Everyone has their conversation pieces – the older, the better the story. My conversation piece is a bracelet given to me by my grandmother that was purchased by her mother.
My great-grandmother had impeccable taste. Even in her older age when she had to trade-in the heals and fur-collars (sorry animals lovers, faux wasn’t hip back then) for flats and cardigans – she rocked those pink colored Keds with a matching pink watchband and rose colored sweater. No one could ever rock a Ked like Ruthy.
And, she was completely stunning in her day. Tall, lean and with a set of legs. When I get home and dig into storage I’ll try to remember to post some pics for you and what a beach-going 40′s Jewish Princess should look like. I’ll thank her for giving what could have been my paternal side’s very Italian features a hint of Baltic.
But back to the conversation, I’m lucky to have inherited a select few pieces of jewelry from her.
This is a sterling silver bracelet designed and created by Guglielmo Cini and purchased by my great-grandmother in Boston sometime between the late 20′s and late 40′s. Cini originated from Florence at age 17 in 1922 and started his business in Boston before moving to Laguna Beach and designing for the elite California crowd. I was able to contact his grand-daughters who run the business now, and although they couldn’t pin-point the exact year, they were able to confirm it was one of his original molds. The bracelet is stamped with G Cini Sterling. His early works were sterling silver and eventually he began working with gold and accentuating with jewels.
An article in the L.A. Times about the reinvention of the line and new cult following.
Here’s a post on Antique Trader from my original research on the piece, it includes a few more detailed photos.
Not only is the design much more interesting that what you’ll find in the glass-cases today – down to the clasp – (and a hell of a lot better made) but I get to walk around with a little bit of family and jewelry designer history.
