Today’s Jewelry Collection Story comes from Joanna of @summertrianglestudios – I first discovered her page whenever I did any type of fun challenge on Instagram. Her photos would always stop me in my tracks and she became an instant follow! She has an amazing eye and sometimes sells pieces from her personal collection. I’m excited to share her story:
“Like so many in this community, jewelry has been a lifelong love. As a tiny kid I had little boxes of sparkly costume jewelry that I treasured. I started doing some silversmithing in high school and beading in college to make my own jewelry, then slowly began to assemble a little collection of antique and vintage pieces as finances allowed. I inherited some vintage pieces from my husband’s grandmother and my mother in law soon after I was married, which pretty much kicked off my fine jewelry collection. That was years ago and today, it’s a full-blown obsession and hobby.”
“Old Ceylon moonstones are my first love! One of the best parts of hunting for them is that you literally never know where you might find a phenomenal specimen- it could be set in 18kt and platinum or it could be in a janky brass brooch with the gilt worn off!
I’m also obsessed with 1930s-40s late art deco, specifically tank rings. I like to call this time period retro-deco. It has such a distinctive, identifiable look, and yet the variations are endless and can be incredibly wild and innovative.
And finally, coach covers! They’re such a weird, obscure Victorian oddity that I think in some ways embody the spirit of the period- buttoned up but with a hidden secret, a little bizarre, decadent and frivolous yet still serving a purpose. I have two pairs of coach covers and several stray singles that I’m always on the lookout for matches for.”
“Collecting jewelry is not just about hoarding shinies like a dragon, much as we do love that… jewelry is history, it’s culture, it’s art. Jewelry is like a microcosm of the time that produced it. We can learn so much about a society and a time by the small ornamentation it chose to value. I’ve always loved to study those things so it’s a natural fit for my passions. It’s a tangible, extremely intimate, connection to the people who have gone before and shaped our present, for better or worse.”
“I would love to have places to hunt in person, but most of what I do happens online. The big three marketplaces, plus individual websites, Instagram, auctions… I love the hunt and I love coming up with new angles to come at searches that might turn up something new.”
“I wish I could know ALL the stories behind my jewelry! I have one piece, a gold watch chain, that was left behind when a father went to fight in France during World War I. One of the women in his family turned it into a necklace to wear to keep him close. I don’t know what happened to him; I hope he made it home.”
“My wedding stack is the one thing I wear every day. I wear my engagement ring that came from my husband’s grandmother, wedding band, and two whisper-thin little bands that have my kids’ names on them. I really love that my wedding stack hasn’t remained static over the years- I’ve added to it as other beautiful changes have come into my life. The engagement ring is the only piece of the stack that I ever take off.”
