Since ancient times, fashion jewellery in Italy has been, and still is, an important component of clothing. The history of fashion cannot be written without mentioning its jewels. This book presents 200 Italian fashion jewels that, spanning from the era of La Dolce Vita to the Pret a Porter of the Eighties, from '90s Minimalism to the Neo Baroque of the new millennium, define the aesthetic mirror of society and show the transformation of styles and customs, ambitions and conquests of women, the evolution of shapes and innovations of materials and new technologies. DIVA! Italian Glamor in Fashion Jewellery tells about fashion jewellery in its creative intersections with Italian excellence: craftsmanship, design and fashion. It is a typically Italian story based on the ability to combine creativity, manufacturing and industry, art and technology, beauty and innovation. The masters of costume jewellery enter a dialogue with the great stylists and the talents of design, three heterogeneous visions with a single great protagonist: the Italian fashion jewel. Text in English and Italian.

A stunning new volume which presents 120 pieces by 50 leading jewellery designers from the 1960s and '70s, including works by John Donald, Arthur King, Andrew Grima and Gilbert Albert. Simply Brilliant presents 120 pieces by 50 leading makers of jewellery in the 1960s and '70s, drawn from the Klosterman collection in Cincinnati. Most, if not all, of the individual makers of this era thought of themselves as artists first, jewellers second, and this magnificent new volume is full of stunning one of a kind pieces which reflect the inventive, ground-breaking attitudes of the era. The book explores the 1961 Goldsmiths Hall exhibition in London and its influence on contemporary jewellery designers such as John Donald, Arthur King, Andrew Grima and Gilbert Albert. The 1961 exhibition brought a new direction in jewellery design to the fore, influencing others - including the major jewellery houses such as Cartier, Bulgari, Chopard and Van Cleef and Arpels - paving the way for an international movement in fashion and design. These jewellery designers created unique pieces, often for individual clients, using non-traditional materials and unusual forms. AUTHOR: Cynthia Amneus is chief curator and curator of Fashion Arts and Textiles at Cincinnati Art Museum. 207 colour illustrations

This first book in the new series will get readers started in making beaded jewellery, similar to the hugely popular absolute beginner's course that Carolyn teaches. It introduces people who have no experience whatsoever, and who may never even have tried a craft before, to the basic techniques, tools and materials involved through simple, inspiring projects. It includes a pictorial 'Jargon buster' glossary of the essential tools and materials used (with both UK and US terms); an index; and 12 step-by-step projects through which people can learn the basic techniques while creating beautiful pieces of jewellery they would want to wear. Clear instructions, step-by-step photography and diagrams where necessary create a user-friendly guide. Projects will take no more than a couple of hours, making them achievable in an evening. Learn how to use memory wire, beading wire, stretchy cord, chain and jump rings to make desirable jewellery pieces. Design tips throughout will encourage beginners to get creative and become jewellery designers in their own right.

This book contains over 100 fabulous step-by-step jewellery projects, including necklaces, pendants, bracelets, earrings, brooches, pins and hair-slides. It takes you from novice to expert, covering all aspects from bead purchase and storage to jewellery making and even display and selling. It features beads and components from worldwide sources in a dazzling variety of styles, colours, sizes and shapes. Easy-to-follow instructions cover a huge range of techniques from simple and traditional to modern and innovative. Extensive suppliers list ensures the reader has the pick of the best beads available.

This book is a basic introduction to lost-wax casting with emphasis on jewelry making. It is designed to be used both as a textbook and a reference book and is directed primarily at beginners. Experienced casters, however, will probably find some useful ideas; they may even find some new techniques. Heavy emphasis is placed upon understanding why things are done in a particular way, rather than simply presenting a set of cookbook rules that will always work. The book is also available in a 8.5x11 inch comb-bound version for use in the shop or classroom. See ISBN 0-9679600-1-0.

The Chinese people have honoured, revered and cherished jade for over 8,000 years. Consequently, jade has played a unique role in the development of Chinese culture. Jade carvings survive not simply as beautiful works of art, but also as cultural relics shedding light on the spiritual life of ancient China. Utilising a wealth of archaeological evidence and illustrated with precious artifacts, Chinese Jade provides an introduction to the fascinating world of Chinese jade from ancient to modern times.

The breadth of National Museums Scotland's collections, together with the support of The Glenmorangie Company, puts National Museums in a unique position to reveal the role of silver in the development of the first kingdoms of Scotland. It was silver, not gold, which was the most important and powerful precious metal in Scotland for over six hundred years and, as well as showcasing beautiful objects, the book builds on the Glenmorangie Research Project to gives fresh insights into this formative period of Scottish history. Based on the exhibition Scotland's Early Silver which was at the National Museum of Scotland and is now on tour.

With over six thousand objects coming largely from Europe and Asia, the Villa San Luca in Ospedaletti (province of Imperia) is a splendid villa-museum set up by antique dealers and collectors Luigi Anton and Nera Laura, donated to the FAI - Fondo Ambiente Italiano, in 2001. It is one of Italy's most important private collections dedicated to the decorative arts. This catalogue presents a selection of the most representative pieces of the vast and diverse collection of silver produced in various European nations from the 17th to the first third of the 19th century: from the old Germanic States to those of the Italian peninsula, from France to England. The objects described in these pages testify to the great skill of master silversmiths in forging the precious metal while following the artistic trends of the moment, as well as proposing a 'nearly complete' compendium of the main types of tableware and household utensils in use on the tables of the upper classes over three centuries of European history. Text in English and Italian.

". . . a book you will refer to over and over again."--Bead&Button A paperback edition of Jamie Cloud Eakin's fantastic bead-embroidery guidebook. Jamie Cloud Eakin shows beaders of all levels the mechanics of more than 30 indispensible techniques for bead embroidery--a process that involves sewing beads onto a fabric base. With step-by-step instructions, helpful diagrams, time-tested tips, and gorgeous photography, Eakin covers everything from the most common surface stitches to decorative fringes and picot. Then, explore what you've learned by creating nine breathtaking pieces, including beautiful necklaces, dazzling earrings, and an elegantly accented purse. A gallery of stunning work from other designers offers additional inspiration.

Learn all you need to know about the significance of rings and how to make various types with step-by-step projects. In this book, Jinks McGrath explains everything you need to know to make different types of rings - from plain bands and Russian wedding rings to tension settings and cast rings. Following her expert advice, you will learn how to make synclastic and anticlastic shapes, how to set stones, how to enamel and how to fuse and texture different metals. The book is also packed with valuable tips about soldering, filing, shaping and polishing, and entire sections are devoted to different types of mounts, settings and finishing techniques. Clearly illustrated, easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions make this book accessible and simple to use regardless of your starting skill level, and the beautiful photographs of rings from an international range of established jewellers provide plenty of inspiration for your own work.

Luminous, with a silken glow and soft to the touch, yet harder than steel, created by nature and shaped by human hand: no other material has been more highly valued in China for millennia than jade. Since humanity's earliest days, magical properties have been attributed to the mineral. As a burial gift it confers immortality and is said to improve health when given as medicine, as a talisman it bestows good fortune and protection. It is hardly surprising that jade objects became sought-after collectables as early as the 10th century. Zurich's Museum Rietberg is home to an exquisite collection of Chinese jade objects spanning four millennia. In his striking images, Zurich-based photographer Felix Streuli brings them to life and makes them glow. The images reveal the most intricate details and make these works of art almost tangible to the viewer. This book features around 60 of Streuli's outstanding photographs, supplemented with concise texts on the objects they show and an introduction to the history of Chinese jade art. Interspersed short stories and poems revolving around the mythical gemstone and a reflection on the photographer's gaze round out this carefully designed picture book. Text in English and German.

This title features over 100 inspiring ways to make stunning pieces from all kinds of materials, with practical step-by-step projects. It contains over 100 ideas and easy-to-make projects, plus scores of tips and inspiration for creating many different types of hand-crafted jewellery. It features every kind of jewellery - from bangles, brooches and pins, to necklaces, rings, pendants and earrings - plus designs for buttons, badges, cufflinks, hair ornaments and trinket boxes. All techniques are shown in fully illustrated step-by-step format - clear, simple and easy to achieve, with stunning pictures of every finished piece. It covers a wide range of different crafting techniques using easily acquired equipment and material: including metal, wire, beads, ribbon, felt, silk, shells, mosaic, ceramics and paper. Jewellery always makes a very personal statement, and creating your own pieces is a wonderful way of saying even more about yourself and your taste. Better still, many of these ideas are so inexpensive, you can give yourself a new look quickly and easily. This book is designed to teach you everything you need to know about making jewellery, and covers all the materials, techniques and equipment you will need. Projects include bracelets and earrings, necklaces and brooches and even cufflinks and rings, and cover all kinds of crafting techniques. Throughout the book there is an emphasis on having fun while inspiring you to create a fabulous and individual look, with the minimum amount of expenditure.

This book teaches how to use drawing as means of expressing a jeweler's creative ideas. In jewelry, there are other ways of creating which do not stem directly from working in the studio. The most important of these is drawing, an extremely useful tool for jewelers due to its speed and adaptability. Mastering this tool can be a great resource that can help jewelers to progress easily and steadily with designing jewelry and presenting their ideas and projects. Drawing allows creative ideas to be clearly visualized; on paper, the form or proportions of the jewelry can be modified quickly and confidently, the structure of clasps and hinges can be studied. It can also be used to visualize how a design will look with a polished or matt finish or with other changes such as different materials. This manual can be read from cover to cover or consulted when facing challenges in real projects.

The emergence of bronze ware forms a crucial chapter in the history of human civilization. Although not the first country to enter the Bronze Age, China enjoys a unique position in world history because of the great variety of innovative and beautiful bronze ware that has been unearthed on China's vast territory. These artifacts provide a window into the art and culture of ancient China. Chinese Bronze Ware introduces the reader to this magnificent culture with thorough discussion of the context and significance of bronze production, vivid descriptions and full-color illustrations.

Create stunningly intricate jewellery using soutache - a form of ornate braid or tassel. Providing plenty of photographed step-by-step instructions as a guide, Amee K. Sweet-McNamara shows intermediate-to-advanced jewellers the various techniques needed to make bracelets, pins, necklaces and earrings. From a richly hued Shimmering Sea Turtle Pendant to Crystal Coil Earrings and a Day of the Dead Bracelet, these 15 colourful pieces are magnificent.

In this book, Cristina Filipe offers a critical examination, from a social and art historical perspective, of some of the artists and contexts that contributed to the transformations in Portuguese jewellery from the vanguard of the 1960s to the early twenty-first century - a decisive period in which the term 'jewellery' itself was redefined. In addition, Contemporary Jewellery in Portugal contextualises the international scene, reflecting on how Portuguese artists responded to these external influences. What jewellery was made? Who made it? What were the underlying trends and creative references? These are some of the questions that this book seeks to answer through the analysis of artist interviews and exhaustive factual research, accompanied by a visual narrative mirroring the changes in contemporary jewellery in Portugal.