When used for cameos, two color layers visible, white and orange or brown. Not sure I would want to wear them though. Very informative article and never knew such unique jewelry like this existed way back when. Collection of the Art Fund, Inc. at the Birmingham Museum of Art; Purchased with funds provided by the Sklenar Family – Herb, Ellie, Susan and Tisha; and the Art Fund, Inc., AFI.4.2013. The operculum of a sea snail named, Shiva Shell is found in Northern part of Australia in South Seas. This sadly tarnished sterling necklace is 16″ long. These operculum served without doubt as shell beads, since shells were intensively used in the form of beads and pendants during the Neolithic period. The unique example of Operculum jewelry is a handcrafted gold brooch set with two large operculum shells and accented with 4 pearls, set in a gold mounting with a seaweed or wave motif. Please see the footer for copyright information regarding all images appearing on this blog. A perforated operculum of Pomatias olivieri has been figured in Mienis (1990. 39cm long.. the largest shell setting 15mm to the smallest 9mm. How curious. I would love to own a few, but don’t think I’d wear them since they are made of real gold and/ or sterling silver. philosophy & vision. You receive the same product as you can see it at the photo in a beautiful and secure box. Although this gold and operculum ring is very pretty with its floral motif, I would worry a bit about potential damage to the shell if the wearer wasn’t careful. As far as I know she only gave one away to my brother in law. 🙂, I have a number of loose green ‘cat’s eye’ ones given to my mom in the late 1960s by someone she knew, they are from the Fiji Islands where this lady lived, from her beach. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any text material herein without prior written permission is strictly prohibited. It has two sides – a very elegant white side with a spiral and hues of browns/greens/reds on the other side, said to look like an eye. ; imbricated, or lamellar: when it grows only on one side, and the nucleus is marginal, as in Purpura, Xenophora, and Paludomus. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. It too is about 7.5″ long. There are 18 opercula in this gold-mounted necklace, and the smaller ones look very well matched in color. I’m curious because I have a necklace, bracelet and earring set that was given to me by my grandma. tested for silver. contact me. Size - 4.8cm x 1.7cm brooch size. ... Operculum Shell Earrings Sterling Silver Screw Back Vintage 3/4" Matched Vintage. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. All text within this blog is ©The Chatsworth Lady except as otherwise noted, such as attributed quotes. This sterling necklace is simple but stylish, and I can attest that it is extremely comfortable to wear. Toggle menu. We carry Tabra Jewelry, Pottery, Far Fetched, Mermaids, Laurel Burch, Firefly Jewelry, Wall Art, Glass Art, unique jewely, gifts for mom, gifts for dad and gifts for the person who has it … Being a part of many shelled animals, it is a calcified disc-shaped, an eye-like and is used in jewelry. Victorian Operculum Brooch. Notice that even though the opercula do not extend all the way to the ends, the necklace still has the typical hidden clasp. eco-conscious packaging. All diamond and gemstone grading is done under GIA standards as the mounting permits, where gemstones are present; where mountings impede accurate measurements, (estimated) dimensions are provided. There’s a pretty wide variation, depending on whether a piece is of the tourist-jewelry type or an antique piece set in sterling, the complexity of the construction, and how many shells are in it. Take full advantage of our site features by enabling JavaScript. Vintage Operculum Shell Necklace, Vintage Operculum Earrings, Operculum Jewelry Set, Beautiful and unique vintage operculum shell necklace with matching earrings. These are also set in 9k gold. Created with Sketch. There are 307 operculum jewelry for sale on Etsy, and they cost AU$89.28 on average. We do this with marketing and advertising partners (who may have their own information they’ve collected). The operculum at the far right is cracked; a reminder that these are shells, after all, and prone to damage. It weighs 45 grams which is a bit more than 1.5 ounces. $79. It measures approx. They appear to be set in silver, probably sterling. shop. The jewelry is fascinating though. Etsy sellers promote their items through our paid advertising platform. ( Log Out /  Hi, Your research is impeccable! This article was very helpful.   Australia   |   English (UK)   |   $ (AUD), remembering account, browser, and regional preferences, remembering privacy and security settings, personalised search, content, and recommendations, helping sellers understand their audience, showing relevant, targeted ads on and off Etsy. Unusual Vintage OPERCULUM EYES Face Design Pendant Necklace. This 1880s bracelet in 9k gold has graceful scroll-shaped links and a safety chain. Because of their eye-like appearance these are sometimes called “cat’s eye”, “evil eye” or “Shiva’s eye” shells or jewelry. The tourist-quality pieces, including the ones incorporating the faux tortoiseshell (plastic) can be had on eBay or Etsy for less than $100, while the older, sterling-set necklaces typically are often $200 and up. Operculum shell is actually the protective cover that certain sea and land snails use to close themselves inside their shells for protection. VINTAGE EVIL BULLS EYE OPERCULUM 12K GOLD FILLED BROOCH PENDANT. The most common operculum jewelry material is metal. Sixteen inches long, the biggest operculum is about 3/4″ high. Now Free Shipping Worldwide! Remarkably like eyes. This very unusual necklace used matrix turquoise as well as opercula. When I first encountered operculum jewelry, my reaction was ‘What the heck is that?’ It certainly didn’t resemble anything I’d ever seen before; for one thing, they looked almost eerily like “eyes” of some sort. 17 BRACELET INV#7661 FABULOUS CHARM BRACELET MADE WITH COWRIE SHELLS---MY COLLECTION: 18 BRACELET INV#7661 ANOTHER VIEW MY COLLECTION: 19 OPERCULUM INV#7948 VICTORIAN OPERCULUM … The opercula seem to be subtly graduated in size, to the largest (13th) central shell. The operculum have a rich deep green coloring for the most part with a little brown and while visible. AND MADE INTO JEWELRY BY THE WOMEN. Enter your email address to receive notifications of new Chatsworth Lady posts by email. Shell jewelry is jewelry that is primarily made from seashells, the shells of marine mollusks.Shell jewelry is a type of shellcraft.One very common form of shell jewelry is necklaces that are composed of large numbers of beads, where each individual bead is the whole (but often drilled) shell of a small sea snail.Numerous other varieties of shell jewelry are made, including bracelets and earrings. It’s hard to say without knowing more about them, such as whether or not the setting is sterling or gold, and, if gold, what the karat weight is. This second in a series of four posts about operculum jewelry focuses on the popular stylistic combination of opercula with tortoise shell, and here's where things start to get murky. Operculum is a type of marine shell . Antique item, see photographs for condition. Change ). Surprisingly, this bracelet is 18k gold… something you’d only expect to see in a fine jewelry/gemstone piece! There is a handwritten note from the lady on the box lid that says they are ‘now rare/extinct– and a collector’s item.’. I just bought an operculum bracelet. New (Other) C $31.74. Done in the Victorian style. blog/news. They were used in necklaces, bracelets, brooches, earrings and even cufflinks. This listing is for one piece but I have two so I have shown you pictures of both of them. But were they manmade or natural? So now I wear one around my neck as well. I’ve never heard of these before! Because of the lanyard style of the brooch, the operculum could be detached and used as a pendant on a fine chain. Operculum, eye like markings on front, spiral growth on back. ( Log Out /  Etsy will stop supporting older versions of Safari in the near future. From United States. 5 out of 5 stars (4,726) 4,726 reviews. Thank you for the inquiry. I surround myself with seashells. Victorian Era. 508-487-1763 From shop WanderlustWorldArts. The “holes” visible on the short end(s) of the turquoise cabochons make me wonder if those were originally beads that were later incorporated into this necklace. Well done…loved seeing all these examples. Variety Names. Set where you live, what language you speak and the currency you use. It seems to have survived quite nicely thus far, though! the jewelry. The shell shop, sailors valentine shells, craft shells,shells cape cod, cape cod seashells, Craft shells Cape cod,Shell shop,specimen shells The operculum of a sea snail, Shiva shell is found in the South Seas north of Australia. Free shipping . The images on this blog are displayed only for the purposes of providing information, research, criticism or commentary and are the property of their original owners and/or creators. 🙂, Yes, they are unusual for sure! Did you scroll all this way to get facts about operculum jewelry? Beautiful Antique Victorian Era Operculum Shell Ring In Sterling Silver Setting. These are beautiful. The bottom is flat. Gemexi is the biggest 925 sterling silver jewelry manufacturers & exporter from India and offers a variety of handmade gemstones jewelry in wholesale price. The process of collecting them and making a necklace can take up to eight months. These technologies are used for things like interest based Etsy ads. Please update your device to the latest version of iOS. This bracelet features little shells called operculum shells. This must have been made for a somewhat smaller wrist, as it is only 6.8″ long. $200. This collet-set bracelet is just 7″ long. 22 operculum of shell products are offered for sale by suppliers on Alibaba.com A wide variety of operculum of shell options are available to you, There are 7 suppliers who sells operculum of shell on Alibaba.com, mainly located in Asia. The Shiva eye jewelry was most popular in Victorian Era Britain and are commonly found in African-American mojo bags in America. The accompanying simple bar brooch is a classic. ( Log Out /  Apr 26, 2020 - Explore Moon Over Maui's board "Cats Eye / Operculum Jewelry", followed by 592 people on Pinterest. The most popular colour? Antique Victorian Necklace Operculum Shell Vintage Eye Eyeball Fine Jewelry Rare. Such a pretty combination of ornamentation and simplicity in this 9k gold bar brooch. Mother of pearl, pearly luster and usually good to high iridescence. Another graduated opercula (14mm to 23 mm) necklace in silver, this time in a festoon style using 15 shells. C $50.80. QQAQdQQQQ QQbQQQQQyQQQQQQ QAegeanSeaGlassDesign, QQAQdQQQQ QQbQQQQQyQQQQQQ QWhiteIslandTreasures. Some of the technologies we use are necessary for critical functions like security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and to make the site work correctly for browsing and transactions. I’m glad to know this was useful, Carol. the beach. May 14, 2018 - Explore World of Eccentricity & Charm's board "Operculum Jewelry", followed by 1430 people on Pinterest. When my mom passed awsy they became mine. ©2015-2020 The Chatsworth Lady , all rights reserved. There are some styles that do not use any real gold or sterling silver, though; those will be the subject of my next post about operculum jewelry. operculum - (o-per'-ku-lum) Shell or Chinese cat's-eye.The lid of a (Turbo) snail shell, the disc which closes the opening when the snail is retracted. I don’t want to sell them but I’d love to know approximate value. C $66.12. As always…the BEST informative articles ever! Operculum Shell "Eye of Shiva" Sterling Silver Bracelet and Heart Earrings. 12.5 mm x 10.5 mm x 4.5mm thick. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. 1 - Sterling Silver Shiva Eye Shell Necklace, Oval Shiva's Eye, Fine Rolo Chain, Operculum Shell, Shell Jewelry, BS18-1231 WanderlustWorldArts. So the value range can be quite variable depending on the actual piece/set. Helmet shell, straight fibrous structure, concave back. ... White Bird Vintage Jewelry. For example, a ten-shell necklace about 16″ long and set in 18k gold sold for the equivalent of about $1800 last year in the UK. The Lantern and The Shovel. The blog header image is Chatsworth House and Park, ca.  1725 by Pieter Tillemans, Flemish, active in Great Britain 1684-1734, oil on canvas. This is a Small size antique/vintage Operculum shell stone used in antique jewelry. by pam | Aug 1, 2016 | Beach Art, Blind Pass Sanibel, Driftwood, Shell Art, Shell Jewelry | 11 . Created with Sketch. The operculum is located across the opening of the shell, so that when the snail retracts its body inside, this “trapdoor” closes as a protective barrier against predators or to avoid drying out in times of heat and drought. A Victorian Operculum Shell necklace set in silver. How much do these sell for? Hi I am curious why you won’t wear something made of gold or silver? Find out more in our Cookies & Similar Technologies Policy. It was discovered fairly early on… I was once told they were very valuable and rare…. Ads are shown to you based on a number of factors like relevance and the amount sellers pay per click. Pendant seashell Eye Operculum with natural turqoise stone and silver elements. Excerpts may be used, provided that credit is given to The Chatsworth Lady and/or the cited material is linked to its original content page or to www.chatsworthlady.com . Set in 925 Sterling Silver, the Shiva Eye seashell jewellery is beautiful. I’m not opposed to wearing either gold nor silver. Mariner shells are the most prized. Learn more. $50.00. Set in sterling silver, this brooch is almost 2″ in diameter. It is a part of shelled animals and show off its calcified disc shape which is like an eye and is embellished in jewelry. Buy It Now. Category: Shell Jewelry. Operculum jewelry was by no means confined to the Victorian era; there are other popular styles and examples dating from various decades of the 20th century. 19th century jewelry, antique jewelry, operculum shell, shell jewelry, Victorian jewelry When I first encountered operculum jewelry, my reaction was ‘What the heck is that?’ It certainly didn’t resemble anything I’d ever seen before; for one thing, they looked almost eerily like “eyes” of some sort. Several of these will be the subject of upcoming posts. The opercula are graduated in size from 12mm at the clasp end to 18mm at the center. Some crazing can be seen in the opercula, especially the lefthand one. Beachcombing Inspired Seashell Jewelry. 🙂. This lovely gold-and-opercula bracelet in its original case is about 7.5″ long. These gold-mounted cufflinks show how the color of opercula can vary; perhaps these were from a slightly different snail species, or from environmental conditions they simply developed more green coloration than brown. They are in various sizes. Jewelpigs. The Craft Gallery and Craft Gallery Annex are your one stop shop for all your gift needs. I seldom wear jewelry anymore due to my hectic work. This necklace is a bit unusual in that it doesn’t have the typical hidden clasp. Operculum jewelry became a huge fad during the Victorian era, with many designs using gold (usually 9kt) or sterling silver mountings. ... Start making your seashell jewelry collection, because a simple shell is all summers must have jewelry. See more ideas about jewelry, shells, island jewelry. The seven opercula are graduated in size. They are indeed natural; in fact, they are part of a special type of snail’s shell. Enjoy your lovely bracelet! Jewelry for sale, Search: Operculum, Category: Jewelry. I got the shell beads at a local bead store, liking the colors, they way they felt, and the fact that they were fairly flat on one side - something different from most shells I have worked with. Etsy uses cookies and similar technologies to give you a better experience, enabling things like: Detailed information can be found in Etsy’s Cookies & Similar Technologies Policy and our Privacy Policy. the mermaid symbol. Set with three round Operculum shells backed with a silvertone C clasp. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for ANTIQUE 10K Y GOLD OPERCULUM SHELL BROOCH PIN BROOCH EVIL EYE VICTORIAN at the best online prices at eBay! Evil Eye Necklace Vintage Jewelry Operculum Shell Pendant Amulet Necklace. ( Log Out /  Well you're in luck, because here they come. That certain sea and land snails use to close themselves inside their shells for protection on. 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Are commenting using your Google account island jewelry a certain group of freshwater or marine snails Britain and commonly... For a somewhat smaller wrist, as it is a bit unusual that... More repetitive the largest ( 13th ) central shell quite make out Etsy, and I can attest it... Somewhat smaller wrist, as it is a part of many shelled and. The value range can be seen in the South Seas north of.! Lanyard style of the brooch, the Shiva eye jewelry was most popular in Victorian era operculum shell this has... It weighs 45 grams which is like an eye and is embellished in jewelry ’! Earring set in 925 sterling silver, this brooch is almost 2″ in diameter this brooch is almost 2″ diameter! The necklace still has the typical hidden clasp well as opercula of new Chatsworth in. Ornamentation and simplicity in this case it refers to a certain group of freshwater or marine snails text. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any text material herein without prior written permission is strictly prohibited collecting and... Have the typical hidden clasp have the typical hidden clasp out more in our &! To protect against being cursed by the evil eye smaller ones look very well Matched in color out 5! Being cursed by the Chatsworth Lady except as otherwise noted, such as attributed quotes of collecting them and a! Date of early 19th century, pink to orange coloring, flame like structure most popular Victorian... On front, spiral growth on back details below or click an icon to Log in: you commenting! Have the typical hidden clasp board `` operculum jewelry became a huge fad during the Victorian era Britain and commonly!

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