Abundance Abounding

When I spotted this unusual buckle at auction, it is safe (and a little conservative, actually) to say that my heart skipped a beat. It may have stopped for a bit. First, birds and flowers - two of my very favorite things - in one design. Second, rendered in burnished gold? Yes. (Jury is still out, but it may be gold over either ceramic or glass, which is highly unusual and entirely cool.) Third, eye-popping scale; the buckle measures 3.5" wide! Fourth, it is signed on the back (shows a plaque by the maker) by Ben Meltzer Inc, NY, which was an accessories and jewelry manufacturer producing buckles, clips, and occasionally brooches that was only in business between 1934 and 1938. Super rare, incredibly beautiful, and now the clasp of some of the most wonderful beads I've had in the studio in some time. Carved aventurine flowers show shades of green from deep forest to celadon-like and all ranges in-between, and the four strands feel elegant and playful all at once. This is an all-around