Bakelite jewelry. I also became quite passionate for the charm bracelets made in the 1960’s by Napier. At one point I had over 30 of them and I rarely wore them I just loved holding them. I had the colored fruit, the Asian theme, and my favorites was the marine theme with seashells and seahorses. Over the years I paid between $1. 00 – $5. 00 each for them and in early 2000, I sold them individually on eBay for $125. 00 and up to 245. 00 each. What a great return, right. Well yes but a day does not go by that I regret selling them. They gave me more happiness than the monies they brought. As I became more sophisticated in my jewelry search I began to love all things Miriam Haskell, Eisenberg, Pennino and Boucher. All of these names seemed to come with a higher price but still affordable and all quite luxurious. Then there came Staret, McClelland-Barclay, Schreiner, Dujay, DeMario, Reja, Deja and Alfred Philippe and Alfred Spaney’s extra special pieces made for Crown Trifari. Needless to say I was smitten and would never turn back. After a while and as I was getting older, I started to understand the beauty of 19C Victorian and Art Nouveau and in particular the mourning pieces made during and after the Civil War. The Art Deco period pieces also caught my attention because of their architectural angled designs. Well enough about me…  Throughout the years it was truly guesswork as to what I should pay for a piece and then the harder part came when trying to find out how much a piece was worth. As a result I found that the public library had many jewelry price guides and I poured through them all for days on end and would pick out my next piece I was obsessing for. Through this research, I found three authors who stood out as being the best at giving the right information for just about anything you might need to know as an antique and vintage costume and fine jewelry collector or dealer. The first is Jeanenne Bell. Jeanenne Bell has been on Antiques Roadshow as a jewelry appraiser and is one of America’s leading authorities on antique jewelry. She has written many books and the first book I bought of hers was “How to be a Jewelry Detective”. This book is filled to the brim with priceless information about the clues to solving jewelry mysteries. She gives easy to understand tips for testing materials, gem cuts, hardware and findings throughout the ages, marks and a whole lot more. I have recommended this book to literally 100’s of my buyers on eBay who may not be sure what gutta percha is, or is it ivory or bone and what is a briolette cut stone. She answers them all and she even has a small pocket size field guide to take along to the shops and flea markets. My favorite book of hers is Collecting Victorian Jewelry which is a real treat for the eyes and is beautiful enough to be left out for others to peruse. In this book she shows an amazing range of incredible museum quality pieces of Costume and Fine jewelry. Each piece is a work of art and each has an easy to understand description and value assigned. She imparts the history associated with the Victorian era and who all of the main characters were. She enlightens the reader about this period in time that was all about romance, passion and heartache. Very good read and a very good aid to the serious period piece collector. My next favorite author is Harrice Simons-Miller. I have two of her price guides, Costume Jewelry 2nd edition and Official Price Guide to Costume Jewelry 3rd edition. What I love about her books is that she knows her stuff as it relates to costume jewelry dating from early Art Deco up to the present. Her books are very good for identifying the major players in the costume and fashion design industries. She really clarifies what each jewelry designer’s signature look is and her photographs and descriptions will give you an edge when you are out in the field. Her values are truly representative of retail in fine antique or jewelry boutiques and give the reader the parameters as to what to spend to get your jewelry collection “fix”. She has bought from me on eBay on a couple of occasions and each piece she purchased was always a little odd and unexpected, making me think she knew of or was creating a trend which others were yet aware. My third favorite author is Roseann Ettinger. She has a series of price guides that are not only about jewelry but other vintage collectibles with a lot of concentration on fashion and the fifties. Her jewelry price guides include her “popular” series and include “Forties and Fifties Popular Jewelry”, “Popular Jewelry of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s” and my all time favorite of hers “1840-1940 Popular Jewelry” the revised 3rd edition. Her price guide covers jewelry pieces that you actually might come across and be able to own for not a lot of money. Unlike Bell and Simons-Miller who are showing museum quality and hard to find pieces, the pieces shown in Ettingers are really quite attainable and I have actually had many of her pieces that she has described. Her photographs are quite large making it easy to see the details of the pieces and she doesn’t dwell on the glitzier side of jewelry but the real down to earth stuff that most of our mothers and grandmothers would have worn. There are many great costume jewelry price guides out there from Nancy Schiffer, Lillian Baker, Christie Romero for Warman’s, Cheri Simonds, Ronna Lee Atkins and more, but my first three will give the beginner or even well seasoned antique and vintage costume or fine jewelry collector or dealer a well rounded wealth of knowledge and pricing guidelines. For even more super jewelry tips and great jewelry to buy, visit Vintage Gems Emporium at www. vintagegemsemporium. com. Registration is free and easy. About the Author: My name is Candace Daugherty and I live near Charleston, South Carolina. I am an entrepreneur and have worked as a retail design and marketing consultant with many internationally known retailers and fashion designers over the past 30 years. My true passion however is Antique and Vintage Costume and Fine Jewelry. I have collected jewelry for over 35 years and own many incredibly fabulous book pieces as shown in the many of the jewelry price guides discussed above. Since October 1, 2008,  I along with three others have founded the first of its kind, an exclusive auction boutique for antique, vintage and new costume and fine jewelry. We started Vintagel Gems Emporium at www. vintagegemsemporium. com with three philosophies in mind. The first is to be a specialty boutique in an Auction Venue just for the collector and specialist of antique and vintage costume and fine jewelry. The second is to be the lowest cost auction or fixed price venue on the internet. And the third is to put the entire Virtual Gems Emporium community first with unbelievable customer service and fair equal treatment of all trading partners. www. vintagegemsemporium. com  

I love the antiques roadshow and things of that nature. I would like to learn more about antiques (NOT TO BE a PRO)!
I would just like to learn more from books or websites or whatever. I can’t go to classes because I’m kinda housebound but would still like to learn more. Thanks!
Yes I know I said I wanted to learn from books but I was hoping you could recommend some specfic ones!

older carnival glass and pink depression, both are for collectors and I have quite a few pieces