Let us put by some hour of every day for holy things...

I will not doubt, though all my ships at sea
Come drifting home with broken masts and sails.
I will believe the Hand which never fails,
From seeming evil, worketh good for me.
And though I weep because those sails are tattered,
Still will I cry, while my best hopes lie shattered:
I trust in Thee.
--Ann Kimmel

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labor of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17-18

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Desperately Seeking Sarah

When I was a kid, my mom usually had a few favorite television game shows she tuned into every weekday. Concentration and Jeopardy are the ones I remember her liking most, but there were a few others I've forgotten. One thing I do recall is the fun of hearing what the contestants had won. Even the losers got goodies to take home. One of those consolation prizes was inevitably some kind of jewelry set by Sarah Coventry--items which meant absolutely nothing to me then, but which I find myself increasingly drawn to in my baby boomer middle age.

A couple of weeks ago I was at a garage sale (big surprise) and picked up a bag of mixed new and vintage costume jewelry that was marked $5.00. I'm not a big fan of buy-it-in-a-lot stuff generally as I know I'll get stuck with junk (dare I say, sheer trash?) that I don't want. But this time I saw this glorious pastel floral enamel brooch beckoning from inside its clear poly prison, and all bets were off :
It's not in pristine condition, but I still love it.
I've been coveting this Sarah Coventry brooch for years, but I've been too cheap to pay the usual asking price I see at antique stores and online auctions. (Now if I can just find the matching clip earrings--!)

I went hunting for a set online today and, while I didn't find one in my [dirt cheap] price range, I did find this amazing necklace which I had to share here, from Etsy shop TheClassicJewelryBox.
 www.etsy.com/shop/TheClassicJewelryBox .



Vintage Sarah Coventry Inspired Bib Collage Statement Necklace Spring Flowers Daisies Bridal Wedding Prom PRICE REDUCTION!!!
www.etsy.com/listing/226589698/vintage-sarah-coventry-inspired-bib
Isn't this fabulous???  I see my brooch there, and also my coveted earrings. How I would love to learn to make jewelry like this from old or mismatched earrings and pins! Let me show you some other necklace collage pieces this talented Etsian has made:


Collage Assemblage Statement Necklace Vintage Costume Jewelry Rhinestone Clear Blue Mixed Metals
www.etsy.com/listing/213098240/collage-assemblage-statement-necklace

OOAK Bib Vintage Retro Bridal Wedding Collage Statement Necklace Daisy Rose Flower Butterflies
www.etsy.com/listing/226489110/ooak-bib-vintage-retro-bridal-wedding


But back to Sarah Coventry. The other set I adore, and am waiting to pounce on at some yard sale some day, is "Candyland":



Sarah coventry Candland pastels set
Such happy colors!
I found I was collecting Sarah Coventry without even realizing it. It didn't occur to me to look at manufacturer or designer marks on jewelry until I was tipped off by an antique store owner who commented on my "Weiss" earrings. I didn't know Weiss from Adam but I dutifully unfastened one and she showed me the name stamped on the metal underside. After that I learned to recognize some of the collectible names in costume jewelry, and to my surprise, found that I had a number of Sarah Coventry pieces without even knowing it. I just did a quick rummaging of my stash and found these examples:

It's plain to see I gravitate toward the figural and whimsical pieces in the SC line, but don't be fooled; there are scads of elegant, classic pieces as well. So start checking for those designer marks!
"SC", "SARAH COV" and "COVENTRY" are all valid Sarah Coventry designations.

P.S. Hoping you'll visit my new facebook page!         
www.facebook.com/SheerTrashRoadshow











2 comments :

  1. I love your post. I do love Sarah's colors from the 60s. I also enjoy thrifting, estates sales, rummage sales. I have found nearly everything I wanted or needed at these sales plus I get the thrill of treasure hunting. I am now looking for Candyland. Living in the Midwest is a blessing when looking for vintage jewelry since quite a lot of it was manufactured in Chicago. Thanks for showing my collage pieces. Good luck on finding Candyland. I'm sure it will come your way. Linda from the Classic Jewelry Box on etsy.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank YOU, Linda! Sounds like we have a lot in common. Best of success!

    ReplyDelete