Animal Lovers

Dog jewelry can be many things- whimsical, serious, anatomically correct or creatively clever.

Looking back through my reference books on ancient jewelry, I don’t see much indication of canine representation. There are paintings of dogs, for sure, but the animals most common in early jewelry seem to be lions, birds and insects of various kinds. Many of these are made from gold and gemstones, so perhaps the dog was considered too “lowly” for such fantastic craftsmanship.

I’ve seen modern dog jewelry in;

o Gold
o Silver
o Pewter
o Resin
o Enamel

I’m sure the mediums are endless. I once knew an artist who worked in paper Mache! If it can be used, rest assured an artist will come up with a way to create canine art.

Some of the earliest dog themed jewelry I’ve seen was crafted in bakelite plastic from the deco years of the 1920s through the 1930s. The little Scottie dog and his ubiquitous red bow bounds playfully as a brooch for the dog lover of that earlier time. Many of these pins have survived to the present- they were quite common, maybe the most popular of all the dog jewelry designs. They were not meant to be representative art; they were clever and cute, part of a style that has continued to this day.

Nowadays the popularity of various breeds has multiplied and the women who wear their representations increased proportionally. At any dog show there are two or three silver and goldsmiths plying their wares, and any animal lover or caretaker has at least one (usually many more) dog earrings and pendants to her name. And now that designer breeds (think “labradoodle”) are becoming popular, I’m sure many artists will be working them into their lines as well.

Dog breeds are completely distinctive, one to another. This becomes an irresistible challenge to every animal jewelry artist. Cat jewelry may be fun to create; their sinuous bodies are an artist’s dream. But dogs have hundreds of completely different body types and facial bone structures, due to man’s interference in their breeding through centuries of designing them for specific purposes and work.

Add to that fact the differences of individuals within any given breed, and you have a design opportunity that’s practically endless. There are artists, you know, who make one of a kind jewelry based on an image of your pet.

Nowadays you can find exclusive dog jewelry in the finest 14k gold, and platinum too, I’d imagine. This is a sign of the times, when a woman’s pet dog may mean as much to her as a child. I think this explains the current interest in dog jewelry more than anything else does.

But if it encourages jewelry artists to make remarkable pieces, who can complain? After all, the expression “necessity is the mother of invention” applies just as much to artists as it does to engineers.

Merry Rosenfield creates some of the most endearing dog jewelry available anywhere today. It’s not always easy to find unique gifts for dog lovers, but with her selection of fine sterling silver dog charms and pendants, there’s always something interesting at themagiczoo.com.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com