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A lady with a love for literature and shiny things discusses books & bling.

Introducing the NYC Jewelry and Object Show.

Mark your calendars now, because the first ever NYC Jewelry and Object Show is coming to Manhattan November 16-19th!

Created by a jewelry lover for jewelry lovers, this brand new jewelry show will showcase dealers from around the world offering some of the best and most interesting vintage, antique, and estate jewelry and objects around.

The Autumn NYC Jewelry and Object Show is happening in November 2023!!

Introducing the NYC Jewelry and Object Show

Most of the antique jewelry shows you’ve heard of are legacy projects that have been happening the same way year after year with very little innovation. Whether you’re a dealer exhibiting at those shows or a shopper hunting for treasures, you know that these old shows can start to feel a bit…clunky.

Because the NYC Jewelry and Object Show was created by a jewelry dealer who is also a collector, it takes both dealers’ and shoppers’ needs into consideration. Organized by KIL Promotions (LLC), the new event was created by a familiar figure we know and love here at DitL: antique jewelry dealer and jewelry designer Konstantinos Leoussis.

What makes the NYC Jewelry and Object show different?

It’s common for big jewelry shows to nickel and dime vendors by charging large fees for access to electricity, cases, prime locations, and other essentials. This effectively makes it impossible for small vendors to participate – and also means that it’s harder for vendors to make a profit.

The NYC Jewelry and Object Show’s vendor fees start at thousands of dollars lower than other shows, making it possible for small and independent dealers to exhibit there.

Even better: KIL Promotions (LLC) will be using part of the show’s proceeds to create two new educational scholarships.

KIL N.Y.C. booth during a jewelry show


Tell me more!

Promotion is a huge priority for the show, with outreach targeting three key groups: social-media savvy young people who can drive traffic, serious retail/wholesale reps from around the world to make purchases, and a wide variety of global media and press for further reach.

Strategic marketing means that the show will unite the full range of the jewelry industry’s thriving, glorious, widespread community, while the vendor support system and low fees will attract an unprecedented array of large and small dealers from around the world, including those who don’t normally do shows. All of us in one place, together and doing what we love best.

Oh and did I mention that they’ll also be inviting a selection of local NYC food vendors to participate? Speaking as someone who has eaten a lot of awful convention center food, this is big news.

I’m a dealer, is it too late to sign up?

The NYC Jewelry and Object Show is still accepting vendors, sponsors, and advertisers! For more information, please visit NYCJAOS.com or fill out the appropriate contact form at this link.

What else do I need to know?

I’m going to be there!! My actual physical self, IRL and in person. It’s already on my calendar, so I’ll be roaming the aisles, hopefully scoring incredible finds and chatting with other collectors and jewelry lovers like you.

It’s all happening November 16-19, 2023 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC. Get your tickets at the NYC Jewelry and Object Show’s Eventbrite page and use code DIAMONDSINTHELIBRARY to save $5.

Introducing the NYC Jewelry and Object Show.


This sponsored post is brought to you by KIL Promotions (LLC).



The Autumn NYC Jewelry and Object Show November 2023! New antique show and jewelry show with jewelry dealers from all around the world!

Sweet springtime jewels from A La Vieille Russie.

I’m so happy that spring is here! And I’m not the only one enjoying the season: high-end antique and vintage jewelry store A La Vieille Russie has curated the prettiest spring-themed edit of jewels for us to enjoy.

There’s even a tiara!! It’s incredible.

1920's swan brooch and circa 1905 starburst brooch from A La Vieille Russie

Sweet springtime jewels from A La Vieille Russie

I’ve had the honor of visiting A La Vieille Russie‘s NYC brick and mortar store twice, and both occasions were extremely memorable – even though one visit was just a frantic 10 minutes before I had to go catch my train home. If you ever have the chance to go visit them IRL, definitely do it.

I haven’t met these spring-themed pretties in person, but the lovely folks at ALVR were kind enough to send over these photos for us to enjoy.

Antique ruby and diamond butterfly brooch pendant from A La Vieille Russie

This beautiful butterfly is an antique that can be worn as either a brooch or a pendant. It features rich, red rubies and sparkling antique diamonds.

Up at the top of the post, we have a French 1920’s diamond swan brooch by Hartz. I paired it with this Howard & Co starburst brooch from 1905, because the two together make me feel like I’m taking a sunny walk by a lake.

A gold and enamel orchid brooch, circa 1900, and a demantoid garnet frog brooch from A La Vieille Russie

What’s a fictional springtime stroll without lots of glorious green?

Here we have the prettiest a gold and enamel orchid brooch, circa 1900. How lovely is that delicate, exquisitely detailed enamel? It’s not a flashy design, but its subtle beauty is quietly stunning.

And, of course, a darling demantoid garnet frog brooch to keep the orchid company. Demantoid garnets are one of my favorite green gems, and this little amphibious fellow is just too adorable to resist.

Antique micromosaic earrings and a Jean Schlumberger caterpillar pin with sapphires and turquoise, circa 1950. From A La Vieille Russie

Who said creepy crawlies can’t also be chic?

Here we have a pair of exquisitely detailed antique micromosaic earrings with a motif of flowers and two beetles. If you’re not familiar with micromosaic jewelry, it’s literally a tony mosaic: those images are formed from countless itty bitty fragments that are fitted together to form images. It’s a very tricky technique that requires skill and patience. It blows my mind to know someone made these over 100 years ago, by hand, with no computer-generated schematics to follow.

The earrings are accompanied by an exceptionally charming critter, a caterpillar pin by Jean Schlumberger. I’m not a fan of real life caterpillars (they’re one of the only insect-like creatures that gives me the ick) but this one is welcome to my shoulder anytime. It features sapphires and turquoise and dates to 1950.

Magnificent antique Victorian oak leaf tiara, circa 1850. With emerald leaves and natural pearl and diamond acorns. From A La Vieille Russie

I promised you a tiara and here it is!!! I have a weakness for foliate tiaras and this one is a perfect example of why I love them: it’s so romantic and whimsical and dramatic and elegant. It’s giving major Titania vibes, with its emerald oak leaves and natural pearl and diamond acorns. Put this on and you’re an instant fairy queen.

This one-of-a-kind English tiara is from the Victorian era, circa 1850. It has been in the same family since the 1970’s, when it was previously sold by A La Vieille Russie to a father who was buying it for his daughter to wear on her wedding day. Now it has returned to ALVR’s collection and is looing for a new owner!

Antique French wasp brooch, circa 1875, with diamonds and emeralds and an Art Deco dragonfly brooch by Janesich, circa 1940. From A La Vieille Russie

Two final winged blings to see us out! Here we have antique French wasp brooch, circa 1875, which might actually be my favorite non-tiara piece here. I just love the drama of its wings and its delicate antennae. It’s accompanied by an Art Deco dragonfly brooch by Janesich, circa 1940.

And that’s it for today! What did you think of this collection, my darlings? Do you feel like you’ve been strolling through a bejeweled meadow?

Thanks to A La Vieille Russie for putting together this delightful spring-themed collection of beauties for us to enjoy! You can see these treasures in person at the upcoming Philadelphia Show.

Images c/o A La Vieille Russie.

Vintage swan brooch, Art Deco era, by Hartz. French, circa 1920. From A La Vieille Russie.
A gold and enamel orchid brooch, circa 1900, from A La Vieille Russie
Vintage Jean Schlumberger caterpillar pin with sapphire and turquoise, circa 1950. From A La Vieille Russie
Victorian era snake brooch, American, circa 1900. From A La Vieille Russie.
Victorian era snake bracelet with diamonds and rubies, circa 1880. From A La Vieille Russie.
Victorian era pearl and diamond snake brooch, circa 1860. From A La Vieille Russie.
Victorian era diamond butterfly brooch, circa 1880. English. From A La Vieille Russie
Victorian era diamond butterfly brooch, circa 1880. English. From A La Vieille Russie.
Pineapple earrings by Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co., circa 1950. From A La Vieille Russie.
Peridot and diamond bombe brooch by Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co., circa 1950. From A La Vieille Russie.
Magnificent antique Victorian oak leaf tiara, circa 1850. With emerald leaves and natural pearl and diamond acorns. From A La Vieille Russie
Magnificent antique Victorian oak leaf tiara, circa 1850. With emerald leaves and natural pearl and diamond acorns. From A La Vieille Russie.
Magnificent antique Victorian oak leaf tiara, circa 1850. Detail view of emerald leaves and natural pearl and diamond acorns. From A La Vieille Russie
Magnificent antique Victorian oak leaf tiara, circa 1850. Detail view of emerald leaves and natural pearl and diamond acorns. From A La Vieille Russie.
Magnificent antique Victorian oak leaf tiara, circa 1850. Detail view of emerald leaves and natural pearl and diamond acorns. From A La Vieille Russie!
Art Deco horse brooch from 1920. From A La Vieille Russie.
Art Deco dragonfly brooch by Janesich, circa 1940. From A La Vieille Russie
Art Deco dragonfly brooch by Janesich, circa 1940. From A La Vieille Russie.
Antique Victorian micromosaic earrings. From A La Vieille Russie
Antique ruby and diamond butterfly brooch pendant. From A La Vieille Russie
Antique ruby and diamond butterfly brooch pendant worn as a pendant. From A La Vieille Russie
Antique ruby and diamond butterfly brooch pendant in brooch form. From A La Vieille Russie
Antique ruby and diamond butterfly brooch pendant in antique box. From A La Vieille Russie
Antique French wasp brooch, circa 1875, with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. From A La Vieille Russie
Antique diamond starburst brooch, circa 1905, from A La Vieille Russie
Antique diamond starburst brooch, circa 1905, from A La Vieille Russie.
An antique diamond and pearl jellyfish or flower brooch from A La Vieille Russie
An antique demantoid garnet frog brooch from A La Vieille Russie
A vintage ring with two ducks, by Van Cleef and Arpels. From A La Vieille Russie.
A pair of Etruscan revival gold flower earrings, circa 1870. From A La Vieille Russie

What I’m Reading: Vol. 123.

What I'm reading. Book photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash

Hello my darlings,

Spring has reached Maryland at last! The cherry trees are budding, the sun has returned, and the wind no longer bites my skin. I love love love this time of year, when the world emerges from its long winter sleep and I suddenly feel like everything is possible.

Did you see that I finally won my first real jewelry auction?? I told you recently that I was a jewelry auction novice…and then when I did start bidding, I couldn’t win any! But I finally broke my streak and won an auction for a holy grail dream piece. Hear the full story in this video and see my treasure here.

I hope that the lovely weather has found you, too. Here are some things I’ve been reading lately.

xoxo,
Becky

What I’m reading

Once Upon a Broken Heart and The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber. These books are extremely flowery; the author builds an elaborate fantasy world filled with pink sugar cakes and gold ribbons and dresses made from petals and butterfly wings. It’s romantic and whimsical and adorable to an extreme that’s a little bit over the top…but I wouldn’t have minded if the main character hadn’t also been dumber than a box of rocks. (Mild spoilers ahead!)

Evangeline Fox blunders around, crying and gasping, walking into every obvious trap and making every single possible easy-to-foresee mistake. There is one major plot point at the end of book two that is only possible because every single character ignores an extremely obviously problem until it becomes deadly. While I was reading it, I spent three chapters going “BUT WHAT ABOUT THE [redacted], ISN’T IT GOING TO [redacted]?!?!” And that’s exactly what happens.

I’m including these books here anyway because they could be enjoyable if your pet peeves are different than mine – or if you are buying a book for a younger reader who will appreciate the beauty of this very descriptive series without being bothered by the plot holes.

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller. This YA Fantasy adventure is just what it sounds like: the adventures of a badass young woman whose father is the King of all Pirates. It’s a lot of fun, and definitely worth the time it takes to read, but a few plot/character elements didn’t quite click well enough for me to find it spectacular.

Mercy Thompson books by Patricia Briggs. Mercy Thompson isn’t quite human, and because of that she knows about the secret world of werewolves, fae, vampires, and witches that is hidden from most humans. Mercy learns more about her past and her abilities (and finds love!) as her world’s supernatural creatures go public and the rest of humanity must adjust to the change.

I’ve been in a big Urban Fantasy mood lately and I devoured this series. It gets better as it goes along: there were some elements in the first couple of books that irritated me, but the author seemed to realize quickly those things weren’t working, because they’re absent from the later books. I wouldn’t call these Fantasy Romance but they do have a prominent PG-13 love story.

TW for a sexual assault that is a major plot point in book three, Iron Kissed. It is thoughtfully handled and not explicit on the page, but the character has flashbacks and panic attacks to connected to the assault for the rest of the series. There are also references to a side character’s death by suicide in multiple books.

Internets

Wearing Stories: Seven Shining Rings. Read through this article on The Voices of Fashion about 7 noteworthy rings and you might just find yours truly.

Who was Agent 355? The Mystery of America’s First Female Spy.

What’s in the Box? The Art of Reliquaries. I have always been utterly fascinated by reliquaries. Anyone with me?

GIA Scientists Unlock Secrets Within Earth Using Diamonds.

An astonishing Napoleonic tiara heads to auction.

Medieval List Reveals 1,065 Dog Names Suitable for the Historic Humans’ Pups.

The Niche Museums website is dedicated to finding small, nice museums in any given area. It’s weird and wonderful.

How the FBI Discovered a Real-Life Indiana Jones in, of All Places, Rural Indiana.

The Greatest Unsolved Heist in Irish History: Scandal, conspiracy, and cover-ups in the theft of the “Irish Crown Jewels” from Dublin Castle.

Book images via UnSplash. This post contains affiliate links.

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