This pair of “Green Man” earrings from Trademark Antiques is one of many spooky jewelry pieces in part two of Associate Editor Lenore Fedow's creepy antique and vintage jewelry series.
I love fun holiday traditions, especially this time of year. Whether it's pumpkin carving or putting up Halloween decorations, I'm all for it.
Here at National Jeweler, we have our own Halloween traditions. The excellent Amanda Gizzi gives us a festive round of jewelry (my favorite of the year) and I write about something spooky.
I've written about cursed jewelry, “bad luck” gemstones and, last year, creepy antique and vintage jewelry.
I had so much fun with last year's story that I decided to write a second part.
I contacted several antique and vintage jewellery experts and asked them to dig up the creepiest jewellery they had in their warehouse, and they were happy to oblige.
Trademark antics.
Trademark Antiques, featured in last year's story, set the bar high. In the first part of this series, it featured a haunting pair of children's earrings and a brooch with a clown holding a dagger.
How can one overcome this, you ask? Well, let's take a look.
There is nothing more frightening than Satan himself!
This devilish charm is made of 14 carat gold and has natural ruby eyes. It is circa 1970 to 1980.
The mischievous expression on his face makes dabbling in the dark arts seem kind of fun, doesn't it?;
Then we have this pair of 14 karat gold “Green Man” earrings with citrine frames, seen at the top of the article.
These were cast and reproduced from an ancient Art Nouveau ear pendant from about 1890 to 1910.
The Green Man, as this pattern is often called, is not in itself frightening. I have seen this almost friendly face before in works of art and architecture, usually placed in a tree or surrounded by foliage.
He is described as the god of the forest and as a symbol of the cycle of life. In the past, he was worshipped to ensure a good harvest.
But what I didn't know is that it is believed to “guard the metaphysical gateway between the material and immaterial world”.
Perhaps that's why she looks less like the kindly Grandma Willow in Disney's Pocahontas and more like the apple-throwing tree from The Wizard of Oz.
Alexa Rosen Antiques
So in preparation for this story, I scrolled through Instagram looking for antique jewelers who might have something creepy to share.
Along the way, I found Alexa Rosen Antiques, who was kind enough to share something really scary.
These haunted skull earrings become even more terrifying when you know what they are made of.
These are earrings carved from lava, created from the ruins of the cities of Pompeii. They date from the early to mid-19th century, and the earrings were added later, said owner Kristie Rosen.
For those who don't know, in 79 AD, the cities of Herculaneum and Stabiae in Pompeii, Italy were decimated when Mount Vesuvius erupted, covering the cities and their inhabitants with lava, volcanic dust and ash.
These buried cities were discovered in 1748. And what better way to honour the memories of these poor lost souls than to make tourist trinkets out of this lava rock?;
Lang Antiques has an interesting post about the public's morbid interest in souvenirs from these ruins.
I firmly believe that jewelry can be haunted or cursed. But that's certainly one way this can happen.
Imagine you were one of those people in Pompeii. Not only were you killed in a tragic and horrific event. But then we come to your grave and carve trinkets from your murderer.
So talk about a challenge to pain! It will haunt you for good.
Source: nationaljeweler.com
