It Started with a Bracelet
dedicated to Irma S. Lewis, who taught me more than I’ll ever realize.

Note: The jewelry discussed here is referred to as “Etruscan.” In the Victorian period there was a classic revival of ancient styles. This story is about the Etruscan-style jewelry produced in Italy in the 40’s possibly through the 60’s and may have been made by the Peruzzi company mentioned in the previous CreARTive Sunday blog.

Years ago, when I lived in a co-op apartment building in Flushing, Queens, I had a neighbor who was old enough to be my grandmother. Irma was an immigrant who arrived from Hamburg with a few cents in her pocket. She was German Jew whose mother spoke eleven languages, whose father was a wealthy realtor; she was called, “l’enfant terrible.” She was bright, fearless and smart as all heck. She survived the Holocaust. Her family was not as lucky.

She arrived in a place where she had no job. New York City. She worked as a milliner—got the job with no experience. She applied for a job as a pattern maker having never made a pattern before. She eyed the assignment and whipped out the pattern; she got the job.

Irma’s mind and hands were brilliant.

Irma was the first woman to have a “shop” on 7^th Avenue, THE fashion capitol of the city and known throughout the world. She became the first woman to sew for the “better dress union.” Her clients in the ‘50’s were all men and they tried ceaselessly to run her out of business. She told them all to go to hell. Along with the mafia who were trying to get her to pay protection money for picking up her garbage. She through the bums out.

She sewed for Ben Klein, husband of Anne Klein, before she had a “name,” the designers Molly Parness, Giorgio Sant’ Angelo, to name a few. She made a dress for Eleanor Roosevelt woven with 24 kt gold spun fabric presented by the Indian government; she proudly showed me the clipping in the newspaper. There was Mrs. Roosevelt wearing her dress. She pointed out a dress worn by Pat Nixon in Vogue Magazine. “That’s mine,” she said proudly. Mrs. Nixon smiled in a red sheath.

The woman who knew nothing about sewing when she arrived here, won a Coty medal.

Irma married and had a daughter, Roz. Her husband was a cheat—she dumped him. She struggled, and she starved herself to provide food and child care while she worked endless hours in the loft. On Saturdays, she took little Roz to the unheated loft where they wrapped their feet in newspaper to keep warm while Irma worked. Roz would sit on the floor and drape patterns and doll’s clothes. Roz, who is now close to 70, became a multi-millionaire, owning her own corporation. She is an artist and businesswomen. Her three daughters became an accountant, a lawyer and a dentist. They learned at an early age that there was nothing a woman couldn’t do.

As life got better, Irma traveled to islands I never heard of. She told me the greatest stories, showed me the most wonderful collections of things. A Picasso plate hung on the wall in the living room. Saturdays she took me by the hand and we’d go in her little red car for a Swedish massage. It was the 70’s, massages were $25.

Irma taught me how to knit and sew. She took me to Sears and we bought a sewing machine. I learned how to “build” a garment. If one stitch was crooked, she’d say, “Master I have finished, may I rip?” That meant, there was no room for mistakes. She sent me home, down the hall, many times to start over. I spent many hours crying at the machine in frustration. What I didn’t realize in my 20-some odd years, was that not only was I learning a skill, I was developing patience.

I spent many hours in the evenings with “Irmie” and her funny misuse of idioms, her adorable accent. I made designer clothes (mainly Calvin Klein) that I would never have been able to buy.

(I was never as good as her daughter who would go to Bergdorf Goodman, buy a dress, bring it home, cut a pattern and make it herself, saving thousands of dollars).

One day, Irma pulled out a box from her drawer and showed me treasures from her trips to Italy. She started me on my “Etruscan-style” craze. I was awed. Something about these things triggered something in me. I coveted that bracelet. It started a fascination.

This was before my charm bracelet collecting days, but it was the beginning for a lust for vintage beauty. I was on a quest to find my own “fantasy charm bracelet.”

Here it is with the two original charms.

The charms are intricately made and encrusted with semi-precious stones.
The theme carries into the chain.

I found one in the store I later worked in part time, and got it at a great price. One of the owners was out that day and the partner like me and I think she wanted me to have it.

The original had several different charms which I removed as they were large. I’ll show you what I did with them at another time. I replaced them with others I found at the store and created this:

The charm of the charms are the semi-precious stones

Some stones are faceted like the citrine

You might be wondering how I have Irma’s bracelet. A few years before she died, in the late 80’s at the age of 90, she opened the box and told me to pick “something to remember me by.”

I was overwhelmed. There were several lovely things. I took the bracelet of course, and loved the ring. My Irmie gave it to me. I so miss her.

I added to Irma’s bracelet to complete it. The original charms are at either end. Click on all the photos to appreciate the details.

The series continues here: Part 2.

Comments from the parallel universe of yahoo:

• Kwika

What a wonderful story, how lucky you were and what a lovely gift to remember this remarkable woman by.

Sunday April 27, 2008 – 04:10pm (NZST)

• jyotsna pathania

they are magical, the art, decorative use, history and story to go with them, symbolic of status prosperity, luck and wealth, and the way you have put them all together is magical–sheer magic

Sunday April 27, 2008 – 05:44pm (NFT)

• Cheyanne

The bracelet is charming, and the story so heartwarming. You are a very fortunate person to have had Irma in your life.

Sunday April 27, 2008 –

• * Stefany

What an amazing story. Your life experiences are so enchanting and rich. What beautiful gifts from a special woman! Simply breathtaking!! I would love to see your collection someday!

Tags: creartive sunday, jewelry making, jewelry, italy

reply sweetpotatoqueen wrote on Apr 27, ’08 Okay…these are my favorite of the charms I have seen you post to date. I think the classical.timeless designs are stunning and the stones so beautiful! Great background as well!

reply stillybee wrote on Apr 27, ’08 Im Fascinated!! Very beautiful treasures 🙂 I would love hearing more about your special inspiring friend! Are you a designer as well?? I am ALWAYS looking for QUALITY beautiful things. I LOVE NEW YORK… what a place 🙂

reply ppiccola wrote on Apr 27, ’08 OMG your story is so much like my ‘MAMA ROSA’ who left a leagcy in me. and the jewlery is espectacular, unique beauty…….I feel so honour to be in your world, thank you for being such a simple humble person while you have such a wealthy world inside you (wealth based in the love, arts, experiences you have and share) piccola

reply starfishred wrote on Apr 27, ’08 Oh Sue how wonderful,

reply teena2 wrote on Apr 27, ’08 I loved this article and the story of Irma and what gifts she passed on to you…the photo below is a necklace that my brother found in an estate sale and gave me to sell…it was too pretty to part with…tell me, is it Italian…like the ones you have?

reply luluone wrote on Apr 27, ’08 what a great story of Irma, I guess successful person always endures difficult time of his or her life at the beginnng, the bracelet is indeed really nice

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Apr 27, ’08 More next week, it continues!

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Apr 27, ’08 Tee, This looks middle eastern to me, Indian? Israeli perhaps. I do not believe it is Italian.

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Apr 27, ’08 starfishred said Oh Sue how wonderful, This one’s for you, kid. Many months ago I mentioned I’d be doing this blog and you were so happy. Happy dance time. 🙂

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Apr 27, ’08 stillybee said Im Fascinated!! Very beautiful treasures 🙂 I would love hearing more about your special inspiring friend! Are you a designer as well?? I am ALWAYS looking for QUALITY beautiful things. I LOVE NEW YORK… what a place 🙂 Stilly, I have designed a collection of jewelry and will at some point start posting it. Haven’t made many piece recently as I was working on the charm bracelets.

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Apr 27, ’08 ppiccola said OMG your story is so much like my ‘MAMA ROSA’ who left a leagcy in me. and the jewlery is espectacular, unique beauty…….I feel so honour to be in your world, thank you for being such a simple humble person while you have such a wealthy world inside you (wealth based in the love, arts, experiences you have and share) piccola Piccie, I guess we are lucky to have a Mama Rosa–or Irma. She taught me more than my mother!

reply butlerdidit2 wrote on Apr 28, ’08 I knew I’d enjoy the Etruscan post…I have not been disappointed. Thanks for such a touching background to the bracelet!

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Apr 28, ’08 You are so welcome! More next week!

reply estimiguelariel wrote on May 4, ’08 What a wonderful post, Sue .. I truly enjoy your writing and the photos too, THANK YOU !!!

reply agnes128 wrote on May 4, ’08 Irma was a great lady, so generous, not only for the bracelet I mean. It’s wonderful to learn from and to share some experiments with that kind of people. One of my great-aunt was like that (minus the sewing skills) having a treasure chest with fashion jewelry (she named them trinkets, they were treasure to me), a collection of postcards and a ‘coiffeuse table’ full of perfumes and make-up. Maybe I take that ‘charms’ bug while visiting her as it is unusual in France.

reply rooanns wrote on May 5, ’08 I thought they looked like royal jewels and after reading the story realize that this is truly a priceless treasure.

reply aladybug wrote on May 11, ’08 This is a fascinating story and a fascinating woman! Hmm… you know me… I loved that you deepened into the sewing experience and you realized you were not learning to sew, but learning patience (ahhh… I loved that!). You know what? It’s great that you share the long story behind. It’s not just bracelets but a very rich life experience behind them. 🙂