Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!!

Hope you all get a wonderful end to this year, with good food, nice friends and glasses filled with whatever you prefer! And do not miss the fireworks!

I will end this year with a few very wise words by the always so eloquent Mr Aleister Crowley, from his book "Moonchild":

"May the New Year bring you courage to break your resolutions early! My own plan is to swear off every kind of virtue, so that I triumph even when I fall!"

Cheers!!!

Fabergé Friday

And the last egg - for this year - is......Imperial Egg number twelve: The "Twelve Monograms" (or the "Silver Anniversary Egg), from 1895!

As you might remember, last Friday's egg was from 1895 too! This was because after Tsar Alexander III died, his son, Tsar Nicholas II, then continued the tradition by giving a Fabergé egg to both Alexander's widow and his own wife. So from now on Fabergé had to create two Imperial Easter Eggs each year!

This golden egg is covered in blue enamel in the "champlevé" technique - meaning that areas for the enamel were cut out of the gold, leaving thin red gold ribs that form the foliate design. 

The egg is divided into six panels, separated by rows of diamonds. The upper panels contains the dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna's monogram, set and crowned in diamonds, and the bottom panels are set with Alexander III's monogram. A fitting memory of her late husband.

The egg opens up, to reveal a velvet lining, and the surprise - which is now lost. The picture above is just a replica.

This egg is now held in the Hillwood Museum in Washington D.C. as part of the Marjorie Merriweather Post Collection.

Let's party like it's 1949!

When Christmas is over it kind of feels a bit sad. After all the preparations, decorations, baking, gift wrapping and so on. And that's why it's so good there's just one week till we can drown the Christmas blues with New Years Eve Champagne! If you have troubles coming up with something fun to do on this last day of the year, here comes a few pictorial tips on how they did it in the 40s and 50s!

1940

Bing Crosby didn't just have a lovely voice - he could party too!!!

1941

It's all about the glasses!

1942

1943

Shorty, the Bowery Cherub, New Years Eve at Sammy's Bar.

1946

1947

This was taken at a celebration in New York...Or rather after a celebration, I guess...

1950

Again a picture from New York. They sure knows how to party in that little town!

1950

1950

This is a picture of private James Binkley. Sadly he was killed in action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on December 1st, 1950. So I guess this was his last New Years kiss...

1950

1950

Oooo! One in color!!!!

1952

Fifteen seconds left!!!

1953

1953

1953

1953

The hat is made by Mr John of New York. It's shaped like a gloved hand, holding a champagne glass. Notice the "bubbles" in the glass!!!

I didn't know what to do for New Years until a few weeks ago. Then I got an invitation to a fabulous party - with fabulous people! This will be a chance to really get dolled up! I have to say I'm a huge sucker for fireworks though, so I'm hoping for a good show in that department. I'm usually the last one standing outside, freezing my butt off, just to see all the pretty lights!

I guess I had been nice...

...for Santa was very generous to me! And as I was given Christmas presents I think many of you people who read this blog would be interested in, I'm gonna do a little review of what was in the wrapped boxes with my name on them...

This emerald dress from "Daisy Dapper" I had already tried on for size, so finding it in one of the presents wasn't such a surprise - which didn't mean I wasn't looking forward to finally being able to hang it in my closet though! Really soft, slightly stretchy fabric. Me likes a lot!

Two gifts had been bought at "Kellerman Vintage":

A small, probably rabbit fur, collar, embroidered with pearls...

...and a lovely little evening purse - completely covered in paillettes, sewn on by hand.

Inside the bag I found a small coin-purse, a lipstick, and a little perfume bottle. I've had an eye on this evening bag for a long time - since I have spent quite some time at "Kellerman Vintage" this last year - so I already knew these things were contained in the bag. Fanny told me they had been there when the evening bag arrived at her shop, but that she hadn't had the heart to take them out. They kind of belonged together, telling a little story about the bag's previous owner. Now I have to take them out though, so I can put my own lipstick in there. But the little pieces of history will be saved. I could never throw them away!

My sister gave me a really cool, retro looking kitchen timer, from "Dulton". It can be set at two different times at the same time. So now i can...like...you know...boil two eggs at the same time! Fantastic!

It comes in all kinds of different colors!

As I'm a book-nerd, I always wish for books! This year I got two:

"Burlesque: A Living History", by Jane Briggman...

...and "Vintage Fashion", by Emma Baxter-Wright and Karen Clarkson. 

I also found a Christmas present from my cat underneath the tree. It contained:

Rammstein's album "Rosenrot"!!! I really love my cat!

I hope all of you had a nice Christmas - surrounded by the people you love! Christmas presents may be fun both to give and to get, but in the end "the only thing you'll ever learn, is just to love, and be loved in return", as Nat King Cole sings!

Christmas Eve

Up here in the north we celebrate Christmas on the 24th, but usually with a nice family dinner on Christmas Day too. This year Christmas Eve was spent at my parents' house with mom, dad, sister and grandma. The next day my ant was added to the company, so it became a very relaxed celebration.

The night before I had set my waist-long hair in pin curls for the first time. After sleeping in them the curls actually held all day! I don't brush my curls out though. My hair is too long, and just ends up straight if I do that. Instead I just head bang for a few seconds after letting the curls out, to make them "mingle".

This was the result! The feathered hair flower is set with read Swarovski stones, and comes from "Tarina Tarantino".

I wore a dress from "Bettie Page Clothing".

I love the cut-out in the back! My spine-tattoo fits well into it too...

The purple stilettos come from "Milan Fashion Freaks".

My mother wore a lovely dress from "Daisy Dapper".

Saga was for the occasion dressed as an alien...

This year's masterpiece!

The obligatory schnaps - or "nubbe", as we also call it! Christmas was spent like in most families - eating...Some TV was involved too, to give us something to do while digesting the food. Santa obviously liked how I had behaved during the last year, for he was very generous to me. What gifts he bestowed on me I'll tell you more about tomorrow!

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas

from

Miss Meadows!!!

PS. When Santa ask you if you've been nice or naughty this year, remember that I'm sure he likes it when at least Mrs Claus is a bit naughty!!! XOXO

Fabergé Friday

It's the day before Christmas Eve - the day we celebrate Christmas here in Sweden - so what can fit better than a blog post about Easter eggs?! Or, more exactly, one named the "Rosebud egg" - Imperial Easter Egg number eleven, from the year 1895! This egg was made for Tsar Nicholas II, who gave it to his wife Alexandra Feodorovna.

Made out of red enamel, the egg is then decorated with rows of diamonds, garlands of gold laurel and Cupid's arrows. 

On top sits a miniature of Nicholas II, and in the base, the year of creation is set underneath a diamond.

The egg opens up like a bonbonnière to reveal a yellow-enameled rosebud. Originally the bud contained two surprises of it's own - a miniature replica of the Imperial crown, representing Alexandra's new life as Empress of Russia, and a ruby egg pendant hanging within it. Only the pendant is now to be found though...

Princess Alexandra missed the rose garden of Rosenhöhe, Darmstadt, where she lived before marrying Nicholas and moving to Russia to become it's new Empress. The yellow tea rose was the most valued in the Empress' native Germany, but the climate in St Petersburg was too harsh to grow it there. The "Rosebud egg" was then made to remind her of her beloved roses, at her first Easter with her new husband.

For decades this egg was missing, reputed to have been damaged in a marital dispute. Now though, it has been found, and is part of Christian Thomas Lee's art collection.

Elizabeth Taylor Jewelry Auction

I suppose some of you have heard about the Elizabeth Taylor Jewelry Auction. What you might not have heard though, is that this jewelry collection was the most valuable private collection ever offered at an auction, and also became the most valuable sale of jewelry in auction history!

Source: Getty Images

Not only Miss Taylor's jewelry, but also her clothes and artwork was sold during a five-day auction at Christie's, together fetching the incredible sum of 153 million dollars! But it's the jewelry we're gonna take a look at here...Or some of it at least. That woman had some serious gems! 

The Daisy Parure. A suite of diamond, colored diamond and chrysoprase "Reine Marguerite" jewelry, by van Cleef & Arpels.

A Belle Epoque diamond necklace from ca 1900.

La Peregrina. A natural pearl, diamond, ruby and cultured pearl necklace, by Cartier. Designed by Elizabeth Taylor with Al Durante of Cartier.

A suite of diamond emerald and ruby jewelry, by Massoni. This was a gift from Michael Jackson.

The Taj Mahal. An Indian diamond and jade pendant necklace, with a ruby and gold chain, by Cartier.

An antique diamond necklace, from ca 1806.

A paire of antique diamond ear pendants, from ca 1806.

An art deco Egyptian revival diamond and multi gem bracelet, from ca 1925.

The Granny necklace. A diamond, emerald and gold "barquerolles" choker necklace, by van Cleef & Arpels. It's called "The Granny Necklace" because Richard Burton gave it to Elizabeth in 1971, when she became a grandmother. 

A sapphire and diamond sautoir, by Bvlgari.

The Mike Todd diamond tiara. An antique tiara, from ca 1880. This was a gift from Mike Todd, 1957. Seriously, who doesn't need a tiara?!!!

An Art Nouveau enamel and multi-gem butterfly, by Boucheron, from ca 1900.

An emerald, diamond and gold evening box, by David Webb.

A diamond and sapphire flower brooch. 

A turquoise and gold mirror, by Bvlgari.

Two diamond and multi-gem flower brooches.

A suite of diamond, ruby and emerald jewelry, by House of Taylor. 

A set of ruby, sapphire and diamond jewelry, by House of Taylor.

An antique natural pearl and diamond necklace, from ca 1860. This was one of two items that were sold for over 1 million dollars. It ended up costing 1.5 million dollars - it's high estimate was 150,000 dollars though...The second over 1 million dollars item was:

The Burton wedding bands. Two diamond and gold eternity bands. These were given to Miss Taylor by Richard Burton at their weddings in 1964 and 1975. At the auction they were sold for just over 1 million dollars - the high estimate was 8,000 dollars.

Last but not least we have: The Elizabeth Taylor diamond. A ring set with a diamond that weighs approximately 33.19 carats!!! Imagine forgetting that one on the sink in a restaurant's restroom! AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!

You might think I've shown you everything here, with all these pictures. But not even close!!! There was over 190 pieces of jewelry in Elizabeth Taylor's collection, and in the end everything was sold! Wish a least one..or maybe two...or three, pieces had been sold to me! The rest of the collection you can see here.