Blog News
Victorian Times: A Collector's Guide To Victorian ‘Grand Period’ 19th Century Enamel Designs & Techniques
The 19th-century jewelry market saw increased mass-produced designs due to the Industrial Revolution innovations. New improvements in metalwork techniques also meant improved enameling designs. It is common to see various mid 19th-century Victorian pieces with enamel designs such as taille d'epargne and guilloché. Business firms and company manufacturers mass-produced a large amount of Victorian jewelry with metalwork engravings. Intricate designs and new techniques were introduced to Victorians, making quality pieces more accessible and worn with daytime casual looks. Before the mid-19th century, elaborate and fashionable jewelry was often confined to the evening for special occasions. After electroplating techniques improved, lightweight gold-filled bracelets and...
Our Ancestral Garden The Exhibition: Honoring Black Victorian Material Culture & Accurate Black Americana
Each descendant comes from an extensive line of ancestors, with each generation relying on a 'gatekeeper' and family archivist to preserve their heirlooms. By preserving our precious material culture, we are nurturing the roots and unaltered identity of our lineage. "Ancestral Garden: Honoring Black Victorian Material Culture & Accurate Black Americana" celebrates our Black ancestors from the 19th and early 20th centuries. They revolutionized the camera lens to combat racism and inaccurate stereotypes. Picture day was a symbolic historic moment that transcended the 'regular' event or daily recreational activities. The Ancestral Garden Exhibit honors the faithful spirit and verifiable image of...
American Archives Month: Celebrating The Documentation & Preservation of Our Stories
In honor of American Archives Month, the historic preservation of sentimental materials and objects connected to our stories is celebrated and emphasized. Our family portraits of loved ones are significant materials reflecting the meaningful stories connected to historical events and places. Physical objects relating to the past are primary sources connected to our ancestors' lives. To continue their legacies and uplift their accurate stores, historic preservation work should include the materials that were sentimental in their stories. What exactly are 'archives'? Archives are historical records documenting the places, stories, and objects connected to our lives and the ancestors before us. Even...
The Art Nouveau Movement's Enduring Legacy
The Art Nouveau Movement (c.1890-c.1915) was created in France and was short-lived partly due to World War 1 (1914-1918). The designs of The Art Nouveau Era ('New Art') were inspired by the natural world. Popular motifs included insects such as butterflies and dragonflies. In Art Nouveau jewelry, the pieces often emphasized a woman's physical features, being surrounded by a serene nature setting and mythical creatures such as mermaids. The artistic merit and natural beauty of semi-precious stones were emphasized in Art Nouveau jewelry instead of value. Moonstones, opals, amethyst, malachite, and enamel were all used in many jewelry pieces...
The Way They Are: Preserving the Material Culture of Black Victorians & 19th Century Historically Accurate Representation
Recently, in honor of Historic Preservation Month, I wrote a featured article in Worthwhile Magazine celebrating the accurate representation and realistic defining attributes of Black Americana. I am honored to include the article within the Historic Preservation Blog section of Zanathia Jewelry. When reflecting on the primary image of Black Victorians, incorrect caricatures fueled by racism and white supremacy ideologies have overwhelmingly misconstrued the authentic essence of Black Americana and its material culture. 19th-century societal views significantly diminished the Black Victorian image and created a false narrative that did not reflect their true identity. Yet, the Black Victorian family...