Joden Girl

Baubles, Bling and Discounted Things

The changing of the seasons is a magical time.  Living in Western Pennsylvania, we are blessed to see dramatic differences in our surroundings as each season comes and goes.  Yesterday, the first snow fell from the sky, landing softly on the ground below.  It melted away almost as quickly as it came.  Last night, the temperature dropped and a bit more snow fell.  This morning, when I peeked through my bedroom curtain, bleary-eyed from too little sleep, I was delighted to see a thin blanket of white fluffiness covering everything.  It looked so clean and fresh – like a new beginning.  

This Art Nouveau darling was surely inspired by the first few days of spring.  Bursting with color, this portrait is so joyful.  Perched on a daisy stem, a winged cherub wearing a blossom for a hat is delighted by a lifelike dragonfly in the midst of a gentle rain.  This clever fairy is wielding an arrow behind him, leaving the beholder to ponder what mischief he’s planning.  My favorite detail of this antique brooch requires nothing more than running my finger across the surface to appreciate it… each drop of rain actually rises from the enameled painting.  This attention to detail is the very thing that elevates this art to another level.

Painted on a 14-karat yellow gold disk of gold, this masterpiece was crafted by layering one saturated color after another.  The technique is called peinture sur émail; after each hue is carefully applied, the piece is fired.  In complex designs like this, it may have been fired as many as twenty times.  Truly a labor of love, there’s no question that such dedication was well worth it.  Created by Lucien Boullemièr, a famous potter and former footballer, this brooch is quite rare.  Much of his handcrafted pottery is available in the market today, however, I cannot find another piece of jewelry.  

As a featured Pick of the Week, we’re offering it at a new and unbelievable price.  With a savings of nearly one thousand dollars, this 19th century beauty (previously priced at $3300) is now available for just $2,375.00.  If the first flurries of winter have left you longing for spring showers, perhaps this tiny painting will provide solace until the seasons turn again. 

“You can go to a museum and look, or come to us and touch.”

Written by Carrie Martin

Photos by Dana Jerpe