Showing posts with label jewelry resource books.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jewelry resource books.. Show all posts

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Jewelry Resource Book Review: Amazing Cartier - Jewelry Since 1937

The spectacular Cartier designs have amazed buyers and collectors of jewelry for decades because of their trend setting creations. Figurals make up quite a significant portion of the Cartier Collection, with designs ranging from bejeweled roosters to stunning tigers.

This book details their designs from 1937 through the beginning of the 21st century. There are hundreds of close up photographs, as well as archival drawings and photos taken of famous people wearing the design in real life.

These real life photos give a fabulous look at fashion styles from the actual time that the pieces were created, and this gives additional visual details of styles, hair and make up fashions from the period.

The book discusses the rise of the firm and offers a tribute to the multiple designers responsible for the myriad of jewelry pieces sold by Cartier.

The company was founded in 1847 in Paris by Louis-Francois Cartier. His son Alfred took over the administration of the company in 1874, but it Alfred's sons Louis, Pierre and Jacques who were responsible for establishing the world wide fascination with the name Cartier. At first known for watches, by the early 1900s, Cartier had branches in London, New York and St. Petersburg.

Their early Art Deco designs, in particular the use of Tutti Frutti jewels made them at the top of wealthy patrons list of jewelry designers.

The book is available from leading book sellers or online from amazon.com and other internet book sellers. If you are a lover of Cartier jewelry or a vintage jewelry collector, then this book is a must have.

With this year's recent celebration of 100 years of Cartier, this book goes hand in hand with the celebration and gives much of the history around the House of Cartier. Looking through this book and seeing page after page of stunning photos of their designs, shows why the name Cartier is synomous with perfection.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

More Summer Reading - Contemporary Jewelry Making Techniques

Normally, I talk about resource books which are devoted to vintage jewelry which is my main interest. However, there is a great book that I have just discoved which is designed for those jewelry artists who want to create sensational, one-of -a-kind contemporary jewelry.

The book is called Encyclopedia of Contemporary Jewelry-Making Techniques, by Vannetta Seecharran, a London designer. It has step by step instructions with photographs for methods which work with a wide range of materials, such as plastics, rubber, resin, ceramics, glass, leather, textiles and much more.

Each of the mediums is discussed in great detail and design techniques for all of them are featured. The book is available in paperback and hard cover from bookstores or online at Interweavestore.com.

If you make contemporary jewelry using unusual design mediums, this may be a book for you to check out.