For the past few days, we have been sorting through Shirley's costume jewelry. Shirley Wedge, or Meme, as in me-me, is Sarah Wedge's grandmother. Sarah is my sister Jeanne's daughter. She has been in Orient between her summer internship in Brooklyn and the second year of her MFA study in textile design at Rhode Island School of Design. Sarah and Meme were kindred spirits, which made it devastatingly hard when Meme passed away one month before Sarah's wedding in 2012.
Shirley J. Wedge
Shirley was born in 1930 in Utica, New York.
She graduated from Utica Free Academy in 1948 and
Westminister Choir College, Princeton, NJ, in 1953.
Shirley had a copious collection of costume jewelry, and the family lovingly divided it, so that everyone could have a memory. As you can see by this picture, she was a beautiful woman. I always liked seeing Shirley because she had such a warm personality.
Shirley and Jeanne
at Shirley's 80th birthday party.
Shirley is wearing a cocktail hat that I made for her.
This combination compact and watch is a souvenir
of the 1939 World's Fair.
It has a watch, rouge compartment and...
a powder compartment.
The cover says 1939, San Francisco Bay,
International Golden Gate Exposition
We found the envelope for the invoice in
the box, but no actual invoice.
There were two jewelry boxes.
This is the "Key" to the green one.
The pink jewelry box.
Charms and a plastic doll.
The "Floral" Collection.
The "Natural World" Collection
The "Glamour-Girl" Collection
Sarah's friend, Ashley, modeling selections from
The Glamour-Girl Collection.
Beads for Every Occasion
We loved the jewelry boxes from
old-timey, small-town jewelry shops.
Gold miscellany with charm bracelet.
Where does jewelry go to learn to be a charm bracelet?
Charm School.
The "Elegant Pearl" Ensemble
Odds and Ends
There was ephemera too.
Here are some travel mementos.
Hotel soap wrappers with messages
on the back!
Probably not Shirley but rather one of her
relatives did this.
This actually happened.
A Buddha and a brooch.
Sarah and Jeanne unwrapping the treasures.
A quite unusual "modern" necklace and a
blue rhinestone brooch.
Bored Housewives of Orient.
Sarah makes scrambled eggs wearing
the "Modern" necklace.
The "Oversize Plastic Bauble" earrings rest
on the Good Eggs box.
Shirley on skis.
It could be Sarah!
The "Beach" collection.
Beach styling by Jeanne and Carol.
Carol loves Fern and Fern loves Carol!
Jeanne admires a rhinestone brooch.
Shirley in her grandmother's
wedding dress.
The "Old-fashioned" collection.
These beads are strung
on an old ribbon.
I hope you have enjoyed this
journey on the
"Costume-Memory Trail".
À Bientôt!
A beautiful and priceless collection...!
ReplyDeleteA poignant post, beautifully and lovingly written
ReplyDeleteI was so touched by this post! I volunteer for a local charity sorting and pricing jewelry and it breaks my heart at the amount of discarded pocket watches and lockets that arrive with photos in them. Wonderful photos! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you, a sweet break in my day with your story and photos.
ReplyDeleteSuch heartbreaking loveliness. How wonderful that you created such a beautiful tribute to Meme. Thank you. XXOO
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful post. I can see the treasure in the keepsakes. I hope to leave beautiful things behind that family members will enjoy going through when I'm gone. I hope it's not just grocery and to do lists!!
ReplyDeleteI think that little plastic doll might be a "frozen Charlotte" doll. great blog !
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the time you spent to write this wonderful article. The manner in which you have presented this article is something I really liked.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing such useful and interesting information; I am waiting for your next post.
ReplyDeleteVisit us: Moonstone Ring