Summer 2017

Summer 84 www.afamag.com |  www.incollect.com T here are jewels that take our breath away, flights of fancy wrought in precious metals and fine gems admired not only for their value but for their artistry (Fig. 1). Then there are pieces we choose to wear every day: a fashion necklace that makes a playful statement or classic pearl earrings to match a suit, around which we spin anecdotes about where we found them or when our betrothed “popped the question” (Fig. 2). Whether a fashionable accessory or a family heirloom (Fig. 3), jewelry helps us tell stories about ourselves, our families, and our lives. This spring Historic New England presents Mementos: Jewelry of Life and Love , at the Eustis Estate in Milton, Massachusetts. Shown with complementary textiles, portraits, and photographs, the exhibition draws on Historic New England’s collection of approximately 2,500 pieces of jewelry and related adornment, spanning the eighteenth century to the present day. Organized in themes that echo the storytelling power of jewels—Celebrate, Remember, Tour, Collect, and Create—the exhibition showcases souvenir charm bracelets, diamond brooches, hair necklaces, and fashion jewelry worn in New England. Exemplifying Historic New England’s jewelry collection is a silver bracelet that belonged to Lydia Chace of Providence, Rhode Island. It was possibly a gift from her mother, Ella (Fig. 4). Engraved 1884 dimes, polished first to remove their original Fig. 1 : Bracelet, New York City, ca. 1880. Charles Hein (working 1878-1880), patentee; possibly Hale & Mulford (1872-1883), manufacturing jewelers, New York City. Gold. Historic New England; Gift of the Stephen Phillips Memorial Charitable Trust for Historic Preservation Mementos Jewelry of Life and Love By Laura E. Johnson