Victorian Style Artwork and Gifts


The Victorian era of Great Britain is considered the height of the British Industrial revolution and the apex of the British empire. It is often defined as the years from 1837 to 1901, when Queen Victoria (referred to as the greatest and most beloved of British monarchs) reigned, though many historians believe that the passage of the reform act of 1832 marks the true inception of a new cultural era. The Victoria era was preceded by the Regency era and came before the Edwardian period.

Queen Victoria also had one of the longest, if not the longest, reign in British history. The period is characterized as a long period of peace and economic, colonial, and industrial consolidation, temporarily disrupted by the Crimean war, although Britain was at war every year during this period. Towards the end of the century, the policies of new imperialism led to increasing colonial conflicts and eventually the Boer wars. Domestically, the agenda was increasingly liberal with gradual political reform. The Victorian era gave birth to Victorian design and style that are still around today.

Victorian style was often very ornate, especially the architecture, where there was a lengthy competition between the Classic style and Gothic style schools of thought. Gothic Revival was influenced by the original Gothic architecture of Medieval times. The Gothic boom actually begun in 1818, when Parliament assigned a Million pounds for building 214 new Anglican churches. One Hundred Seventy Four of them were constructed in a Gothic or near-Gothic style, and for almost a hundred years, most churches in England were Gothic in design. Despite the popularity of extravagant decoration, Renaissance or classic styles were also favoured for public buildings.

Several general style trends of the Victorian Era transcend any one facet of fashion, but rather had broad influence across clothing styles, architecture, literature, and the decorative arts, many of these had their roots in the 18th century, but flowered in the Victorian age, including; orientalism, the Gothic revival which generated the pre-Raphalites and artistic dress, Aestheticism, home d?cor, fashion through dress reform and rational dress.

Charles Fredrick Worth, the "father of Haute Couture" was a London draper who relocated to Paris in the 1840's, his success led to the dominance of Paris fashion houses as arbiters of style and the preferred clothiers for upper class women in both Britain and America.

The Druze Culture in Israel

The Druze men have shaven heads, covered by a white turban, a mustache and beard – the women wear a white head scarf called a Naqab. They drink very delicious strong coffee and do not smoke. Let's take a closer look at the face of the Druze people.

A very general classification would deem them Arabs – this is in broad recognition of their language and culture. Worldwide there are roughly one million Druze, living mainly in Syria and Lebanon. Over the years many have emigrated throughout the world, mainly to Europe and North and South America.

The Druze of Israel

In 1948, when the land of Palestine was handed over to a new Jewish government by the British Empire and under the auspices of a United Nations partition, the Druze opted against Arab nationalism, along with their Muslim counterparts – though they have never had a problem accepting Jewish nationalism, or living under an Israeli flag. There are 104,000 Druze in Israel, with the highest concentration in the Golan Heights, which came under Jewish rule in 1967.

The Druze community of Israel, have their own courts, with jurisdiction on matters such as, marriage, divorce, maintenance and adoption. For years they have served in both the Israel Defense Force as well as the Border Police, originally on a volunteer basis, and more recently as part of the country's general draft program. In this military sphere, as well as political and public, these good-natured people have been known to attain and maintain high-level positions. This should be seen as a great accomplishment.

The Religion of the Druze

The religious roots of the Druze are steeped in something called Ismailism. It is a religo-philosophical movement which founded the Fatimid Caliphate in Egypt in the 10th century. They came into being during the reign of Al-Hakim (996-1021), blending Islamic monotheism with Greek philosophy and Hindu influences. The existing middle-eastern communities of Druze have existed since 1516, when the Ottoman conquest of Syria took place and Sultan Selim I recognized Fakhr al-Din as Emir of the Maronite Christians and the Druze.

They hold in esteem as mentors all different types of figures: Jethro, Moses, John the Baptist, Jesus of Nazareth, Salman the Persian, Mohammed, Akhenaton, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Alexander the Great.

There are no rituals or ceremonies – that is no fixed daily liturgy, no defined holy days and no pilgrimage obligations. Instead they seek spiritual connection with God at all times. These are the tenants of the Druze faith:

• Speaking the truth (instead of prayer)
• Supporting your brethren (instead of charity)
• Abandoning the old creeds (instead of fasting)
• Purification from heresy (instead of pilgrimage)
• Accepting the unity of God
• Submitting to the will of God (instead of holy war)

The Culture of the Druze

Besides for their hospitality and kindness, the Druze are also known for being a very creative people. Their beautiful and colorful artwork both ancient and modern, usually employs different kinds of natural paints and textiles, found in the Middle East. In the north of Israel, particularly near Mount Carmel, there are several Druze villages which have arts and crafts shows and host nights of Druze folklore. MostOriginal.com offers a selection of Unique Authentic Druze Handbags and Purses.

Pewter Amulets & Pewter In Gifts

Pewter is a metal alloy, traditionally 85%-90% Tin and 1% - 4% Copper, with the addition of lead for the lower grades. Physically, pewter is a bright, shiny metal that is very similar in appearance to silver, like silver, pewter will also oxidize to a dull gray over time if left untreated. Pewter is a very soft metal, enough to carve with hand tools. Use of pewter was common from the Middle Ages up until the various developments in glass making during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Pewter was the chief tableware until the making of china. Mass production of glass products has seen glass universally replace pewter in day to day life. Pewter artifacts continue to be produced mainly as decorative or specialty items, for example Roman pewter items are very rare, although some are still in existence. Un lidded mugs and lidded tankards are the most familiar pewter artifacts from the late 17th and 18th centuries, although the metal was used for many other items including, plates, dishes, basins, spoons, communion cups, teapots, sugar bowls and more.

Pewter is shaped by casting, hammering, or lathe spinning on a mold and is usually simply ornamented with rims, moldings, or engraving. The Pewter craft had almost entirely disappeared by 1850 but was started again in the 20th century in modern home decor, pewter jewelry, pewter amulets, wall hangings and reproductions.

Some Pewter Amulets & Pewter Jewish Jewelry available at MostOriginal.com:

Large Pewter Cross Necklace

Jewish Pewter Menorah

Pewter Doves Star of David Hamsa Hand

Light Blue Pewter Hamsa

Pewter Hamsa Amulet Turquoise

Round Pewter Dreidel

Pewter Cross Jewelry

Carnelian Stones Benefits & Carnelian Jewelry

Carnelian is a reddish-orange stone that is a bit softer than most Quartz varieties (between 6 and 7 on Mohs Hardness Scale) and is often cut into figurines and broaches.

Carnelian is a form of another stone known a red chalcedony and has often been referred as "stone of nobility" as signet rings and noble coats of arms were often carved on this very workable stone. The warm colored, translucent attributes of Carnelian make it an excellent choice for men's rings, as well as various kinds of fashion jewelry, including bracelets and earrings. Because of the stone's reddish, translucent color, it is also often called Red Agate.

Historically, Carnelian stones were used by the ancient Egyptians to ease a person into the "after life", and were prized by the Greeks and Romans as they thought that the stone helped keep evil demons and sprits away, and that by wearing amulets made form Carnelian, one would have more health and energy. In fact, amounts of energy are said to be concentrated in this stone. Carnelian has also been popular for making religious items such as rosary beads, and is still often made into beads, due to its color and translucence.

Carnelian served a significant role in the early history of mankind. The Native American Indians, for example, would include the stone during their ceremonial rites. They believed the mystic properties of the stone and had considered it very sacred. It was also known to offer protection against evil; that’s why it’s added to the breast plates, flints, and sabers of warriors. Two thousand years ago, the Romans utilized Carnelian in seal and stamp rings, which were used to seal important documents and letters.

Carnelian are also popular because of their mental and physical healing properties. They can heal any problem you have with your abdomen, such as infertility or menstrual cramps. They can also increase your stamina and enthusiasm, and with their help you can easily get over sadness, depression, and bad vibrations.

Carnelian is often used as a birthstone for the months of May, July and August; and has an astrological connection to the sign of Virgo. Because of its healing attributes, Carnelian stones are often found in New Age and other shops specializing in minerals that have been given healing properties. Jewelry made with Carnelian stones and beads are often found in fashion accessory shops, jewelry stores, and online boutiques.

Amulets and Talisman Gifts

An amulet, from amuletum, meaning " an object-that protects a person from trouble" or Talisman, from Arabic Tilasm, or from the Greek word "Talsin" which means "to initiate into the mysteries", and consists of any object intended to bring good luck and protection to its owner. Two of the most popular amulets for protection and success are the Horseshoe and Hamsa Hand. Amulets vary considerably according to their time and place of origin, religious objects commonly serve as amulets in different societies, be it the figure of God or simply some symbol representing the deity (such as the cross for Christians, or the "eye of hours" for the ancient Egyptians).

Even today one can see people in Thailand with more than one Buddha hanging from their necks, every zodiacal sign has its corresponding gem that acts as an amulet, and these stones vary according to traditions.

In central Europe, people believed garlic kept Vampires away, as did religious symbols, the Egyptians had many amulets for different occasions and needs, often with the figure of a God or the "Ankh" ( the key of eternal-life) the figure of "Khepri" became a common amulet too, and gained fame in the western world. The ancient Scandinavians, Anglo-Saxons and Germans believe the Rune EOH protects against evil and witchcraft.

Amulets were ornaments, gems, scrolls, etc. worn as preservatives against the power of enchantments, and generally, inscribed with mystic forms or characters, the "earrings" in ( genesis 35;4 ) were probably amulets taken from the bodies of the slain Shechemites. They are subsequently mentioned among the spoils of Midian (judges 8;24 ) in ( hosea 2;13 ) in another like reference, the " earrings" in ( Isaiah 3;20 ) were also amulets. In recent years amulets have become more popular and some have been become more common to all religions. In our new world the variations and new artistic expression of some of these old amulets have made them increasingly fashionable for jewelry and wall decorations.

Some Amulets & Talismans available at MostOriginal.com:

Amulet Hamsa Keyring by Ester Shahaf

Health & Protection Silver Solomon Seal Amulet

Financial Success Amulet Hand Woven Bracelet

Burgundy Fish & Hamsa Handbag Amulet Charm

Hamsa Amulet by Ester Shahaf

Hanging Hamsa Amulet by Ester Shahaf

Gold and Pink Horseshoe Amulet by Ester Shahaf

Horseshoe Amulet with Hamsa by Ester Shahaf

Purple Horseshoe Amulet by Ester Shahaf

Turquoise Jewelry for Protection

The blue/green Turquoise stone has had a special spiritual symbolism since the mineral was first used by humans as a gemstone of beauty as well as to bring good luck. Known use of the Turquoise stone goes back to the ancient Egyptians and beyond, and it has also been a favorite in Native American cultures in the Western Hemisphere, including the Mayan, Incan, and Aztec civilizations.

Turquoise receives its unique blue color from the presence of copper ore; while those stones with a greenish color indicate the presence of iron ore. Ancient Egyptians discovered the stone while mining copper, and a version of Turquoise, known as Eilat Stone, is still mined in ancient Egyptian copper mines in the Sinai and the Arava desert region in Israel.

Because of its unique color and "bands" of different colored lines, the Turquoise stone is often said to be a mineral that "connects" people" who wear it by friendship and love. The stone is also said to bring good fortune to those who wear it, with an old folk saying noting that: "they who hold the Turquoise dear, will find the money near".

The Turquoise was long known to provide natural protection against the powers of darkness. In ancient times the stone was believed to protect those with high risk occupations and today they are regard as the protective stone for pilots, air crews and other occupational groups who are exposed to an especially high degree of risk.

Gemstone therapy professionals recommend wearing a Turquoise for patients suffering from depression, especially chains with Turquoise beads. The cheerfulness of the color makes it an ideal gift of friendship, symbolizing enduring, faithful and reliable relationships.

One of the main sources for this stone is Iran, and ancient Persian royal families prized it as a spiritual symbol and often buried their dead with jewelry made from this stone. The same was also true for Aztec and other Native American cultures.

Turquoise stones were also prized in early Tibetan cultures, and even today, the stone is often used there as money. The Tibetans consider it to be emblematical of luck an good fortune, as well as having spiritual significance.

Turquoise is softer than other gemstones, and care must be made not to break or scratch it. Its beauty can be enhanced by rubbing wax on it. Turquoise charms, bracelets and other items decorated with turquoise and charms, such as Hamsa, can be found in jewelry and other stores selling charms and similar items. It is a favorite birthstone for the month of December.

MostOriginal.com offers a great selection of Turquoise gifts and Jewish jewelry, including:

All Turquoise Crystal Mezuzah
Braided Leather Turquoise Charms Bracelet
Turquoise Cross Necklace
Green and Turquoise Earrings
Four Leaf Turquoise Hanukkah Dreidel
Turquoise Hamsa Hand (Hanging)
Turquoise Hamsa Necklace
Hanging Star of David in Turquoise
Kabbalah Ana BeKoach Turquoise Necklace
Made in Israel Turquoise Hamsa Bracelet

Lucky Charm Jewelry & Charm Bracelets

A charm bracelet is an item of jewelry worn around the wrist, it carries personal charms; decorative pendants or trinkets, which signify important things in the wearer’s life.

The wearing of charms may have begun as a form of amulet to ward off evil spirits or bad luck. Charm bracelets have been the subject of several waves of trends, Queen Victoria wore charm bracelets that started a fashion among European noble classes, soldiers returning home after World war brought home trinkets made by craftsmen local to the area where they were fighting to give to loved ones.

Charms go back as far as the Neolithic era where man would pick up an unusual stone or piece of wood and carry it with him to ward off his enemies, elaborate jewelry made of precious stones and metals, emerged during the age of the Egyptian Pharaohs, it was during this time that the first recognizable charm bracelets and necklaces first appeared.

The citizens of ancient Egypt lived very short lives by today’s standard, with so little time on earth, they obsessively prepared for a prosperous life after death, charm bracelets played a significant role in the preparation process, charm wrist and neck bracelets were not only used as protective shields and signs of status in this life, they were also worn as I.D. tags to help the gods guide the wearer and his possessions to the proper status in the afterlife.

During the Roman empire, Christians would pull the “fish” charm from underneath their garments to identify themselves to other Christians to gain entry into secret, forbidden worship activities.

The Jewish scholar of that same time, would write passages from Jewish law on tiny slips of parchment, and insert the slips into a small, golden amulet that was worn around his neck, to keep the law close to the heart.

Wearing of charms began to lose favor with the wealthy classes during the Renaissance, however, charms and amulets were still widely used by people of lesser means and education.

In the early 20th century, the bracelets of Queen Victoria ignited the next big wave of charm wearing. They went from being practical tools to becoming decorative fashion jewelry, the charm bracelet disappeared from the fashion scene during the 1970’s, but in the mid 1980’s charm bracelets reappeared, showing up in antique stores and flea markets.

The boom in collectibles in the 1990’s drove a huge demand for vintage charm bracelets and were highly prized by serious collectors, the fashion industry once again discovered the lure of the charm bracelets, flooding the market with new styles in all price ranges, declaring them the must-have accessory for any occasion.

We have a selection of Charm Necklaces and Charm Bracelets Available:

Disc and Leather Necklace with Charms

Multi Charm Necklace

Silver Mezuzah Charm Necklace

Silver Turquoise Disc Necklace and Charms

Amethyst Charms Necklace

Multi Strand Charm Anklet

Turquoise and Cross Charm Bracelet

Cross Jewelry & Christian Gifts

The Cross is one of the most ancient human symbols and is used by many religions, most notably Christianity. It is frequently a representation of the division of the world into four elements (cardinal points) or alternatively the concepts of divinity, the vertical line, and the world, the horizontal line.

It is not known when the first cross image was made, there are many Cross shaped carvings in European caves, dating back to the earliest stages of human cultural development in the stone age, like other symbols from this period, their use in the Celtic cultures in Europe continued. Images of crosses were found in central Asia, and some were found in Altay. The cross in the old Altaic religion called "Tengrism" symbolizes the God "Tengri".

The first Christian books from Armenia and Syria contained evidence that the cross originated with horsemen from the East, possibly the first Turkic people in old Armenian temples, some Turkic influences are found in cross symbols. The written crosses are used for many different purposes, from religious symbols to mathematic symbols, as roman numerals for Ten, or the Latin letter X to name a few.

There are many different crosses in use by many different religions: The Latin Cross, Coptic Cross, the Ansated Cross (an ancient Egyptian Symbol of life), the Greek Cross, Celtic Cross(in the U.K. and Ireland), Labarum (Constantine's Cross), Lorraine Cross, Nordic Cross, Red Cross and many others.

The cross is a gibbet consisting of two pieces of timber placed across each other, the Crux Immissa, or the Latin cross, which was the kind of cross on which Christ died was made of one piece of wood inserted into the other at right angles.

This punishment was common among the Romans, as the Emblem of death punishment, the cross was naturally looked upon with profound horror, but after the celebrated vision of Constantine, he ordered his friends to make a cross of gold and gems, such as he had seen.

The new standards were called "Labarum", and may be seen on the coins of Constantine The Great and his nearer successors. Up until the 4th century the Fish was the symbol for Christians. After the so called conversion of Constantine the great (B.C.313) the cross first came into use as an emblem of Christianity, was borne by the Roman armies and remained so until the downfall of the western empire. The cross remained the ensign of the Christian religion, and hence figuratively, the religion itself. Today the Cross is the most carried talisman in the world and is believe by many Christians to be sacred.

MostOriginal.com has a great selection of Unique Cross Necklaces, Cross Pendants, Handmade Cross Jewelry and Cross Wall Decoratives available:

Hand made Blue Cross Necklace by Laly

Hand made Olive Green Cross Necklace by Laly

Turquoise Cross Necklace by Laly

Classical Wall Mounted Cross by Michal David

Turquoise and Blue Hanging Cross

Large Pewter Cross Royal Blue and Green by Ester Shahaf

Unique Cross Necklace by Laly

Evil Eye Jewelry & Evil Eye Bracelets

The Evil Eye is a belief that some people, often women seen as witches, can bestow a curse on victims by the gaze of their magical eye, the effects on victims vary, some are afflicted with bad luck of some sort, others believe the Evil Eye has even more powers, that it can cause disease and even death.

The Evil Eye belief is that a person otherwise not malicious in any way- can harm you, your children, friends, your livestock, or any other possessions, simply by looking at them with envy. That is, as a fatalistic consequence caused (usually without intention ) by someone who is envious, jealous, or covetous. A better understanding of the term "Evil Eye" can be gained from the old English and Scottish words for it as "overlooking", implying that the gaze has remained focused on the object, person, or animal for too long.

Some cultures hold that the Evil Eye is an involuntary Jinx that is cast unintentionally by unlucky people, others hold that the power is Called by the sin of envy, it may be that the term covet (to eye enviously) in the Tenth Commandment refers to casting the Evil Eye, in Hebrew it is called "ayin-Ha'ra",(the Evil Eye), in Italian it is called "mal occhio", (the bad eye), while in Spanish: "mal ojo" (the bad eye), and in Farsi it is "bla band" (the eye of evil).

The belief in the Evil Eye is strongest in the Middle east, Asia and Europe, especially the Mediterranean region, it also spread to the Americas, in some areas where light colored eyes are rare, people with blue eyes are feared to posses the power to bestow the curse, the belief in the Evil Eye is common in Islamic Mythology, but it is not a part of Islamic teaching, the Evil Eye is significant in Jewish folklore, and traditionally exclaim: "kein-aynhoreh" meaning "no Evil Eye".

To ward off a jinx, if something or someone has been praised or good news spoken aloud. The Evil Eye was "fascinum", the origin of the English word "to fascinate", in Greek its called "baskania" or "matiasma", in Brazilian Portuguese it is :"Olho Gordo", which means :"fat eye".

Attempts to ward off the curse of the Evil Eye, resulted in a number of talismans and Jewish jewelry items inscribed with blessings for protection. The common talisman in the Middle east: a Blue Eye found on some form of the "hand of Fatima", or Hamsa, an amulet against the Evil Eye, large eyes often seen painted on boats in the Mediterranean, to ward off Evil Eye are just a few. Talismans of different kinds are used in many cultures those include charms, statues and magical symbols to ward off the Evil Eye.

A selection of Evil Eye Kabbalah Jewelry and Evil Eye Hamsa Jewelry is available that includes:

Kabbalah Evil Eye Protection Bracelet

Leather Evil Eye Bracelet

Red Evil Eye Bracelet

Red Evil Eye Protection Bracelet

Hamsa Amulet

Hamsa Charm Earrings

Light Blue Hamsa Keyring

Brass in Gifts and Jewelry

Much of the jewelry we have on MostOriginal.com has findings and accents in Brass. The term used for alloys of copper and zinc in a solid solution, typically it is more than 50% copper and from 5% to 20% zinc, in comparison to bronze which is principally an alloy of copper and tin. Despite this distinction, some types of brasses are called bronzes. Brass has a yellow color, somewhat similar to gold, because of this, and its relative resistance to tarnishing, it is often used as a decoration to handmade jewelry.

Brass has been known to man since prehistoric times, long before Zinc itself was discovered, it was produced by melting copper together with calamine, a zinc ore, during this process, the zinc is extracted from the calamine and instantly mixes with the copper, pure zinc, on the other hand, is too reactive to be produced by ancient metalworking techniques. The malleability and acoustic properties of brass have made it the metal of choice for brass musical instruments such as the tuba, higher malleability than copper and zinc.

In some environments, brasses with higher content of zinc are prone to a "selective leaching", corrosion known as dezincification, in some territories, plumbing fitting designed to resist dezincification are embossed "cr" (corrosion resistant), a dezincified fitting has the pink appearance of pure copper and will easily crumble, being reduced to a weak sponge-like matrix-brass, is a versatile manufacturing material because of its hardness and workability.

There are many brass types, and their contents vary, from Admiralty brass (30% zinc and 1% tin) and Alpha brasses (prince's metal) (with less than 35% zinc) to White brass and Yellow brass- an american term for 33% zinc brass, calamine brass, is brass produced by a particular alloying technique using calamine, a zinc ore, rather than, metallic zinc, calamine brass was produced using proportions of 2/7 fine copper, four sevenths calamine, and one-seventh shruff (old plate brass) calamine brass was the first type of brass produced. Calamine brass was slowly phased out as zinc smelting techniques were developed in Europe, which produced metallic zinc more suitable for Brass production than calamine.

Our Handmade Jewelry and Unique Home Decor sections have a wide range of items with brass accents including:

Pink Cross Necklace

Bat Mitzvah Star of David Necklace

Blessing For the Home

Business Seal of Solomon

Blue Hamsa Earrings

Purple Chamsa

Hand Decorated Crystal Candle Holders

Lilac Sterling Silver Drop Earrings

Multicolored Handmade Bracelet

Handbag Charm & Keyring

Hamsa Hand

Hamsa Hand Mezuzah Case