The serene scent of winter's approach hung heavy in the frigid air as Tony and I made our way north to Lake Country, a charming corner of the Okanagan located approximately 25 minutes past Kelowna, two Saturdays ago. In the trunk, our camera gear was nestled snug as a bug in a rug, ready to snap to life in Tony's hands as soon as we arrived at our destination.
Unlike every other individual or company's whose products I've had the great pleasure of highlighting in a post such as today's over the years, the jewelry you see here was handed to me in person by one of the absolute loveliest people you could ever hope to meet.
Anja, a vivacious, charismatic, beautiful business woman and grandmother who looks far younger than her actual age, and I first meet at the seventh annual Rutland Antiques and Collectibles show last month. Her expertly arranged and curated table of vintage jewelry drew me to its offerings like a month to a flame and within seconds, Anja and I had struck up a conversation about my vintage garb, her yesteryear jewels and a shared passion for the past. Before parting, I handed her my business card and hoped that she would indeed get in touch one day (I'm always game to talk vintage jewelry).
Much to my delight, she did just that about a month later, inviting me to her home to model some of her current stock of vintage jewelry. Unlike many people who sell vintage, Anja has neither a physical store, nor (as of yet - she hopes to in the near future) an online shop. Instead she sells her immensely lovely wares primarily through vintage, antique and collectible shows around Western Canada, directly to repeat customers, and through shows and in-house viewings of her jewelry that she holds in her house each December.
It was to that very house - situated on a picturesque parcel of lakefront land, decorated so expertly that it was worthy of a magazine spread, and teaming with the same kind of timeless beauty as the jewelry that Anja sells - that we ventured and were instantly welcomed into with open arms. Anja and I had chatted briefly on the phone a few days prior, so that we could better determine the specifics of how Saturday would unfold, complete with the kind of outfit she wanted me to wear, and so I came dressed that day in a classic black and white ensemble that could easily fit right into the 1940s and 50s.
This day wasn't about my attire however, it was all about showcasing some of Anja's vintage jewelry, which she largely sources from annual buying trips during the winter to the States. As we were mere weeks away from her next, she informed that her stock was running a bit low, yet to my eyes - and certainly most people's, if they'd had the joy of being let into Anja's home that day - her current stock was not only generously sized, but expertly stored, displayed, and maintained.
Each piece (and there were hundreds upon hundreds) had its own neat spot, price tag, and moment to shine amongst the collection as a whole. Anja has been buying and selling vintage jewelry and accessories for decades and her knowledge and passion for the subject ring out as clear as the sound of two pieces of Bakelite being tapped together. As she showed me around her stock, each of us selecting various pieces to use in the day's photo shoot, we delved into the topics of vintage jewelry and fashion and very quickly knew we'd found kindred spirits in each other.
Trays of of vintage jewelry in hand - after what was for me nothing short of a kid-in-a-candy-store kind of experience - we made our way to Anja's elegant living room, done up to the nines for the holidays, and set about highlighting several of the pieces she currently has available in a multi-hour shoot.
Anja knows her stuff, one picks up on that instantly. She's clearly a vintage jewelry expert with a keen eye, savvy pulse on both current trends and timeless pieces, and a knack for unearthing strikingly attractive, wearable, and highly covetable pieces spanning the Victorian era right on up to the present day, with a sizable amount of her offerings falling into the years of the mid-twentieth century. In fact, there are few, if any, vintage jewelry lovers amongst us who wouldn't have found at least one (if not one hundred!) items on Anja's meticulously arranged displays that they simply couldn't live without.
The following photos, each accompanied by a brief description of the star piece or pieces they feature, shine the spotlight on some of Anja's tremendously lovely, diverse, collectible vintage jewelry offerings and represent the kinds of pieces that you'd be greeted with if you went to her house for one of her sales this month or crossed paths with her at an antiques and collectibles shows throughout the year. Again, the focus here isn't on me (so, unlike most of my outfit posts, I haven’t listed or described the details for my ensemble), it's all about Anja's top-notch vintage jewelry offerings.
{Winter hues spring to life in this classically beautiful, intricate mid-century enamel and metal floral necklace with teeny sapphire blue rhinestones.}
{Engraved with the name Kate, this truly timeless Victoria sterling silver heart charm bracelet still has its original matching key, something that is exceedingly rare for this style of bracelet, especially one that's more than a century old. It was a special honour to wear not only a piece this venerable, but one that, by pure coincidence, had my little sister's name on it.}
{Twinkling with the intensity of flames, these stunning 1950s crystal clip on earrings would make for especially awesome holiday wear.}
{It's Bakelite time, baby! I was on cloud nine throughout this whole experience, but must say I especially loved getting to select various Bakelite pieces to sport for this shoot (Anja has a great selection!). From the swap Bakelite earrings and ring to the quartet of bangles, each of these pieces was in excellent shape, vividly hued and so very much fun to dress up in for a few minutes.}
{Speaking of fantastic vintage plastic jewelry pieces, this classic 1930s over-sized cameo brooch is a statement maker that would look amazing nestled against a suit jacket, fur coat, or even pinned to a chic yesteryear sweater.}
{One can't help but think of Carmen Miranda when rocking this wonderfully fun vintage citrus hued glass bead cha-cha bracelet.}
{Sparkles abounded across the board with Anja's expertly curated offerings, such as this magnificent 1950s AB flat crystal necklace and coordinating AB cluster earrings, which put diamonds to shame with their incredible brilliance.}
{Feminine elegance radiates from this delicate, yet substantially bold, 14K gold and madeira citrine c. 1950s ring that looks like something one would be honoured to receive as a family heirloom from their grandmother.}
{Oh my stars, how I was head-over-heels in love with this chunky, sublimely pretty c. 1950s burnished gold tone metal and watermelon crystal hinged bracelet (which instantly called to similar ones from Schiaparelli that I've seen over the years).}
{A stunning multi-strand 1950s aurora borealis necklace shines like the stars this kind of beads are named for. Partnered with a pair of vintage AB crystal cluster earrings and a dazzling marcasite brooch, this look delivers a hefty dose of bling, yet still lets your outfit shine through, too. Of course, as each of these pieces are sold separately, you could sport just one at a time - each is a work of art unto itself.}
{Classic decor era refinement and beautiful style was the name of the game for this large silver and clear stone Edwardian era brooch, which would instantly elate any ensemble to new heights of chic elegance.}
{One might argue that I saved the very best for last, and who would I be to contest that point? This exceedingly rare five piece 1950s multi-colour crystal and gold toned metal suite was nothing short of magnificent! Boasting all of the original components (earrings, necklace, brooch, ring and bracelet), it was the kind of incredible vintage jewelry that one would, no word of a lie, fully expect to see come down the Oscar red carpet on one of Hollywood's finest leading ladies, be they from the fifties or today. It was a honour to wear this suite and feel like nothing short of princess in it - just as I did while wearing all of these incredible pieces of vintage jewelry from Anja's merchandise.}
♥ ♥ ♥
There aren't a ton of people with the kind of passion for selling vintage items, nor the extensive knowledge about their area of interest, that Anja has out there - and fewer still in the Okanagan. As such, it was a profound joy for me to get to spend a snowy Saturday afternoon in the warmth of her living room, chatting about and modeling piece after breathtaking piece of classic Victorian, early and mid-century jewelry.
Should you happen to be in the Lake Country area (which is approximately 4.5 hours from Vancouver, 2 hours Osoyoos, 75 minutes from Penticton, an hour and 45 minutes from both Merritt and Kamloops, and just twenty minutes from Vernon) and want to visit Anja and her awesome jewelry yourself, whether at one of her in-home shows in December, which she'll be running them until January 5, 2014 this winter, or throughout other times of the year, she can be reached by telephone at 1-250-766-3090.
I cannot begin to recommend doing so highly enough. Anja is a warm, knowledgeable, sweet and entirely professional lady with a heart, quite fittingly considering what she sells, of gold, and a treasure chest’s worth of amazing vintage jewelry for sale.
Update: I've spoken with Anja and she wants to let everyone know that if you're interested in purchasing any of her pieces shown here, so long they're still available, you most certainly can. Shipping will be under $10.00 Cnd to any Canadian or US location. Please contact her at the phone number or by email (jackandsisko@shaw.ca) above for item prices.
