trinket boxes

Aug 19 2011

Jewelry Boxes For Women: Why Antique Jewelry Boxes are Appealing

Jewelry is very precious to women so it is an absolute necessity that they are stored in the right case. However, any ordinary container won’t do. Jewelry boxes for women should not only keep your jewelry protected but they should mirror your personality.

Jewelry boxes have been with us for a long time. They can be dated to as far back as 3000 BC during the the times of ancient Egypt and Rome. They were commonly called jewelry caskets during those days.

Before the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, these boxes were made by hand out of materials like stone, wood, fabric and metals such as gold, silver and bronze. This made each one rare and unique and eventually become a collector’s item.

Ancient Egyptians were famed for their intricate boxes inlaid with ivory sheets while Asian jewelry boxes were often wrapped in luxurious silk. Boxes made by using the art of enameling over copper were popular during the Victorian era.

The enamel boxes often highlighted exquisite hand painted patterns such as flowers, landscapes and portraits. The colors of the cases were so vibrant they often retained the boldness and sharpness even as time passed.

Shorty thereafter, Art Metal Wares with an Art Nouveau style caught on fast in Europe and America which lasted until World War I before interest in fashion began to dissipate. These trinket boxes were crafted using cast metals plated with gold, silver, copper, or ivory. Women with hair flowing and floral patterns were the most common designs featured.

Many women choose to own antique jewelry boxes because they often tell an interesting story. Owning one makes you feel as if you have something that is part if history. They elicit a feeling of nostalgia and romanticism.

While they may be lacking in some of the advanced features of modern jewelry boxes, their quaint designs that are unique and elegant more than make up for it. But real antique jewelry boxes can be quite expensive. Differentiating between an authentic antique box and a replica can be hard to do because of the many mass produced imitations in the market.

To know if your jewelry box is an actual antique, it would be a smart idea to have a professional appraise it. He or she will be able to tell you how much your jewelry box is really worth.

Genuine antique pieces are not that difficult to find. You can buy them from antique shops, auctions, flea markets and even online. If a genuine antique is something you cannot afford, you can opt for a reproduction instead that can look just as real.

It is a great option that can give you that same old world charm but at a significantly less expensive price. Whether you own a true antique jewelry box or just a copy, it is still a prized possession that you can enjoy for a long time.

This article was written by Rachel Manalo of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes feature evocative wood art designs, created from unique wood grain patterns and colors. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!

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Jewelry Boxes For Women: Why Antique Jewelry Boxes are Appealing

By Mike_1952 • Watches • • Tags: enamel boxes, hand, jewelry boxes, time, trinket boxes, wood

Jul 21 2011

Birthday Gifts For Mom: Marquetry Adorned Jewelry Box

Gifts for mom can be chosen and bought from various places. She is the woman who knows every emotion and the only person who would come to us when we need her A mom will admire any gift given by her children.

A lot of joy she would get if we choose the right gift You can always choose a gift of marquetry design as your mom”s birthday gift. If you realize she is your special woman and a wonderful mom then she should be gifted with the most beautiful gift.

There are ones with inlaid brass, oxidised metal and even stones are inlaid. Ancient Egypt was known for its Marquetry work and it was in vogue in the 17th century. The royal families used the extensive and intricate work, even used burial caskets as the work kept improving of the artisans.

Ivory, precious stones, turtle shell, mother of pearl and wood were also being used in the previous century. So Marquetry was very decorative craft. English men who did this work were known as inlayers. Buying our mother a beautiful birthday gift of a marquetry jewel box is a good idea as she would treasure it all her life.

There are highly polished dark or light wood trinket boxes in different shapes and sizes. There are other beautiful designs like the quick sand design. There are other special carved wood and metals added at the sides to give it a grand rich look.

When the box is turned to one side then all the sand will collect on that side. It is so intricate and looks so beautiful. Space is all we look forward to in a jewelry box. The storage is very safe for jewelry as it is lined with velvet.

Moms can use the top layer of the jewelry box for her earrings and rings. It has several drawers divided into different sections to accommodate various pieces of jewelry. A mom is especially thrilled if her son brings her a gift.

How did her little boy know how to buy her something so special? The guests would try to get out as much of news about the gift. Mom can use the top layer for her rings and earrings.

The compartments are arranged in a perfect manner. The middle layer of he box is used for the jewelry of the neck. Bracelets and bangles have to be kept carefully so the last layer of the box is kept specially for his purpose.

She will treasure it as she gets on in years as it will serve as a safe storage space for her trinkets. It would be a wonderful gesture to buy your mom a beautifully handcrafted wooden jewelry box with some intricate marquetry.

This article was written by Rachael Celia Berlie of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes show unique wood grain patterns and colors assembled into beautiful designs of breathtaking beauty. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!

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Birthday Gifts For Mom: Marquetry Adorned Jewelry Box

By Mike_1952 • Watches • • Tags: Birthday, birthday gifts for mom, burial caskets, gift, trinket boxes, work

May 17 2011

Small Jewelry Boxes: An Ideal Gift for Any Occasion

Small jewelry boxes or trinket boxes are cute velvet or satin lined boxes that are made to hold select pieces of jewelry. Several different types of wood are used to make these boxes, which come in various types, shapes, and styles. If the wood that is used to make the box is readily available it definitely costs lesser than a box made with rare and exotic wood.

There are small jewelry boxes that can store just one piece of jewelry, which are good for gifting a single bracelet, necklace, or ring. In case you want to buy a box for storing your jewelry, you may want to consider small wooden boxes made specifically with several ring slots to hold rings.

If you have a bangle collection, you might like a rectangular box designed with rows and rows of bangle holders. If it is for bracelets, necklaces, or chains, a box with hooks would be best to hang up the jewelry without it getting scratched.

Alternatively, if you have a small collection of different sized pieces of jewelry, you could go in for a small jewelry box that has two or three drawers with sections to organize your jewelry and keep it readily accessible.

You will see many unusually shaped jewelry boxes. You could get your box customized or just buy a readymade box. As you want a small jewelry box, it will be cheaper to buy a readymade one rather than get it customized to hold just a few pieces of jewelry. There are some really beautiful wooden boxes that are handcrafted and embellished to perfection with art work like marquetry, which is an ancient wood inlay art form.

Some of these boxes use some exquisitely handcrafted brass hinges and clasps, especially on boxes that are made to look like miniature pirate chests. There boxes which look like a miniature of an antique chest of drawers or even igloos! You could buy an entire matched set of jewelry boxes too to store different jewelry.

Jewelry boxes made of wood have an inherent aesthetic appeal that enhances the decor of your room and don’t just boast a utility value. As a handcarved jewelry box looks sleek and sophisticated, it adds charm to your dresser. On many occasions, you may find that your exquisitely handcrafted wooden jewelry box outshines your jewelry! The rectangle-shaped jewelry box is the most popular. It may be because it occupies less space on the dresser and is easier to carry around. As a gift though, the heart shaped jewelry box is the all time favorite. There are also the less popular oval, round, octagonal shapes.

This article was brought to you by MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes show unique wood grain patterns and colors assembled into beautiful designs of breathtaking beauty. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!

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Small Jewelry Boxes: An Ideal Gift for Any Occasion

By Mike_1952 • Watches • • Tags: antique chest of drawers, readymade, Ring, trinket boxes, wood, wood inlay

Apr 20 2011

Unique Jewelry Boxes: Some Fascinating Tidbits

Did you know that only wood can produce unique jewelry boxes? Each handmade jewelry box exhibits its own individual markings and traits. Each box resembles a miniature model of exquisitely carved furniture and is at times customized to blend with a room’s decor.

There are many types of jewelry boxes that follow different art styles like the Classic, Elizabethan, Victorian, Art Deco, and Contemporary forms. Careful attention is given to the matching all sides of the jewelry box to produce aesthetic balance. This is called book matching.

Band saw jewelry boxes are those that are carved out of individual blocks of wood using the band saw, a power tool. This tool has a metal blade with teeth on one side and is used to carve irregular shapes out of wood. The lids are usually carved by hand and the box has no joints or seams. To get a good finish, the inner section of the box is sanded after it is cut out. The unusual shape of these band saw boxes has resulted in these boxes being given unusual names.

Small handcrafted trinket boxes with feet and accents can be used to store delicate pieces of fine jewelry like earrings, rings, necklaces, etc. There are also men’s jewelry boxes called ‘watch boxes’ that are made exclusively for watches and are fitted with small watch pillows.

Most jewelry boxes are fitted with dividers that are used to create smaller sections in the box . The smallest jewelry box is also called a ‘snuff box’ and the largest boxes have several levels and drawers.

Cocobolo, sassafras, and wenge were some of the many kinds of wood that were used. In earlier times, carpenters would only use their own hands and hand tools to carve elaborate ornate jewelry boxes. Jewelry boxes made of Kauki, an ancient and rare wood, are very expensive and considered as family heirlooms to be treasured and passed on to the next generation.

Maple is one of the most preferred wood for manufacturing handmade wooden jewelry boxes. There are more than a 100 species of maple! The hornbeam maple, sugar maple, red maple, and the European sycamore (of Biblical fame!) are preferred over others.

All pieces of wood are uniquely marked over time by fungus, the elements, insects, or just genetic factors. The burls found in each piece of wood are unique and cannot be replicated. There are different types of wood markings and are called by different names: fiddle-back flamed, curly, birds-eye, bean claw, spalted, or quilted.

The absolutely unique jewelry box is one that is not stained or dyed with chemicals and is allowed to reveal its natural ‘defects’, which in fact serves to enhance, rather than mar, its beauty. The lining in each box is usually velvet or satin or some material that is equally soft and smooth. Hinges are usually made of brass and gold-plated or sometimes made of silver.

As such, handmade wooden jewelry boxes do not follow any set pattern. They just come to life in the hands of a skilled ‘art carpenter’ who instinctively knows what to do with each block of wood to produce an extraordinarily beautiful and unique piece of art.

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Unique Jewelry Boxes: Some Fascinating Tidbits

By Mike_1952 • Watches • • Tags: family heirlooms, hand, handmade jewelry box, Maple, trinket boxes, wood

Aug 23 2010

The Best Parties Require Unique Hostess Gifts

If you are planning a party, there is a lot to think about. You should serve great food, plan fun activities, and a great guest list that will get along and be interesting. Even if it is a kid’s party you are planning, you will still want a great event. Once you have the usual party items like food, drinks, invitations, and games organized, you can organize the goody sacks. There are a number of ways to thank people for attending your part with great gift bags. If you are having a party with a theme, you can create bags to fit the theme. If you do not have a specific theme, but your party is supposed to be elegant, fun, or sporty, make sure your goodie bags are the same. For a little girl’s party or ladies luncheon, bags can be filled with handcrafted jewelry or handmade jewelry.

Imagine how thrilled girls and women will be with a bag like this. They will be happy to have attended your event and it may inspire them to make bags of their own at their last events.

If your party is oriented more toward men or boys, consider sports themed bags. Boys love nothing more than sports trinkets and memorabilia. Grown men will enjoy sports related games, and team logo wear. A great way to create a gift bag is to choose one larger item you know everyone will love and supplement the bag with smaller generic items. For instance, consider putting a pack of baseball cards in a goodie bag for a little boy’s party, and then add candy and other edible treats. You can even find these items in sports related themes.

If you are throwing a co-ed party for grown ups, try to make the gift bags fun or elegant. You canfind a variety of items in miniature like picture frames, trinket boxes, or handmade crafts that will fit into classic bags your guests will love. Many of these items you can make yourself. Head to the craft store, for supplies of all kinds. Craft stores are great places to find beads, bobbles, and sequins.

If it is in the budget, and you want a classier look, find gold or silver frames that are elegant and fancy. You can even include a photo in the frame if you like, or be sure a group photo is taken at the event with the intention of framing at a later date. A party is a great occasion to share a special gift with each of the guests at the event. Choose something special that everyone will love.

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