Good morning, my darlings! It’s been a while since we’ve done a good old fashioned store profile, but I’ve got a great one for you here today. We’re going to be taking a look at the fantastic A Brandt and Son, a family-owned antique and vintage jewelry store outside of Philly.
I was in Philly for a weekend away with my husband (a weekend that I do admit was supposed to be jewelry-free) when the patient Mr. DitL agreed that sure, we could stop by just one jewelry store. I’d been following A Brandt and Son online for a while and had seen some of their treasures once at the NYC Big Flea, so I was thrilled to have a chance to go visit them in person.
A Brandt and Son‘s online description is “A. Brandt + Son offers an extensive collection of Antique and Estate Jewelry, specializing in pieces from the Georgian era through the Contemporary period.” This sounds vague, but I assure you it’s completely accurate.
They do specialize in everything between Georgian and Contemporary. Their selection is exceptional, and it ranges evenly across all of those eras. I saw exceptional antique chains, Georgian necklaces, Edwardian pendants, engagement rings from all eras, mourning rings, and more – not to mention the swoonworthy motherload of Victorian lockets (see please above and drool).
Let’s take a look at some of the treasures I saw there.
A Brandt and Son had one of the best in-store selections of midrange Art Deco engagement rings I’ve seen anywhere. The kind that the majority of people will actually be able to afford: bigger than a twinkle but smaller than a boulder, and with plenty of knee-weakening detail. But I admit I’m biased; my own ring would fit into this stack perfectly.
One of my favorite things about A Brandt and Son is that they really did have excellent examples of pieces from all categories, from the most accessible – classic Art Deco engagement rings – to the unusual, like this Victorian skeleton key pendant.
Each key features a retractable hidden function. The left key hides a small knife blade and the right, a pencil.
One of the best man-in-the-moon rings I’ve ever seen!
This beauty is Victorian, and the man in the moon is actually carved rock crystal rather than moonstone, which is more commonly used in pieces like this. It reflects light in a ghostly glow, ethereal and captivating.
Antique Animal Jewelry’s most remarkable non-animal pieces tend to be the mourning rings (in my opinion, anyway). Just look at the incredible condition of the two Georgian sepia rings above: every detail remains perfect.
This mourning ring is also a Georgian sepia ring, but it stands out thanks to its startlingly gorgeous and unusual halo of turquoise stones. The inscription reveals that the piece was created to honor a child who was lost at just two and a half years of age.
I showed you a dog and a cat crystal intaglio already, but you can see another immediately above; a Victorian reverse painted crystal guinea pig intaglio, which is a thing I have never seen before.
Antique Animal Jewelry frequently features conversion jewelry like the piece above: the finished bracelet represents the combination of the snake or griffin clasp, which was originally on a bracelet of horsehair, with a different 18k gold Victorian bracelet.
I had four items in my cart after just a few minutes browsing Benique’s website. It’s a goldmine of just the kind of versatile, interesting fashion jewelry that is any bling-loving lady’s non-bank account busting dream. So many pieces that would go with everything, and each one of them the kind of delicate but eye-catching touch that I’m such a fan of in my everyday wardrobe.
How sexy is 
If it’s firepower you’re after, these 
This is one of my favorite of Benique’s rings, and a great example of what I tend of love about all of their pieces. Simple at first glance, 
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Here are some of the other Benique rings that caught my eye. So many interesting options to choose from!
Looking to start an arm party? 