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WOOD JEWELRY
One way to survive hard times is with wit… a sense of
humor and an appreciation for the absurd. The 1930’s and 1940’s, Depression
years followed by war years, brought about some of the wittiest and most
absurd jewelry of the 20th century, and some of the most fun to wear.
Wood jewelry was either assembled, as the wood beads mixed
with plastic, glass and other materials, or carved and painted, as the
figurals shown below. Fashioned by jewelry companies and home crafters, the
designs seem endless, and the creativity amazing.
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WOODEN
bell-shaped beads with tiny aqua plastic flower "clappers" 15" necklace.
View
Courtesy of Barbara Wood |
WOODEN
bell-shaped beads with tiny green plastic flower "clappers" 3-1/4" by 3-3/8"
pin. View
Courtesy of Barbara Wood |
WOODEN bell-shaped and round beads 17-1/2" necklace.
View
Courtesy of Barbara Wood |
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Wooden beads combined with plastic flowers were strung to make necklaces,
pins and bracelets. Strung on braided leather, gold tone chain or
twisted silk, each is an accessory to make you smile.
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HASKELL early unsigned 2" dress
clip, wood and glass beads.
View
View #H21874 |
WOOD beads clip with green glass seed bead finials, green wooden
leaves, 2-1/8". View
#w21534 |
WOODEN multi-colored beads 3-1/2" dress clip with green wooden leaves.
View #w21708 |
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Wooden beads, often imported from Czechoslovakia, were mixed with glass seed
beads and glass or wooden leaves in colorful combinations.
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WOOD and glass beaded 3-3/8" by 1-1/2"
pin. View
Courtesy of Barbara Wood |
WOODEN bead bracelet, red, blue gold
cream and green, 7 by 1-1/4", and matching dress clips, 1-1/3".
View View #w22174
and #w22686 |
PIN BACK
with multi-colored disks and white opaque seed beads, 2-1/2" by 1-1/4".
View
Courtesy of Barbara Wood |
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HASKELL wooden
beaded pin. Clips in this series came in various colors and designs. View
#H19700 |
WOOD, straw,
coral and aqua beads dress clip, probably Czech.
View #Y19780 |
HASKELL
early unsigned wooden beads "pinecones" pin.
View #H19832 |
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The beads and findings may be similar, and though all are unsigned and the
maker unidentified, the style of finishing can give clues to the origin of
some of this jewelry. I believe the wood clips at the far left
and far right are early Miriam Haskell pieces. The middle clip is probably
Czech, though Deanna Cera has a picture
of one similar to this wood and straw clip in her book,
"Amazing Gems". (View it here).
She says it was made in Italy circa 1940.
Notice the two Haskell-attributed pieces have a similar style and are
finished with the same attention to detail. Each cascade of wooden beads
ends with a tiny glass seed bead, and the overall shape and combination of
elements is artistically pleasing.
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HASKELL early Hess
wooden floret beads and glass seed beads coil bracelet. #H22088 |
HASKELL Original watercolor with foil "Miriam
Haskell" sticker, numbered #1160 |
View showing the woven coil
cover construction of the bracelet.
Closer views of beads.
View
View |
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WOOD red, green, blue and yellow
beads in two sizes and shapes form this 2-1/3" pin.
View #w19536 |
WOOD beads multi-color and white wooden
3" dress clip with floret beads at the top, very Haskell in it’s style, but
it could also be Czech.
View #H20853 |
WOOD
beads and seed beads dress clip.
View #w19535x |
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WOOD multi-colored
bead 8" bracelet. #w23804 |
MULTI-COLORED wood pinecones
bracelet with glass leaves, 8". #w23936 |
WOOD multi-colored
bead 2" pin.
View #w23805 |
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WOOD beads and
florets pin, 2". View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
WOOD beads and florets pin,
2-1/8". View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
RED wooden
bell-shapes with blue bead clappers 2-1/2" pin.
View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
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WOOD
red acorns and leaves pin, 2-5/8" by 4-3/8".
View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
WOOD
burgundy acorns and leaves pin, 1-3/8" by 3-1/4".
View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
WOOD
green acorns and leaves pin, 2-1/4" by 3".
View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
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Wooden jewelry lends itself to natural motifs, such as these acorn pieces.
The wood is stained and finished, and is combined with metal beads, hemp and
pressed wood elements.
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WOODEN
branch, acorns and oak leaves 2-3/4" by 3-1/3" pin.
View #w11496 |
WOOD leaves and real nuts
pin, 2-5/8" by 2-1/2".
View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
WOODEN green and brown acorns strung on a 14" gold tone chain.
#w21598 |
WOOD
traffic signs necklace strung on celluloid, 17".
View
View #w12987
Courtesy of Lori Kizer |
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WOOD
round acorn-shaped beads with colored caps and spacer beads 16" necklace .
#w22877
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
WOODEN multi-colored
acorns brooch, 4-1/4".
View #w24293 |
WOODEN blue
beads strung as a 6-1/2" long charm bracelet.
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
WOOD
round ball-shaped beads with colored seed beads and links 7" bracelet.
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
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WOODEN
multi-colored "bells" clip, 1" by 2-3/8".
View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
WOOD and
plastic multi-colored carved layered pin, 3-5/8".
View
View #w16686 |
WOODEN
2-1/2" multi-colored wooden beads dress clip, probably Czech.
View #w19535 |
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CORK
and flower-shaped wood beads 16" necklace and 7" bracelet.
View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
WOOD multi-colored leaves and acorns strung on tan celluloid 16"
necklace.
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
WOOD
acorns on brown twist 15-1/2" necklace.
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
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WOODEN carved
and painted "King of the Jungle" pin.
View #w14002 |
WOOD
carved and painted English rider 2 3/4" pin.
View #w13519 |
WOOD
carved and painted football player and ball chatelaine pin with painted
detail, 2 1/2".
View #w14013 |
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Carved and painted figurals are among the most whimsical jewelry types of the
century, with subjects and motifs from a wide variety of sources.
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WOODEN MEXICAN
man 3-1/2" pin carved and painted.
View #w13275 |
COWBOY wooden and leather pin, painted and carved with
leather chaps, rope shows some wear… but he’s a HUGE 4 1/2".
View #w12975 |
WOOD
Mexican three-hat pin, 2.25" with red, yellow and green thread.
View
#w10572 |
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Mexican themes, the American Southwest and the popularity of cowboy movies
all contributed
rich sources of inspiration.
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WOOD sombrero and boots dangle pin,
2-1/4" by 4".
View #w13093 |
WOOD couple dancing pin with painted
green details, 2-1/2".
View #w14873 |
WOOD
SHOES pin with painted trim and red laces, 3".
View #w15248 |
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WOOD BULL head pin 4-1/2" with fuzzy hair, glass eyes
and green felt ears. View
#w13277 |
WOOD BULL 4-1/2" head pin with furry mane and
leather ears, glued and riveted pin back. View
#w13278 |
WOOD
elephant pin with painted details, 2 3/4".
View #w13029 |
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WOOD sailor head pin with painted
face, felt collar 2 3/4".
View #w14773 |
SAILOR
pin
in bakelite and wood with painted accents.
View
#B13642 |
MILITARY MAN 2 1/2" pin, deeply
carved and painted… a wonderful vintage WWII piece.
View #w12977 |
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The war years produced jewelry with a military motif, both humorous and
patriotic.
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WOOD
native face pin with green plastic earrings, painted detail, 3 1/2".
View #w12972 |
WOOD
face pin with painted red lips, brass eyes and earrings, 3 1/3".
View #w13028 |
WOOD native face pin with
painted lips and brass earrings, 3".
View #w14811 |
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WOOD painted polka dotted fawn
pin, 3 1/8". View
#w13091 |
WOODEN painted Scotty pin with
glass eye, 2 1/4".
View #w13089 |
WOOD SCOTTIE carved and painted 3-1/3" pin with
rhinestones… a real cutie!
View #w13085 |
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WOODEN horse head pin, 3".
View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
WOODEN carved
and painted 2-3/4" Scotty pin.
View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
WOODEN horse head pin, 3".
View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
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WOOD and bakelite
chipmunk pin, 2-1/2" by 2-1/4".
View
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
WOOD
banjo pin with brass tacks and wire strings, 4-1/4".
View #w13280 |
WOOD and bakelite radishes pin
with painted stems, 2-1/4".
View #w13440 |
WOOD bird pin
with Lucite wings, 3-1/2".
Courtesy of Jacque Wright |
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Wood is also seen in combination with bakelite or Lucite.
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