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Weekend Letters from 2022

Chronicles

A look back at the messages we shared, preserved year by year since 2009.
2022
2026
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
October 16, 2022

A jewel by Van Strydonck

Léopold Van Strydonck (1865-1935)

Jewellery designer, goldsmith, and medalist.

At the peak of the Art Nouveau period, Léopold Van Strydonck was one of the authoritative Belgian artists, alongside Philippe Wolfers and Henry van de Velde. Many objects created by Van Strydonck can be found in museums all over the world.

Some of his work can be found in public collections such as DIVA, Antwerp (Belgium), and the Richard H. Driehaus Museum, Chicago (Illinois, United States).

‍Click picture for more info on this gold antique griffin or dragon signed Van Strydonck.

October 9, 2022

Vanitas vanitatum, omnia vanitas

Vanitas vanitatum et omnia vanitas

In all we do, and hear, and see,Is restless Toil, and Vanity.While yet the rolling earth abides,Fashion comes and goes like ocean tides;And ere one style dies,Another trend shall rise;That, sinking soon into the grave,Others succeed, like wave on wave;

Part of the poem "Vanitas Vanitatum, Omnia Vanitas"by Anne Brontë (1820-1849)(freely rendered)

In the arts, vanitas is a type of symbolic still life painting especially associated with Northern European painters in Flanders and the Netherlands in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The word is Latin, meaning "emptiness," and loosely translated corresponds to the meaninglessness of earthly life and the transient nature of vanity.

By the 16th century, flowers would appear (again) as symbols of the seasons. Starting in Roman times is the tradition of using symbols of mortality, transience, and earthly remains. These so-called vanitas images have been re-interpreted through the last 400 years of art history, starting with Dutch painters around 1600. It is from these paintings that the Gardener took his inspiration for this Garden of Adin Vanitas Vanitatum.

‍Click picture for more info on this vintage Victorian Art Nouveau griffin jewel.

October 5, 2022

Adin's Rorschachtest 01

The Garden of Adin's Chief Psychoanalyst, Mr Elkan Wijnberg, announced a ground-breaking development based on the so-called Rorschach test.

Mr Wijnberg proudly informed us about this spectacular development in psychoanalysis. He said: "By adding a piece of antique jewellery to the inkblots, we are now able to determine the taste of the test subjects."

Rumour has it that Mr Wijnberg will be nominated for the Nobel Prize for this discovery.

‍Click here for more info on this Vintage Art Deco sapphire and diamond ring.

September 28, 2022

Newsflash: 23 new living species discovered so far this year!

Among those 23: a tree named after Leonardo DiCaprio, a millipede named after Taylor Swift, and most spectacular of all, a new species of mantis that has been discovered in the Garden of Adin!

According to Mr. Elkan Wijnberg, Chief Taxonomist at the Garden of Adin, its elongated body has no wings, but its shape, set with diamonds and onyx, is typical of the Art Deco era. Hence, the name this species has been given: "Mantidae Adinus Artdecoa".

It seems that this species is evolutionarily adapted to impress in both a vertical and horizontal posture and has the ability to remain stationary while wearing.

Click picture for more info on this vintage Art Deco 10cm long bar brooch.‍

June 19, 2022

Adin's Kindergarten - game 26

Connect the jewel with its maker - to enjoy with your kids and/or grandkids,because there is no age on playing with vintage jewellery.

For the solution of this jewel/maker connection game? click this link

Click here to check our extensive collection of signed vintage jewellery.‍

April 3, 2022

Inspired by Yasuhiro Ishimoto - 01

Vintage Jewellery and Visual Arts

Since our last post, we at Adin have allowed ourselves to delve further into the wondrous rabbit hole of photography as we’ve received another interesting tip: the work of photographer Yasuhiro Ishimoto. Therefore, we purchased his book HANA, which is the Japanese word for 'flower'. What a discovery this was for us! With this picture, we hope to have caught a glimpse of his brilliance and combined it with some of our sparkles.

As photography professionals among you will notice, spending too much time on photo tests isn’t a luxury that’s given to us at Adin, specifically because our main work is fortunately in dealing with our luxurious jewellery collection. Nevertheless, and even after more than 30 years of jewellery photography, we will always find joy in getting inspired by artists like Yasuhiro Ishimoto in a similar way as jewellery inspires us.

Click here for more info on this vintage diamond ring with humongous opal.

March 27, 2022

Inspired by Robert Mapplethorpe

Vintage Jewellery and Visual Arts

Recently, we received the compliment that some of our jewellery pictures resemble the work of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe—or at least that we would appreciate his work. Even though his oeuvre in general is known to us, we decided to dive into his latest publication of flower photographs. What a feast for our eyes, what a source of inspiration for our brains, and what respect for nature’s perfection through his lens!

For almost 26 years of online representation of our jewellery collection through various types of imagery, and once again with this photo, we’ve tried to incorporate the idea of the ultimate portrayal of the jewel as the subject of our work—in the spirit of Robert Mapplethorpe.

Click here for more info on this platinum diamond and rubellite engagement ring.

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March 13, 2022

Adin's Kindergarten - game 21

Connect the jewel with its style—to enjoy with your kids and/or grandkids, because there is no age limit on playing with vintage jewellery.

For the solution of this jewel/style connection game, click this link.

Click here to get to check our extensive collection of genuine vintage jewellery.

February 6, 2022

Understanding Jewellery - The 20th Century

Every vintage jewellery dealer should surround themselves with as much reference work as possible, and this newly published book, Understanding Jewellery - The 20th Century by David Bennet and Daniela Mascetti, is an example of what should not be missing from the library.

In our case, there was an even bigger pleasant surprise that we've discovered within its pages than just the extent of documentation. We've found a brooch displayed that's remarkably similar to the vintage Cartier gold kinetic flower brooch in our jewellery collection.

"Kinetic" is even an understatement when we look at the unique moveable features of this meticulously crafted brooch. Not only does each gemstone stem in the heart of the flower tremble along with your every move: you can also decide whether you prefer the bud to be blooming or closed by manually folding in the gold flower petals.

Click the picture for more info on this Vintage Cartier Brooch.

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Magnificent Victorian rose cut diamond ring with blue enamel
Magnificent Victorian rose cut diamond ring with blue enamel

Endure, be strong, stay healthyand spoil yourself with our jewellery!

January 30, 2022

Adin's Kindergarten - game 16

Connect the jewel with its technique—to enjoy with your kids and/or grandkids, because there is no age limit on playing with vintage jewellery.

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For the solution of this game, click here.

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Click here to get to check our extensive collection of genuine vintage jewellery.

January 23, 2022

French antique gridded wooden floor panels

This week, we just have to share our unique discovery of mid-18th century wooden floor grids from a traditional Parisian goldsmith atelier. These wooden panels used to be very common in such workshops and served as grates to scrape any valuable metal dust from the soles of the goldsmith’s shoes and to prevent gemstones from bouncing all over the floor if they were dropped on the ground. By lifting the panels every now and then, the floor could be swept and lost valuables could be recollected.

Here at Adin, we feel it’s only right to upgrade such unique wooden traces of goldsmithing history from being just a part of the floor to an educational ornament in our boutique. The picture above shows that the wooden grid can be a perfect pedestal for this magnificent diamond-encrusted and enameled ring from the same era. Who knows, maybe the ring and the grid are old acquaintances reconnecting again at Adin.

The pictures below show several antique wooden goldsmith floor panels as well as etchings that illustrate what traditional goldsmith workshops looked like with floors covered by such grates. As these antique floor covers don’t seem inviting for high heels and we wish to welcome gents as well as ladies at Adin, we will give the panels another spot in the limelight.

P.S.: In Dutch, this type of flooring has a specific name ("horten"), but we’re not familiar with the English term. Suggestions and more information are always welcome.

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Magnificent Victorian rose cut diamond ring with blue enamel
Magnificent Victorian rose cut diamond ring with blue enamel
Magnificent Victorian rose cut diamond ring with blue enamel
Magnificent Victorian rose cut diamond ring with blue enamel

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January 9, 2022

Adin's Kindergarten - game 15

Connect the jewel with its designer—to enjoy with your kids and/or grandkids, because there is no age limit on playing with vintage jewellery.

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For the solution of this game, click this link.

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Click here to get to check our extensive collection of genuine vintage jewellery.