And the life lesson is: we all need a dog that looks at us in the way that dog on the pendant is looking at (presumably) its master. Dammit, I miss having a dog. First thing on my list when I stop moving around. No, no, I'm fine, just allergies. Allergies. And...and watery eyes, it's a medical condition. Yep. Stop looking at me please.
And thank you so much for the mention :) Yay for curious folk approaching the same topic from all sorts of different directions.
Delighted to spread the word, Mike! And yes, that pup is heartbreakingly endearing - whoever carved and painted him must have had (and loved) a dog; I don't think I've ever seen someone so perfectly capture that gesture before.
I didn't know that that type of necklace is called a torque/torc! There is one among my late grandma's jewelry that I've been thinking of keeping. (It is a little bit small and fancy for me.) After reading this, I think I've been trying it on backwards.
Oooh. Fascinating read, thank you. I've worn one! Kind of. I used to be an archaeologist, and while a student, I got the chance to try on a (clasped) replica, which was designed to weigh roughly he same amount as the originals. It was...absurdly heavy. We were also told the heaviest ever known, presented to one of the Roman emperors and wholly ceremonial for obvious reasons, weighed in the region of 60-70 pounds. Which is just plain bonkers.
Ooh, very cool! It'll be interesting to see if your grandmother's necklace sits better when it's reversed. It looks like Joan's was designed to have the opening in the back and that's how she wore it, but I'm definitely more used to seeing them with the opening in the front, the way the Celts and Romans wore them.
I gasped so many times reading through this latest installment! I know about JAR from your writing for the Hairpin (I think?) when the Ellen Barkin pieces were auctioned. Even the pieces I don't particularly like, I think are gorgeous. I'm definitely in love with the 'branch under the snow' bracelet. What would it be like to live a life where you could just acquire of those pieces?
And then that yellow diamond??? I DIE
As usual though, everything you feature is a showstopper. I treasure every issue of your newsletter as much as a rare jewel. Thank you so much for keeping us delighted!
I'm so glad you like it - and thanks so much for the kind words, as always! JAR is amazing. The photo doesn't do the "Branch Under Snow" justice, which is a shame. In person it absolutely GLEAMS. So gorgeous!
And the life lesson is: we all need a dog that looks at us in the way that dog on the pendant is looking at (presumably) its master. Dammit, I miss having a dog. First thing on my list when I stop moving around. No, no, I'm fine, just allergies. Allergies. And...and watery eyes, it's a medical condition. Yep. Stop looking at me please.
And thank you so much for the mention :) Yay for curious folk approaching the same topic from all sorts of different directions.
- New fan.
Delighted to spread the word, Mike! And yes, that pup is heartbreakingly endearing - whoever carved and painted him must have had (and loved) a dog; I don't think I've ever seen someone so perfectly capture that gesture before.
That dog looks a lot like my dog, who makes the same face at me! (She is a little velcro pittie.) If only I had an extra $1500 lying around...
Aw, give her a hug for me, please!
I didn't know that that type of necklace is called a torque/torc! There is one among my late grandma's jewelry that I've been thinking of keeping. (It is a little bit small and fancy for me.) After reading this, I think I've been trying it on backwards.
This also led me to this rabbithole about them: https://blog.britishmuseum.org/how-do-you-put-on-a-torc/
Oooh. Fascinating read, thank you. I've worn one! Kind of. I used to be an archaeologist, and while a student, I got the chance to try on a (clasped) replica, which was designed to weigh roughly he same amount as the originals. It was...absurdly heavy. We were also told the heaviest ever known, presented to one of the Roman emperors and wholly ceremonial for obvious reasons, weighed in the region of 60-70 pounds. Which is just plain bonkers.
WOW. I remember writing about one - I think it was 5th century - for the Hairpin that was 5lbs and I thought THAT was a lot. 60-70 is absolutely nuts!
Found a reference: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YDs9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA123&lpg=PA123&dq=quintilian+torc+augustus&source=bl&ots=JEcoTgndYb&sig=ACfU3U0Gx0DqjFTjyxUlqNkLuFYzGCDvow&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjkpbWT_4jxAhVPglwKHU-NCu0Q6AEwHnoECAgQAg#v=onepage&q=quintilian%20torc%20augustus&f=false
Footnote 16. A hundred Roman pounds, where a Roman pound is 0.7(ish) of a modern pound.
Although this is only what the source said. The source could have been exaggerating wildly...
Amazing. Oooh, imagine the very satisfying *THUNK* it would make as it was placed on the table...
Ooh, very cool! It'll be interesting to see if your grandmother's necklace sits better when it's reversed. It looks like Joan's was designed to have the opening in the back and that's how she wore it, but I'm definitely more used to seeing them with the opening in the front, the way the Celts and Romans wore them.
I gasped so many times reading through this latest installment! I know about JAR from your writing for the Hairpin (I think?) when the Ellen Barkin pieces were auctioned. Even the pieces I don't particularly like, I think are gorgeous. I'm definitely in love with the 'branch under the snow' bracelet. What would it be like to live a life where you could just acquire of those pieces?
And then that yellow diamond??? I DIE
As usual though, everything you feature is a showstopper. I treasure every issue of your newsletter as much as a rare jewel. Thank you so much for keeping us delighted!
I'm so glad you like it - and thanks so much for the kind words, as always! JAR is amazing. The photo doesn't do the "Branch Under Snow" justice, which is a shame. In person it absolutely GLEAMS. So gorgeous!