By Nadine Kam

This is a detail of a hand-carved, vintage African elephant ivory and sterling silver mermaid brooch, circa 1950’s, created for Ming’s by Hawaii artist Isami Doi. The mermaid is holding a pearl against a sterling seaweed background. Below, a Ming’s peony brooch.

I haven’t gone to the Hawaii All-Collectors Show for a while, mainly because it’s a dangerous place for me to be. I like vintage things a lot because I absorb from them the essence of another time and place.

That makes it seem like this time and place isn’t good enough, but I don’t think that’s the case. I just naturally gravitate to what’s different, which is also what propels me to simultaneously seek out the next new thing, the next trend. It’s like restless hunter-gatherer energy. I don’t understand people who can be still and content.

This time I might have to go to the show because Linda Lee will be there to conduct her free Ming’s jewelry identification and appraisals session. I wrote a story about her a while back, and ever since, a lot of people nationwide have been interested in getting in touch with her. So many people have pieces of Ming’s jewelry that have been passed on to them and they just want to know more about the individual pieces, as well as the company and its founder Wook Moon. Linda will be available during show hours in the display area. Here’s are links to a couple of my stories about Ming’s (sorry I can’t link you, the Wordpress feature is still not working):

http://starbulletin.com/2007/07/19/features/story01.html

http://starbulletin.com/2007/07/19/features/story02.html

Show hours will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 18; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 19. General admission is $4, with $2 entry for children 7 to 11. If you MUST be first in line, you can enter early on Friday for $15 admission. You can download a $1 off coupon at www.ukulele.com/collect.html

Other highlights:

>> Hawaiiana dealer Don Medcalf, of Hawaiian Islands Stamp & Coin, will be giving free informal verbal appraisals of early Hawaiiana from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday and 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday in booths 321 and 322.

Robyn Buntin wares

>> Robyn Buntin of Honolulu reports its storage warehouse is overflowing with decorative objects, books, magazines, knick-knacks, furniture, and other collectibles and will be offering up bargains during the event.

>> Oahu Anime Explorer & United Anime will have members on hand to display some of their favorite cosplay costumes, anime models, posters, and other collectible items in booths 205 and 206.

This entry was posted on Friday, July 18th, 2008 at 12:03 pm and is filed under Vintage, Obsessions, Jewels, Beautiful objects. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.