for JQ Magazine
ALCHEMY: A PASSION FOR JEWELRY – TEMPLE ST. CLAIR
By William M. Brandon III
Captivating photography and St. Clair’s distinct vision make this book impossible to hide on a shelf.
Temple St. Clair is a Southern Girl, “No matter how many decades I have been away from the South, I always think of myself as a Southern Girl.” As a child St. Clair traveled extensively with her parents, often spending summers in Morocco and Bavaria. After attending school in Switzerland she continued to Florence where she received a Master’s Degree in Italian Literature. At this point in her life St. Clair had not been exposed to the world of jewelry making. Her visiting mother asked St. Clair to commission a goldsmith to create a piece of jewelry from a gold coin.
St. Clair went to the Palazzo dell’ Orafo of Florentine goldsmiths and discovered the ancient Italian art of jewelry making. With her education and vast intercontinental experience, St. Clair struck out into her life’s work and began amazing the jewelry world.
Alchemy: A Passion for Jewelry (222pp.; $50; bn.com) chronicles the continent-spanning story of a woman chasing inspiration and capturing it. Alchemy has the feel of a photography book more than an autobiography. The rich and stunning photographs of S. Clair’s work dominate the pages. Every seductive twist and turn of precious metals propels the story along, and overwhelms the eye in shining splendor. St. Clair’s narrative never fails to impress, whether it is her rich, early-American heritage, her life’s epiphany in Florence, or her unbridled dissection of ancient Renaissance art, it is clear that her passion matches her artistry. The captivating photography and St. Clair’s distinct vision make this book impossible to hide on a shelf.
Victoria’s Other Secret
By William M. Brandon III
Cameos are an art form whose origins precede the Egyptian Empire. Though most people associate the cameo with Victorian Age clothing, its lush history spans millennia.
Anna Miller’s Cameos Old & New (4th Edition – Diana Jarrett, G.G., RMV – GemStone Press/February 2009/Quality paperback/$19.99/360pp.) is an extensive journey into the fascinating and ancient world of Cameos. This comprehensive work covers the history of this unique form of jewelry making, and continues with in-depth instruction regarding the manufacturing process, complete guides to appraisal, as well as tips for collectors on authenticity and popularity of various genres of Cameos.
Diana Jarrett’s 4th edition elaborates on Miller’s insights regarding building and caring for a cameo collection, “circa dating”, as well as quality ranking. The 4th Edition features new photography, resources for collectors and professionals and instruction on how to buy cameos whether from a retailer, an antique dealer or on the internet.
The most striking part of this book is Miller’s ability to disseminate a great deal of information to the reader without ever falling into the perilous textbook style of language. Miller’s casual and passionate tone takes you on a relaxed journey through the centuries-old genesis and evolution of Cameo making. From there Miller takes us through the intricate processes involved in dating and appraising this ancient art form. Her style lends itself to interested reading and the book’s format makes it easy to flip-through and pinpoint information.
It is difficult to place Cameos Old & New in either an academic or pleasure category. Though it is indeed a pleasure to read, the extensive glossary of jewelry terminology, chronological history of gemstones, in-depth bibliography, and robust “suggested reading” appendix combine to make this a powerful reference book for beginner and expert alike.
*PDF samples available upon request (wmbrandoniii@gmail.com)
