The masters working with semiprecious stones also passed to the new style of design (ill. 135). Nevertheless there was not enough jewelry, and many women longed for something rare, peculiar, or unusual. There were many goldsmiths, but at that time private persons were strictly forbidden to work with precious stones and materials. So such masters took a big risk, but their clients did not betray them. At least two of these masters worked very skillfully: one was a brilliant jeweler (ill. 136, 137), the second – a proficient carver (ill. 138, 139).
In 1970s the folk style became very fashionable (ill. 142, 142a). For a long colorful gown large beads of plastics, ceramic, untreated amber and bone fitted very well (ill. 141, 145). Khokhloma workshops that specialized in the manufacturing of hand-painted wooden ware, also began to produce beads and brooches (ill. 143). At the same time in our shops a large number of roughly shaped corals appeared. They were brought from the Ukraine, where they were part of the national costume. Later our women of fashion rearranged them, combining with various silver beads (ill. 146, 146a). At the same time in Moscow the first Indian shop was opened, where among other things ivory jewelry was sold (ill. 148).
Quite different were the brooches (also earrings and rings) that were made in Palekh, Mstera, or Kholui. They were masterly executed miniatures close in style of painting to the Russian icons (ill. 149, 149a). Now you can find a large number of fakes of this jewelry. They differ from the original jewelry by much more rough painting and lack of the thinnest golden ornament. Moreover the genuine wares usually have the inscription «Палех», «Мстера» or «Холуй», the year of manufacture and sometimes the artist’s family name. Similar brooches were made also in Fedoskino, but with different subjects: pretty girls, landscapes etc (the girl in kokoshnic on ill. 149).
The product range of the «Rostov enamel» factory became much more diverse. More simple enamel jewelry was made in small town Pavlovo on Oka (ill. 150). Amber jewelry also became very varied and attractive (ill. 151, 152). Thus jewelers finally preferred natural amber rather than fused and colored, trying to highlight its beauty using minimum processing.
In 1980s costume jewelry was finally rehabilitated. The magazines began writing about fashion jewelry, and our women wore the products with pleasure: many types of chains, leather jewelry, embroidered brooches and pendants, colorful clips and beads, and many bracelets on the arms appeared in their wardrobe (ill. 153–156).
To know more about jewelry we traveled to Jablonex, Venice, St Petersburg, and Dmitrov (ill. 160-168a). It was very interesting, but the most valuable information could be obtained at the flea markets and from the memories of friends and relatives, from old photos, from fiction and published memoirs. Many stories, connected with the cheapest jewelry, are very touching. Women remember the beads or rings, which they wore in their youth. Quite often these stories are associated with a certain magic of jewelry. Especially often the tales refer to the beads which are perceived as a symbol of destiny stringing separate episodes on a single thread.
Such was the story of our great poet Marina Tsvetaeva. In childhood she liked to wear simple necklaces made of shells. And later all her life she loved unusual jewelry. Often she wrote in her letters, that she was charmed by some necklace or ring and will never separate with it. Her destiny was tragic: after revolution she fled with her husband and daughter to France, where she lived in poverty. In 1939 she returned with her family to USSR. There her husband and daughter were arrested. She remained alone without means of support with a teenage son. In 1941 when war began, she was evacuated with her son to a small town on Volga Yelabuga. There she committed suicide. On her last photo of 1940 she wore an amber necklace which she loved very much and apparently dedicated her last poem to it (ill. 173, 173a).
It is time to remove amber,
It is time to change the dictionary,
It is time to extinguish a lamp
Above the door…
(unfortunately, I couldn’t find the translation and have done it myself)
As a result of my researches I understood that I still can’t give a definite answer to Stefany’s question asked many years ago. However this area of collecting turned out to be exclusively interesting. And I am extremely grateful to all who helped me all this time.
E. Yurova
Edited by S. Tomalin
«Кажется, что может быть ничтожнее и бесполезнее этих пустых побрякушек, известных у нас под названием колец, серег, браслетов, фермуаров[1] – одним словом, галантерейных вещей. Не правда ли? Согласитесь сами, что они нисколько не возвышают природной красоты: кольца не сделают атласную ручку еще атласистее, от серег миниатюрные ушки не будут слышать лучше… – а между тем все эти вещи существуют. Зачем? Почему?»
Предыстория
«…пленила ты сердце мое одним взглядом очей твоих, одним ожерельем на шее твоей…»
Больше 45 лет тому назад началось наше семейное увлечение старинными работами из бисера. Увидев однажды на выставке в московском музее А.С. Пушкина вышитый бисером пояс, мы были потрясены его красотой и начали собирать украшенные бисером вещи, благо в то время они не являлись очень большой редкостью и, что немаловажно, были вполне доступны по цене. Постепенно образовывалась коллекция, а вместе с ее ростом возникал интерес к истории и технике создания этих прелестных старых вещиц. Параллельно осваивались и некоторые приемы их реставрации, поскольку, как правило, они были в состоянии, очень далеком от идеального. Результатом этой многолетней работы явились две книжки о старинном русском бисере: «Старинные русские