Well here's the first post on my new blog, thought long and hard about which piece should launch this site, finally deciding that the dragonfly pin used as my avatar would be the right choice. Bought at an antique show in early '80s, this lovely piece from the first few years of the 20th century, made by Newark, NJ manufacturer Riker Brothers, launched my dragonfly collection. Crafted of 14 karat gold, it's highlighted with enamel wings in soft shades of blue and green, the eyes are demantoid garnets, a diamond and ruby on the body. It's a watch pin, with a hook on the back to hold a small ladies pocket watch, though it can also be worn quite nicely by itself.
A version of this pin in different colors is shown on page 109 in The Glitter & The Gold, Fashioning America's Jewelry, edited by Ulysses Dietz, a great book showing all types of jewelry and related items from the late 19th and early 20th century, by numerous Newark, New Jersey jewelry manufacturers, with some interesting insight into the jewelry-making industry. The book can be found at the Newark Museum Shop as well as Amazon and other booksellers.
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