The Eyes Have It!

We depend on our eyes more than any of our five senses. So of course much attention is focused on aiding and enhancing our sight. Victorian women were known for sporting long gold chains that were either looped or draped across the front of their gorgeous dresses. Watches, lockets or magnifiers were often suspended from these fabulous chains. This charming gold and mother-of-pearl treasure features a beautiful petit point flower. I can just imagine the well-dressed lady that wore it with such grace.

 
This is a folding lorgnette that can be worn or carried. 

Ladies of the period would not wear glasses but would use the lorgnette or magnifier to see more clearly.

These lovely mother-of-pearl opera glasses would be tucked into a lady’s evening bag and then taken out to use during the performances.

These were just as much decorative as utilitarian.

Now, let’s play I spy. Do you spy two eyes in this picture? These are Georgian lover’s eye pins.

This one has an intricate gold casing. They feature just the eye so they can be worn without disclosing the identity of the secret lover.

This one is encircled by garnets. They were also made into rings as well.

Can you guess this one? It is an old eyewash cup in cobalt blue. You would fill it with water or medicine, place it over the eye with one hand and hold the eye open with the other.

 This type of eyeglass is called a “pince-nez”. They fit tightly on the nose with no handles.

 They, too, fold and fasten with a clasp that can be suspended on a chain.

A pair of early wire framed glasses.

 Notice the small size that speaks to the small stature of people during the past century.

 This stereoscope is the Victorian home theatre. You could purchase scenes of famous sites and enjoy viewing them at home. 

 This view is the Winter Palace of the Czar of Russia.

Let’s end with this man’s pince-nez with attached ear hook, displayed on my favorite eyeglass holder, that also has storage for false teeth. It always makes me smile.

Hugs,

 Patti & Paula


We're linking to the following parties:
Inspire Me Mondays @ Singing Three Little Birds
Pink Hippo Party @ Pinkapotamus
Market Yourself Monday @ Sumo's Sweet Stuff
Mosaic Monday @ Little Red House
Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage
Glitter Link Party @ Running With Glitter
Amaze Me Monday @ Dittle Dattle
Creative Blogger's Party @ Homemaker on a Dime
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Making The World Cuter Monday @ Making The World Cuter
Making Monday Marvelous @ C.R.A.F.T.
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm
Tuesday's Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Twice Owned Party @ Creating a House of Grace
Club G.W. @ Charm Bracelet Diva
Time to Shine @ A Diamond in the Stuff
Anything Goes @ Type A
Tuesday Time Out @ Reasons to Skip the Housework
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style
Primp Your Stuff Wednesday @ Primp
Wednesday Link Party @ Very Merry Vintage Style
Treasure Hunt Thursday @ From My Front Porch to Yours
Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here
Time Travel Thursday @ The Brambleberry Cottage
Thrifty Thursday @ Tales from Bloggeritaville
Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Creek Cottage
Thrifty Things Friday @ The Thrifty Groove
Farmhouse Friday @ LaurieAnna's Vintage Home
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home
Vintage Inspiration Friday @ Common Ground
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage
Inspiration Friday @ At The Picket Fence
Potpourri Party @ 2805
Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring Decorating
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
Oh-la-la Link Party @ Shabby Chic Girls' Club
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors
Seasonal Sunday @ The Tablescaper
Sunday Favorites @ Happy to Design
Sister Sunday Link Party @ Sisters of the Wild West

Cloche Encounters

 This week is all about the cloche! (There’s a big party don’t cha know!) It’s been a blast running around putting everything under glass. 

 I placed a couple of bathing beauties, strings of pearls, seashells, and a whole lotta bling as the base. And what beauty would be caught dead without a mirror?

 Next step, a topper. This is the key and beaded tassel from my secretary, and inside a gorgeous ivory finial from my lamp. (Looks like stalactite dripping from a cave ceiling, right?)

 I’m calling this one the siren's cave. I love how the beads cascading down look like seaweed. Watch out Little Mermaid!

 This little angel is cute as is. I just draped some pearls around him and plopped on the cloche. Cute!

 This is a French cloche called a Globe de Mariée. A bride would have one made upon her marriage. To see others click here. 

 This one includes the original orange blossom headdress.

 I had so much fun making the first cloche that I just had to try my hand at it again. I really wanted to think outside the box on this one. I used an old glass magnifier,

 A lovely pressed glass ashtray,

 Hmm… what to magnify? Why of course! This pretty little Georgian lover’s eye pin! 

 These were jewels that could be worn without revealing the lover’s identity. Romantic, huh? Voilà! I love it! 

 Until next time, I’ve got my eye on you. 

While we’ve got our eyes wide open let’s peek in at Paula’s and see what’s under her cloche.

Patti

First up is my elephant and roses cloche. Cloches, bell jars, and glass domes are a perfect way to highlight an object of your fancy. I just love porcelains. Porcelains with roses are one of my favorites.  

This vintage coffee pot from India is small enough to display in a cloche. I like to rotate my vintage import pieces giving each piece an opportunity to debut.

My favorite type of ironstone is Red Cliff. My favorite of the red cliff are the ones with the little grapes. This little Tureen was a bargain buy without its ladle. 

Have you ever seen these small dessert cloches and wondered "What can I put in there?" Well the answer is pretty much anything small. Patti and I were visiting a local orchid nursery and they were selling this orchid, from Thailand, in a painted wooden container. Can you believe that that orchid is soap? 

Here is another porcelain piece with roses on the front. I can't wait to show you the rest of the porcelain collection. 

 Thank you for joining us for our cloche encounters, we will be linking to the following blogs:

Masterpiece Monday @	Boogie Board Cottage
Amaze Me Monday @	Dittle Dattle
Show Off Your Cottage Monday @	The House in the Roses
Wow Us Wednesday @	Savvy Southern Style
Share the Love Wednesday @	Very Merry Vintage Style
French Inspiration Thursday @	The French Cupboard
Club G.W. @	Charm Bracelet Diva
Thrifty Thursday@	Tales From Bloggeritaville
Open House Party Thursdays @	No Minimalist Here
Pearls and Lace Thursdays @	Faith, Grace, and Crafts
Vintage ThingieThursday @	The Coloradolady
Vintage Inspiration Friday @	Common Ground
Inspiration Friday @	At the Picket Fence
Fridays Unfolded @	Stuff and Nonsense
Feathered Nest Friday @	French Country Cottage
Home Sweet Home @	The Charm of Home
Thrifty Things Friday @	The Thrifty Groove
Show and Tell Friday @	My Romantic Home

 

Patti & Paula

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