Estate Jewelry and The Country

 Antique Cameos, J.E. Heaton Jewelers. Joyce always seems to have a good selection.

Outside the limits of New York city exists a world called the Hudson Valley, rolling farms, horses, artists, and the ever enduring river. About an hour and half from NYC, is Millbrook a sleepy little town with the cutest historic village and a relaxed way of life. It boasts "Horse country" estates, locals, and New Yorkers trying to escape into that slower pace.  This is where we find J. E. Heaton jewelers.

1940s Fur Clip, Earrings, and ring/ 14K and Citrine, rubies.

This woman owned business in the heart of the village, brings a refreshing mix of older, custom, as well as new fine quality pieces.  Joyce is descended from store owners in a way, ( she has an interesting historic image hanging up of the Heaton Shoes store circa 1900.  Her store has a boutique feel with a clean aesthetic and a quite well curated estate section. This section's focus seems to be that of the art deco period and the Victorian.

Victorian Gold examples from the shop, last image shows cuff links transformed into earrings.

She can often be caught wearing stunning Victorian gold pieces from her own collection.  She both finds and well as consigns these unique estate pieces from local families and other sources.

Group of three late Victorian bouquet diamond pins.

Her eye for quality pieces is obvious when looking at her vintage Taxco items, Victorian gold, Edwardian and art deco diamonds. She was even lucky enough to have sold many diamond pieces from the estate of a real Ziegfeld gal.

Bracelet, art deco 20s example from the private collection of a Ziegfeld Follies  girl's descendant.

It was her personal array of Victorian pieces she often modeled, that led me to ask where her love of estate and Victorian fine pieces came from? She wanted to answer that question in the form of a letter to her mother which paints a lovely and personal view concerning how her eye for the pieces was molded.

Dear Momma,

I am so thankful for everything you gave me, including your love of jewelry.

One of my earliest memories is of you getting dressed to go to a party. I climbed on top of the big bed and watched, fascinated by all the doings of adults. With your hair done up, and your makeup on, you carefully lifted an evening gown over your head, letting it fall gracefully. On went the heels. A final primping, and then a quick spritz of hair spray followed by perfume. Then it happened: THE drawer was opened. Out came a series of the most magnificent, shiny adornments I’d ever seen. One by one you put them in place and checked your reflection in the mirror, smiling softly as you looked at me watching you.

When I was eight, you gave me a real gold ring with a garnet. I loved the way it looked. I loved that it made me feel grown up. I took that ring off when I was carving my Halloween pumpkin that year and lost it among the orange innards, never to be found again. We looked for days and days.

When I was fifteen years old, you gave me an unusual ring from the safe. It had belonged to a long ago family member. It was a gold band with sections cut out of it, like a pie crust. Barely visible inside was woven hair. I’d never seen anything like it... I was intrigued by the use of hair as a remembrance of a loved one. Why did they do this? How did they do this?

When I was seventeen, you came home from the Pleasant Valley Auction Hall with a beautiful gold bracelet. It was made up of links that became a Chinese dragon, with a ruby in the eye. I was dazzled by the beauty and artistry of the piece. It was a moment when I knew we shared the same taste.

Christmas one year you gave me a Victorian love knot ring with a tiny turquoise stone in the center. I loved the intricate way the loops of gold fell over each other. Later that year, for my eighteenth birthday, you gave me a Victorian engagement ring. It had an unusually cut stone (which I now know was an old mine cut), held in place by regal looking prongs. Inside were the initials of my great-grandmother, Lavinia Ida Pray and her husband-to-be, Charles Duncan. I feel as though they are with me when I wear that ring.

Dearest Momma, is it any wonder I love what you loved? When I look at fine estate jewelry it takes me back to the joyful moments we shared. I only wish you were here now to see what your love has lead to...

Thank you.

Joyce from J.E. Heaton Jewelers, Inc.

Art Deco Diamond engagement ring, J.E. Heaton Jewelers.