The shopping experience at Marburger Farms this spring, 2014, was quite an education in how to begin a collection of affordable Victorian Bangle Bracelets. It seems the market is heating up over these beauties. My advice, buy them! They are lovely and should be worn and appreciated.
In Victorian times, popular bracelets included those
made from black Berlin iron or gauze-like Silesian wire. Bangles of rolled gold
(Rolled gold means that the motif was imprinted on the gold in a repeated
pattern on a layer of flat gold banding that was then applied to the bracelet
using a machine.) were also common, as were bracelets decorated with red coral
(it was thought to protect children from diseases and bad spirits) and tightly
woven bands of human hair.
As gold-plating techniques advanced, more bracelets
were made out of the precious metal. Inexpensive gold-filled bracelets were
made in great numbers, bringing gold to the masses. Sterling silver was also a
favorite—even Queen Victoria wore silver charm bracelets during her reign, making
them a popular fashion accessory among noble Europeans. Sterling silver
hearts—some set with precious or semi-precious stones, some puffed up in a
style called répoussé—were as popular then as they are now.
1. Check
for the general condition of the bracelet.
Does is close securely, is the metal smooth and would not snag
clothing?
2. If it has a safety chain
check to see if it is the original chain. Look at the color of the metal and see
if it matches the bracelet color.
3. Here are some of the
historically important motifs that make the bracelet desirable from the
Victorian Era. Birds, flowers,
leaves, Roman designs.
4. Buckle style closures are highly
desirable. Check to make sure the loop that secures the bracelet tail is
intact. I’ve seen one or two on ebay that are missing that element.
5. If enameled, check to make
sure it is evenly distributed throughout the design. Most of these will be etched and enameled on the top
although there are some that go all the way around the bracelet. These are
older. Besty Ross style are highly
desirable.
6. Engraving is highly
desirable especially if the font is indicative of older world styles. Look for
them on the outside of the bracelet as well as the inside.
7. Don’t overlook bracelets
with center stones and/or filigree 1920’s-30’s. Chain bracelets with a lock and
key are also worth collecting 1875-1910. These were given in times of separation
like wars. The tradition was to
present a lady with the bracelet as a symbol of engagement. The male kept the
key.
8. Closures vary in style.
Prong tongue, tongue and groove, the long bar slide, or the wide flat slide are
just a few to look for.
9. Look for maker’s marks and
patent numbers. These are considered very desirable.
