Friday Feature 3/22/13

This week we have an absolute knockout just for the gentlemen in our Friday Feature- 

Antique Art Deco Ruby Ring Set in 10 Karat Yellow Gold 

This week's ring is from the late Art Deco period. It features a classic 10 karat yellow gold mounting set with a emerald cut synthetic ruby. The ruby is approximately 2 carats in total weight and has a gorgeous, burnished shine that shows vibrantly in natural light. 

The mounting is a perfect example of jewelry from the 1930's and 1940's, especially in men's fashion. The boxy shape and bold lines make for a great statement piece, especially combined with the deep blood red glow of the ruby. The stone is synthetic, but original to the ring, and is done in a very attractive emerald cut.

As my handsome hand model (Thanks to The Fox :) shows, it has a very sophisticated look when on the hand, and makes an excellent piece for a man with a preference for cultured tastes. Imagine a gentleman who wore something similar while going to see Frank Sinatra at The Rainbow Room just as he was making the big time, or a hard boiled mobster in the dry dust of Nevada throwing it down on the roulette wheel and praying for red.

 It measures as a US size 10, which makes it an excellent choice as either a pinky or fourth finger ring, and a professional jeweler should have no problem going up or down within a 2 or possibly 3 size range. 

This ring is a beautiful piece, ready for the perfect owner to give it a new life in a new century. It is in good, wearable condition. It does have some minor natural wear that is to be expected from a 70+ year old ring, that gives it the authentic look and feel desirable in an antique/vintage piece.

You can find this week's ring here.

***We are more than happy to answer any questions or requests for additional information. Feel free to send us a message on etsy, to our email- thetigerandthefox@gmail.com or leave us a comment here!***

Friday Feature 3/15/13

Friday has made its way here once more- huzzah for the weekend! This week's feature piece from our store is probably one of my favorite ones we have right now! (Although I suspect I will say that every week. They might all be my favorite!)

One of a Kind Custom Made 1970's Vintage 14k Yellow Gold with Diamond Accent Ring

This 14 karat yellow gold ring is literally one of a kind. The lady that brought it to us said that her mother had had it custom made in the 1970's. Looking at the design with the larger than life sweep and curvature of the mounting, it is definitely in keeping with the period's style. 

The center inset is white gold with a single dainty diamond. This part of the ring was from her mother's original engagement ring circa 1940's. That is one of the things about this piece that I just cannot get over! On one hand, you have this amazing retro seventies yellow gold that just screams disco boogie, and then perfectly nestled as the centerpiece is this elegant, ultra-feminine forties deco design. Somehow, they seamlessly work together in a way I personally would never have imagined. But that's the best part- together, they make an amazing ring. 

It currently is just over a size 6 1/2, but has a really nice thicker band that should be able to accommodate any necessary sizing. I love the idea of re-purposing things, and to find something that was re-purposed over 40 years ago is even cooler! Talk about being ahead of the trend on this one! The mounting is a bit longer than a lot of typical styles, but truly suits all hand types. I usually am unable to wear longer/bigger rings because I have shorter fingers, and I loved how this piece looked. It would pair wonderfully with pretty much any other jewelry styles you wear, and can even be worn with white gold. It is a great vintage find for anyone who is looking for the genuine thing, and wants something beautiful that no one else has. 

You can find this week's ring here!

***We are more than happy to answer any additional questions or requests for information, feel free to shoot us a message on etsy, to our email- thetigerandthefox@gmail.com, or leave a message in our comments!***

Rainy Days Make Me Ramble

New/Old Weston Camera with Argus Flash that just came in!

So you just never know what you might acquire in a store like ours- almost every day someone brings us something to check out. Sometimes it is just stuff; old clear glassware, ceramic angels... plenty of things that are pretty or nice, but not exactly in our categories of interest or expertise. Other times, you get things like old class rings or broken necklaces- if it is made from gold, or silver, then we always like to buy, but they're not what you call a "knock out piece" or something that's really suited to the display case.

And other times, you get really awesome stuff, like a ring that looks like a snake twining its way around your index finger, or a full strand of natural pearls from the 1960's that don't even need to be re-strung. Those are exciting moments!

No matter what it is, we love seeing all the random, never expected things that people bring, and today is no exception! This old camera has certainly seen better days, but it is incredibly sturdy (sometimes referred to as "The Brick", and not without reason!) and has a really nice flash intact. Vintage cameras are way "outside my pay grade", as The Fox likes to say, but I just love the look they have, and thinking about how they were used to capture what was most important to whoever owned it. Maybe it went with that person to the Grand Canyon for their first time. Even now, with all our technology, it is still impossible to really capture its magnitude, but maybe they looked back at those photographs, and through the blurriness, or grain, remembered what they saw and how they felt experiencing the real thing. 

I think the rainy day may have gone to my head a little. 

Anyway, now that I've climbed out of my rabbit hole, I suppose what I'm getting to is, it's not just about buying up what's trendy, or filling a store full of things to try to sell and make as much money as possible. Don't get me wrong, we have bills that have to be paid, and this girl likes to eat!! But for us, the thing that is important is remembering where those things came from, and how far we've come- I don't have to carry "The Brick" everywhere with me- I can just whip out my handy awesome smartphone whenever I want to snap a picture. 

To me it is also about doing something I enjoy, that brings me joy, and trusting that the bills will be paid. The Lord is good! I have never been without what I needed, and rarely without what I wanted for that matter. I have faith that what I need will be provided for and it is my job to be thankful for and work diligently with all that I have been given. 

With all that said, I suppose I had better get back to work! :)

The Tiger

Puppies, Pretties and More

   Well it has been a pretty exciting week so far! We found out yesterday morning that our Yorkie is a proud new father! He had spent some time with a lady friend a couple months ago, but we were fairly certain that nothing had come of it. Apparently not, though! The mother's owners never noticed any signs of pregnancy, but it was because there was only one puppy! We were glad to find out that their "conjugal visit" had been a success. :)

"Proud Papa"

On a less awkward (puppies have to come from somewhere, right?) note; The Fox scored a really cool vintage ring mounting and a couple awesome pairs of old boots. The boots got hustled off to his closet, but we are going to get the ring all gussied up and swap out a diamond from a plainer setting and put it into this one.We aren't sure yet, but more than likely it is 14k with white and yellow gold and has a fantastic look.

Isn't it great? Definitely rough, but it will be a knock out soon enough!

I did finally get a couple pieces added to our etsy shop (The Tiger & The Fox) which are all under $100. Any purchases this week should still be able to arrive in time for Christmas! And Valentine's Day is not too far off, either. This time of year is crazy for us- The Fox's birthday is around the first week of January, mine is the day before V-Day, and our anniversary (#6!) is February 26. So by March, we are almost a little relieved to be done with everything, haha!
Be sure to check in again- I am hoping to have some more earrings and maybe a pendant or two added in the next couple of days.
Happy Christmas!

We Now Present...

I always have a difficult time starting new things, and this blog doesn't seem to be breaking the standard, either! I suppose the best way is to jump in feet first (not head first, because that is dangerous, my friends!) and go for it. 
A brief introductory so that we are all acquainted:
My husband, Thomas, and I have been married for nearly six years and have both been self-employed most of that time. He has been a barber at his grandfather's barber shop for nine years now, and I worked as a nanny for approximately four. We have been avid antique collectors since our marriage, and as our knowledge grew, we started buying not only for ourselves (we ran out of room pretty quickly in our little house!) but to re-purpose & re-sell. Once we got into the resale side, something clicked! We knew this was something we both enjoyed, and both were pretty good at doing, but our "real" jobs were our main focus and what kept the bills paid. Over time our interests grew to cover all kinds of neat things besides furniture. Glassware, cookware, miniatures- all sorts of fascinating old things that had been left behind as styles and people changed. One day while at our local flea market, we began talking with one of the other regulars who sold costume jewelry. That was her personal niche, but as we listened, we learned that her husband was someone who bought gold and silver to sell to the refineries. The more we heard, the more intrigued we became. With precious metals being at record prices, it was completely understandable to sell to refineries, but so much of the jewelry being scrapped was still gorgeous! It just needed a little love, a little polish and someone who could appreciate it and the character it had, instead of seeing it as an old junky thing. 
So our focus switched a bit- we still love going out on the hunt for a great piece of Pyrex, or finding old tables to put back together- but there is just something about taking an old, tarnished, beat to hell ring and bringing it back to its full glory. The last couple years it was more of a hobby than anything for us, but in April, Thomas was able to open up an actual store front right next door to the family barber shop. The kids I had taken care of for the last two years began school full time a couple months later, and it all kind of fell into place. He still runs the the barber shop with his sister, but between the two of us, managing everything has worked out well. We don't make a ton of money by any means, and working with your spouse can have its difficult moments, but the rewards of being able to be together and build something that we can call our own is so rewarding. We hope that you as a reader will enjoy our many hijinks we get into, and stick with us as we grow!