About Antique Jewelry

PERFUME/SCENT BOTTLES:

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Smell is scientifically recognised as the most basic of our senses. Nothing induces sheer ecstasy like a glorious odour.  Beautiful perfume can move humans beyond the rational.

A magnificent perfume/scent bottle is the perfect vehicle for capturing a glorious odour. A luxurious indulgence mirrored by the richness and beauty of its container. Brenda Ginsberg personally seeks out only the most intriguing, unique and magnificent perfume bottles. Exquisitely carved glass, enamels, hand painted porcelain and tiny figurines, cased in gold and precious metals, often set with fine gems - all antiques of the finest quality to be found anywhere in the world.

Indulge your passions! Take the chance to own one of life's most exquisite luxuries and enjoy the fullest extent of your senses and matchless good taste in a perfume bottle only from Brenda Ginsberg.

 

FRENCH GLASS

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There is no doubt that the French are the last word in elegance and sophistication combined with the finest workmanship.  French art glass during the Art Nouveau and Art Deco eras combines these qualities with a love of nature. At first glance our eyes delight in extraordinary design - a plethora of flowers and fruit, figures - both human and of the animal kingdom, sometimes to be found in enchanted landscapes. Run your hands over the piece and feel the layers of varied texture and technique, a sheer tactile delight to meet that of the visual beauty. Finally, our sensual pleasure is matched by the intellectual understanding of what has been accomplished here - the amazingly complicated techniques and mastery thereof, the superb accomplishments of master craftsmen such as Emile Galle, Rene Lalique, Legras, Schneider, Baccarat and Daum Nancy. Carved layers of cameo glass, finest crystal, French art glass is luxurious and sensuous and deeply satisfying on every level.

Find the best of superior French glass at Brenda Ginsberg, where we have done the legwork so that you can enjoy the magic of these rare and wonderful creations in your own home.  Here, we have personally searched out only the most vital, rare items of superb quality, aesthetic and intellectual interest. We cater to the finest tastes, so that what's in our home can be in yours.

 

ENGLISH GLASS

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With good reason, the English pride themselves on superior quality and quiet elegance. Victorian English art glass, whether by a forgotten manufacturer or the best of Webb's cameo glass, Stevens and Williams or Waterford, English glass has a mystique all of it's own. I first fell in love with glass when I saw a Victorian amethyst glass ruffled dish with light green handle. The play of light gave it an aura so magical, that I was enchanted forever. Nothing modern can reproduce or compare with the sheer soft beauty of antique glass. There: to observe and contemplate forever, recharging your wonderment over and above it's direct aesthetic appeal.  Perhaps it's this very play of light that makes antique English Art glass so appealing. Nature has been mobilised to interact with the gentle result of Man's endeavours, making each piece come alive and add to your pleasure in your own home, over 100 years later.

Brenda Ginsberg is recognised as a trusted source when it comes to finding just the right item to satisfy your personal connoisseurship, tastes and needs.

 

AMERICAN GLASS

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American Art Glass, notably the work of LC TIffany, Handel, Pairpoint, Steuben and Mt Washington flies head and shoulders above the quality of most glass produced during the Art Nouveau and Art Deco eras. With Louis Comfort Tiffany leading the pack in a big way, the world looked west for leadership and innovation in the field of glass making techniques, science and intrinsic beauty.  What could be more compelling than favrille glass ? - the iridescence and play of light giving the item a living, breathing quality. With LCT, life, nature and technology overlap in a joyous, awesome testimony to what humankind is capable of.

Brenda Ginsberg, one of the most trusted names in fine antiques, looks for these exquisite items all over the USA and the globe. Have no fear of a hidden flaw - our enlarged 'photos are as good as, if not better than, holding the item in your own hands and looking at it with your own eyes. We will call any fault, no matter how small, so when you click on the 'buy' button, you are entirely safe and secure in knowing that you have bought a rare beauty. Our exceptional shippers will ensure that you will enjoy this item in your home and we hope, pass it on to the generations to come.

 

BOHEMIAN GLASS

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The Real Deal! Genuine, authentic and magnificent in every way. Bohemia, 100 years or more ago was part of the glittering Habsburg Empire, the pukkha royalty of Europe. Kings with seniority, not new authority. Bohemian scientists in dozens of factories, competed enthusiastically to discover new and more exciting formulae and techniques to make increasingly breathtaking glass. A mind-boggling array of wonders that will continue to amaze and enchant the more you learn about them. Engraved glass, cameo glass, enamelled glass, richly jewelled glass, and glass of every type, shape and colour. Hunt them down while you might find them: they are becoming rarer and rarer as time goes bye.

Brenda Ginsberg takes pride in offering you exceptional examples of antique Bohemian glass - while it lasts. Even as I write, some of the best pieces are being bought by savvy and knowledgeable collectors who know they are on to something good. Don't miss the chance to own a beautiful piece of history that will afford you growing pleasure as the years roll along.

 

SILVER:

Antique Dining Silver Flatware & Servers

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What makes a beautiful home beautiful? Silver vessels quietly gleaming from a sideboard or display cabinet speak the language of classy, quiet elegance like no other antique. The shining patina of old silver is incomparable with anything else. The beauty and quality of workmanship that hours and hours of pride and dedication produced will never be repeated by man or machine in our hurried world. Sterling silver vessels and flatware from centuries past offer you a quality of life way beyond the meer value of the metal. Practical and useful to this day, a silver salt dish, a toastrack, teapot or beautiful flatware add infinite richness and pleasure to our dining enjoyment. Stand above the crowd : A beautifully set table says so much about your values and elegant lifestyle.

Brenda Ginsberg offers you a wide choice of truly special and truly gorgeous silver items that will instantly add an atmosphere of luxury and beauty to your life and home.

 

Antique Tea Coffee Wine Jugs Mugs Kettles Pots

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Tea was once valued above gold. Naturally, the vessels used to store and serve such luxury items had to match their value and show off the owner in a highly class conscious society. The richness and beauty of antique teasets, coffee pots, pitchers and jugs is awesome. A variety of styles to mirror and match every taste.

Gleaming in noble beauty, they add a sense of achievement and arrival to their environment. Their intrinsically practical and useful nature well hidden in breathtaking style and decoration.

As the price of silver rushes upwards, these beautiful vessels are becoming increasingly rare. Take the opportunity of browsing Brenda Ginsberg's handpicked range of fabulous silver to find the perfect piece for your own home and lifestyle.

 

 

Antique Silver Boxes & Compacts

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Brenda Ginsberg is proud to offer an awesome collection of silver and gold boxes, snuff boxes, vinaigrettes and compacts. Tiny in size, mammoth in beauty, workmanship and interest. Once upon a time status was conferred by these masterpieces in miniature, collected even then by royalty as a tribute to their quality and rare beauty. Today, they continue to enchant us with their rarity and charm. Experienced Collectors know Brenda Ginsberg for the unique, handpicked items and special favourates like these small silver boxes that bring the rich nobility of their previous owners into your life.

 

Antique Silver Wine and Alcohol Related Items

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Antiques add lustre and elegance to our lives and homes. When this combines with the fun of actually using them in our own daily lives, we score big. The added pleasure of lighting up or pouring a tot from a marvellously worked decanter, remembering the previous generations of connoiseurs who took pleasure in the item, took care of it for hundreds of years so that right now, you can personally enjoy your drink with an added sense of richness and luxury.

At Brenda Ginsberg, find the perfect piece to suit your own needs. Our acknowledged record of satisfied customers testifies to a succesful search for items that match the ideals of functionality and beauty.

 

General Silver Items

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Little has the eye appeal of gleaming old silver. The gentleness of the colour, flashing as light catches an angle. From afar it glints, from closer we are in awe of the magnificent designs, detail and workmanship, painstakingly executed at a time when quality was above all. THe gentle gleam, the smoothe, cool touch, the refined tinkle as it is touched. Old silver is deeply satisfying to all of our senses and adds to the quality of our lives on many levels.

As the price of raw silver skyrockets, silver has proven to be one of the best investments in an age of economic uncertainly. Why not enjoy your investments? Good, old silver, practical in it's usages, well made and resiliant, magic in it's beauty, offers you the best of all possible worlds.

 

 

 

 

Antique Meissen German Austrian Dutch

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A mere 300 years ago, only the Chinese knew the secret of making true porcelain. In Europe, the mania for porcelain reached such heights that it was considered the ultimate status symbol and certainly worth more than it's weight in gold. The story of how the formula for porcelain was finally discovered, reads like an exciting novel, replete with kings, knaves, rivalry and psychological and economic stresses.  Meissen, the first producer in Europe of true porcelain is still considered the Rolls Royce of porcelain to this day. With exquisite modelling and handpainted detail, the fine detail of their work is unrivalled. Figurines depicting daily  and courtly life, often highly humourous, and beautiful vessels for use in dining and drinking.

The Dutch have been making marvellous blue and white items, generally known as Delft ware for generations. Some of the best pieces are a little naieve, but with such exuberance and energy that you cannot but fall in love with them. The addition of colours in polychrome items, fine glazes add to our enjoyment and variety of pieces available. What is marvellous is that there are pieces to suit every pocket: from a simple 17C tile depicting a flower or a Biblical scene and costing no more than a few dollars, to a magnificent cruet set  - beautifully painted by hand or an entire wall feature, you will find something that suits you and your own home.

Brenda Ginsberg is acknowledged as selling some of the finest Meissen porcelain and Dutch ceramics available. Much of our enthusiastic following is thanks to a long history of selling this porcelain over the last 13 years. Find the rare, the exceptional, the beautiful, always at surprisingly low prices.

 

 

Antique English Porcelain

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My first love in the antiques world was for English porcelain. Often called bone china, this exquisitely crisp ceramic has been used to make some of the world's most beloved pieces, whether for daily use or for finely decorating an elegant home. Who can resist the utter charm of a cabinet filled with blue and white chargers and dishes all depicting historical themes or botanical subjects? The rich colours of imari, the humour in many figurines - all part of what makes English porcelain so perfect for enhancing your home and way of life. Become an enthusiastic collector of the bright and cheerful Deco era pieces or choose from the awesome variety that the Georgian and Victorian eras produced. Chelsea, Wedgwood, Derby, Copeland, Mintons, Spode, Worcester, Masons - just some of the wonderful factories whose very names conjure up images to delight the eye and please the hand and who produced possibly the most collectible of porcelains in the world.

When you are looking for that special piece, you will most likely find it here, at Brenda Ginsberg, where we delight in the very best that English porcelain has to offer. 

 

Antique French Porcelain & Ceramics

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Exquisitely designed and executed, French porcelain, like their other decorative arts is incomparable. Sevres, still a leading light in the world of ceramics, with others in Paris and Limoges, Nevers, Quimper and Rouen no less delightful. At Brenda Ginsberg, we remain unapologetically addicted to finding the best of the best of these enchanting works of art.

 

 

Antique American Porcelain & Ceramics

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While Americans may not have been the first in the world of ceramics, when they did develope, they created a brand new and exciting direction that the rest of the world would study and incorporate into their own creations. My favourate American ceramic could hardly be other than Rookwood with their long history and wide variety of magnificent ceramics, many done in a variety of different techniques. As an artist, the appeal of a handpainted item is irresistable. Rookwood pottery, so often incorporates not only beautiful shapes and textures, but entirely handpainted landscapes, botanicals and sometimes even figures. Bold and modern, American pottery makes a definate statement in your home.

 

 

Antique Chinese & Japanese Porcelain & Ceramics

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While Europeans were still living in caves and hovels, the Chinese were creating magnificent works of art - sophisticated, elegant and subtle. To them, simple 'bigger' was not better, but they could write a poem about the exact hue of oxblood red, the exact swish of a brush-stroke or texture of fine porcelain. To this day, we have a great deal to learn from the sophistication and erudition of the ancient Orientals.

We have fabulous examples of Chinese export - so-called because it was specifically made for 'westerners' and would not be as subtle as porcelain created for the home market, nobles or royalty.

Expand your horizons and open up your world to even one single magnificent piece of Oriental ceramic. Contemplate it, meditate on it - it will provide you infinite pleasure as it has already done for generations gone bye.

My own personal favourate item is a Chinese roof tile from the Ming dynasty. A little worn in the glaze, it depicts a warrior of such vitality and gusto that he takes my breath away.

 

 

Other European Scandinavia Italy Hungary Russian

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JEWELRY

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I totally love the wearability of antique jewellery.  Combining so many elements of the finest antiques and valuable investments, we tend to forget that what makes jewellery advantageous is that we can wear it.  Nothing is more practical and useful than good antique jewellery. Wear a pair of fine gold earrings with an old pair of jeans and perhaps a lovely chain necklace over a t-shirt and you will look and feel like a million dollars. A fine ring bedazzles everyone you meet - whether at work or play.

Comfortable and long-lasting, nothing today compares to the look and feel of the really old.

Jewellery conveys many messages - from a sense of elegance and beauty to a subtle mood. 

At Brenda Ginsberg we are not mass marketers. With the artist's eye for detail, we seek out what is truly special and unique in antique jewellery. Your search for the best, the most exquisite and rare is over - we have found it for you and hope you enjoy the wide range of jewellery on our site - all true to my personal taste and demand for top quality, sheer and utter beauty and a unique style to match your own personality.

Surprising low prices - the savvy buyer knows that at Brenda Ginsberg you have the winning combination of quality in a buyer-friendly environment.  Customer service and a growing list of returning happy customers are testimony to wise shoppers finding the one site you need to remember for antique jewellery.

 

EARRINGS

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Earrings perfectly frame our faces and convey so much more about us: sophisticated elegance, subtlety, culture, aesthetic appreciation and very often a great sense of fun and movement, even humor. Earrings can subtlely enhance the shape and color of your face - add length or roundness, brighten or complement your skin and hair tones, match your eyes.

It's not surprising that beautiful antique earrings are increasingly rare. Beyond their intrinsic value, which continues to sky-rocket, their venerable age, is the great workmanship and imagination that makes them so much more than the mere sum of parts.  Beautiful jewellery is still made today, but the charm and mystique of antique earrings, loved and protected over 100's of years is incomparable.  Adding to the magic is that they are even more wearable today than ever before.  In an age when most products are thrown together, wearing a piece of real craftsmanship and quality endows the wearer with class, elegance and value beyond the immediately apparrent. 

I especially love the tremendous range and variety of earrings. Loops and hoops, studds and drops, gold, gemset, colourful and quiet - every age has produced a repertoir of marvels for us to choose from and enjoy in our own lives.

Brenda Ginsberg searches the world for unique earrings - beautiful works of art to set off your attire, give you the special look you would wish for yourself.

 

RINGS

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The first piece of jewelry I ever bought myself, aged 12, was a ring that I cherish to this very day. Not because it's value has gone up more than anything the stock market could offer, but for it's intrinsic beauty that I hope one day my granddaughter will enjoy on her fingers.

 

What woman can resist a gorgeous ring? It's the one item that we can see on ourselves.  Simply hold out your hand and enjoy the magnificent materials and exquisite workmanship created in an age long gone bye, reminding us immediately of the dear person who gave us this gift. More than any other form of jewellery or object d'art, rings express the exclusive personality of the wearer.

 

Once, often fitted with seals to formally symbolise the owner, every ring conveys subtle personal traits of the wearer. The choice of fine gemstone - whether diamond, emerald, ruby or sapphire, or any other enchanting material, the size, cut and color, the mount set in platinum or gold and finally the design - does it express flamboyant fun or understated elegance? 

 

In days gone bye, rings were worn to protect the wearer from evil forces in the universe. Rings were worn to attract special benefits from the gods and planets and rings were worn for medical reasons. Religious rings for lay people and clergy became popular from the Middle Ages onwards.

 

Rings are the symbol of eternity and the infinite, so they have become synonymous with love. Poesy rings were rings with engraved messages of romance, given to lovers, hundreds of years ago.

We all know the the saying "nothing says I love you better than a beautiful ring". It's true - and nothing connects the wearer to the giver of a beautiful wedding or engagement ring.  No surprise that men with good sense understand that the perfect way to her heart is through a perfect antique ring.

 

Men wear lots of rings too. Some of the most beautiful rings were made for men. Fortunately, with the help of a good jeweler, we can often resize them to fit ourselves.

 

Brenda Ginsberg, dedicated and determined and with great passion and fun searches out the rings that rise above the ordinaire. When you look at your hand or the hand of your loved one, we want you to get the glow of pride in a truly personal and unique item.

 

NECKLACES

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Why have necklaces been so under-rated for a number of years? Now, they're back.

They are the perfect foil to a low-cut dress; the perfect way to dress up a simple blouse - as flamboyant or unobtrusively elegant as you wish them to be.

And what a variety!! From long elegant chains wound many times around your neck and falling gently down to the ideal length, to bright gemstone creations drawing the eye in a blaze of light and sparkle.

For savvy dressers, along with savvy investors, the necklace is making a big come-back. Already antique long gold chains are in hot demand - not only for their gold content or the beauty and originality of their design or their rarity, but because they simply look good and make you look better. Worn singly or in multiples, necklaces make a huge addition to your look.

Personally, I love the play of movement a necklace allows between the neck and throat, drawing the eye away from the face downwards, often passing a brooch along the way or flashing a hello to a pair of earrings above.

Brenda Ginsberg looks for those special antique pieces that will unconsciously draw every eye in the room, announcing the beautifully dressed lady.

 

BRACELETS BANGLES

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The mere words 'bracelet and bangle' conjure up the sense of fun and pleasure associated with these increasingly rare items of antique jewellery.

Increasingly rare because nothing can match the beauty and workmanship put into these items in past centuries, when the beauty of a woman's arms was well understood.   Look at the exquisite portraits of women of every size paintede by Ingres and his contemporaries - at least a pair of bracelets adorned those voluptious arms.  Sarah Bernardt, perhaps not the greatest natural beauty, knew  how to WoW the onlookers - with superb bangles and bracelets from her wrists up.

From the delicacy of a Victorian or Edwardian finely gemset piece throught the bold design of the Deco and Retro eras, there is a world of artistic beauty to be found in the bracelet.  At Brenda Ginsberg you will find a broad range, each item personally handpicked to match your great taste.   We are always on the lookout for the perfect item, sensitive to nuances, trends, whims and changes, but including only the eternally wonderful in our collection.

My passion for only the best and most unique has proven to be a winning formula and I'm lucky and priviledged to pursue the dream job of finding you these gems.

 

CHARMS PENDANTS LOCKETS

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There's nothing more 'now' than the eternal.

Talismans for beauty, magic and mystery have been worn since the dawn of mankind.  They continue to intrigue and enchant and we continue to be drawn to their aesthetic beauty  and potent mystery.  Wear a locket of hair of a loved one close to you, a poison ring to ward of the evil eye.

And what could be lovelier than a pendant swinging from a piece of jewellery? The ultimate personal adornment on an adornment. Fun, beauty elegant, artistic. The choice is yours. Worn singly, or in groups or layers - the choices are infinite.

At Brenda Ginsberg, we don't buy just any pendants, charms and lockets, but search out the fascinating items that are a unique blend of jewellery and real high art. Sculptural pieces with figures human and animal - romantic and mystical. The means of making yourself and art one. 

 

 

 

SETS

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While antique jewellery is increasingly desireable and rare, a set is exponentially so. Given the ravages of time, what chance that 2 earrings survived alongside a necklace or brooch? The opportunity to own an original matching set does not come along very often.  When it does - grab it!! The whole is worth more than the sum of it's parts.

As a true believer in the value of good jewellery, I'm inspried by quality, taste and innovative ideas, always finished with scrupulous detail.

 

MENS JEWELLERY CUFFLINIKS STUDS

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As in Nature, Men in the old days were the peacock gender.  Most jewellery was made with gentlemen and nobles in mind. Look at portraits of royalty to see how gentlemen of yore bedecked themselves with gold chains, pearls, rings and earrings. Today, most gentlemen have to be content with a much lower key. Thus, what is left for the successful dresser must be of the highest quality and most exquisite workmanship. If you can only wear one item, it should be the very best.

At Brenda Ginsberg we look for teh very best in wearable jewellery for gentlemen. Cufflinks - Edwardian or Deco or exquisitely made with fabulous gemstones.  Studds, buttons, fobs and sometimes watches.   Always elegant. Always stylish, always going up in value.  Take back the pleasure of dressing well and whow that you are a true winner. Look for something to suit your taste at Brenda Ginsberg .com

 

BROOCHES PINS

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Do you own brooches? Have you thought about starting a brooch collection?

While all jewelry is artistically and technically a work of art to some degree, the form of jewelry that gives the most reign to an artist's creativity is the brooch. A brooch is like a canvas and the artist has more freedom to express his thoughts without the technical limitations imposed on other jewelry forms.

 

For a long while, brooches were the private pleasure of the truly classy and elegant man or woman.  Tasteful even in jeans, their dress was never complete without a brooch or pin on collar, lapel or shoulder. Actually, I saw a 'photo of a gorgeous film star wearing a pair of brooches alongside the top button of her blouse. The more I looked, the more stunning and original I realised the idea was.

 

Somehow, the secret has begun to leak out and people everywhere, young and old, have twigged to the wonders of an antique brooch or pin.  Without doubt, individual works of art, resplendant with luxurious gemstones or fascinating natural materials like coral, pearls and even lava, rare and beautiful brooches are being sought in ernest by collectors of fine jewellery and people from every walk of life.  What Secretary of State, Madelaine Albright, spelled out is re-emerging into our consciousness - a brooch says so much more.

 

Men have more than monopolised brooch wearing of late and lead the field when it comes to looking stunning with that extra flash of pezazz.

 

I especially love figural brooches. Brooches that depict people and animals. Cameo brooches often fall into this category, but beware of the over-produced pretty ladies of 100 years ago. They are boring. Look for something that really grabs your attention and that you love, both in terms of subject matter as well as artistic and technical mastery.

 

 

At Brenda Ginsberg, we have been enchanted by the best for a long time. We value the artistic, the top quality, the truly unique and exquisite and we actively and enthusiastically seek it out. We do our best to find it for you and to find it at fair prices. We go to great lengths to describe our brooches accurately and we ask you to ask us questions. Customer service is our objective and having happy customers who come back again and again, is our goal.