Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Downton Abbey, Edwardian Age jewelry and the Boer War


Downton Abbey concludes this coming Sunday on PBS for us and it has been a treat! This is Lady Mary, one of the main characters, a young woman caught in the strictures of the Edwardian rules of polite society.  The Edwardian Age was named after Queen Victoria's son Edward VII who came to the throne of England upon her death in 1901. The reign was marked by the upheaval of changes started by the Industrial Revolution, social unrest, coming war and changing fortunes.


The Edwardian age was the last period of Belle Epoque or the Beautiful Era before modernism and the art deco influences began to dominate.  Edwardian jewelry was feminine, light and beautifully made. I wanted to show you an Edwardian faceted rainbow crystals necklace at Time Was Antiques that I absolutely love because it is so representative of the period 1900-1920 when Downton Abbey is set.








You can read more about it at this link:
Edwardian Rainbow Crystal Necklace


The Edwardian Era was ushered in by the end of the Boer War fought in South Africa, begun during the reign of Queen Victoria and concluded in 1902 around the time of the coronation of King Edward VII. The mug below is a fabulous example of portraits of King Edward and Queen Alexandra who's descendants include Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William. The back is a rare dedication to the end of the war and a commendation of the brave fights and lofty goals of the war. I really love the graphics.








I love history and these artifacts really bring it to life and evoke the ages and occasions they were made to commemorate. Downton Abbey, although fictional, has been extremely accurate throughout to details and settings and I have loved it...it's a window on a past age.
For more information and photos of the mug at Time Was Antiques use this link:
Edward VII and Boer War commemorative mug


Remember to watch on Sunday night...I can hardly wait! Have a great day.

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