Vivianna Torun Bulow-Hube   Born in 1927 Vivianna Torun Bulow-Hube studied at the National College of Craft and Design in Stockholm, before opening her studio  in 1951.During a trip to Paris in 1956, she was interested by the early artifacts on display at the Musee de L'Homme. She then designed jewellery with Egyptian amulets.  Torun decided to remain and&..

The Influence of the Bauhaus   At the  Bauhaus a German design school in existence from 1919 onwards, the application of modernist principles to smaller scale design took place. Under the management of it director Walter Gropius it's stong influence on the art and design world continued even after the school was shut by the Nazi's in 1933. The Bauhaus ethos of "f..

Marcel Boucher Marcel Boucher was born in 1898. He was a French jewellery designer who produced some of the most flamboyant work in the 1940's. He trained at Cartier in Paris before moving to New York int he 1920's. In 1937 he set up his own business, Marcel Boucher et Cie. His business partner Arthur Halberstadt worked as the front of house  person in the shop, while Boucher de..

Sweden and Traditionalist Design Conservative tastes prevailed in Sweden in the first two decades of the 20th century. Innovation was not welcomed. Georg Jensen was admired but from a distance. The Art Nouveau and Art Deco influences from Europe were not explored until Wiwen Nilsson came onto the scene. The traditionalist design ethos in Sweden was evident at the Paris Expo in 1900..

Different types of Brooches and  Pins A wide variety of different types of brooches can be found when looking for vintage brooches to collect or wear. Here are some of the key designer names and styles to look out for. VIntage  rhinestone brooches from Modern Vintage Style Modern Vintage Style has a variety of rhinestone, flower, pearl and old gold and silver brooches..

ROSE QUARTZ GEMSTONE PROPERTIES Rose quartz can be a beautiful gemstone and is often used in jewellery.  The colours can range from pale pink to a deep peachy pink colour. Most rose quartz is quite included or cloudy and has a transulcent appearance. Clear "gemmy"material is limited and can be more expensive, especially the deeper colours. The lower grade material is more brittle..

SCANDINAVIAN MODERNISM Although the 1950's was the decade of design glitz , it had the opposite effect in Scandinavia where a new design esthetic emerged which had a great impact on all areas of design including jewellery. Silver was the preferred metal of choice as Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark had centuries old tradition of silversmithing, and silver was malleable and easy to ..

A Scottish silver jewellery designer whose work is much prized today is Norman Grant. He was born in Forres, Scotland in 1943 and at the age of 18 started training at Grays School of Art in Aberdeen. Initially he studied graphic design before later moving into silversmithing . Having lived near the coast much of his jewellery designs reflected the natural shapes and details seen in the environment..

BERNARD INSTONE - EARLY LIFE Bernard Instone was born  in 1891 at "Neston Villa" in Kings Norton, Birmingham. In 1903 at the age of 12 he received a scholarship to attend the Central School of Art. His talent shone through and he received two further scholarships to continue his training. He studied  jewellery and practical silversmithing at the Birmingham School of Jewellery in Vitto..

ARTS AND CRAFTS JEWELLERS A lot of the ideals of the Art Nouveau design movement were also shared by Arts and Crafts movement jewellers in Northern Europe,  Britain, and the United States. Both movements had deep roots in mid-19th century Britain. Two leading British cultural figures, the philosopher and designer William Morris and the art critic John Ruskin wrote about the dissatisfa..