Look at what's coming to the Victoria and Albert Museum!

[GemGeek]

Thank you so much!

 

[Caitlin]

Andrew
I hope a good book of photos comes out of this.

Willeyi
So nice to post! Please share anything you can. Your enthusiasm is making me want to go too!

 

[Nora]

Thank you Pattye. We are also very exited

Willeyi, our tickets are for this Wednesday. V&A has amazing collections of modern and contemporary art. The museum itself, though not special exhibits is free.
We will try to post impressions right after our visit.

 

[Nora]

Caitlin, it looks like a once in a life time opportunity. Go for it!

 

[dkan 168]

I chose a time slot so that I have sufficient time to visit the rooms with other jewellery on display before heading back into the West End for a bite to eat before going to the theatre for a matinee show.

Can't way, less than 2 weeks to go on Sat 05 Oct.

DK

 

[Nora]

Will do!

 

[dkan 168]

Nora and willeyi,

I hope you enjoy the exhibition, V&A and London!

DK

 

[katbadness]

If it is at all possible to take pictures, share with us!

Have fun at the exhibition, guys!

 

[dkan 168]

As far as I am aware, picture-taking is not allowed, sorry.

DK

 

[Winterson]

Hi

(If it embeds!), here is a beautiful video by the V&A on the exhibition.

[video]https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=10151810160398880[/video]

Andrew

 

[LitGeek]

Hi

(If it embeds!), here is a beautiful video by the V&A on the exhibition.

[video]https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=10151810160398880[/video]

Andrew

Great video, thanks for sharing. Just don't blink while you are watching it or you will miss something, haha

 

[la_corsetiere]

So excited to hear about this exhibit, I have decided to make a day trip from Paris when I visit in three weeks. History of corsets/underwear at the Mus?e de la Mode, followed by pearls at the V&A, not to mention the taste of real almond croissants...feeling happy as a clam (or perhaps I should say oyster). My only regret is that I will arrive too late to attend Anna's presentation on interchangeable clasps.

 

[Nora]

Sorry for the delayed report. London is exhausting.

We arrived at the exhibition early, but they let us in immediately. Lots of visitors, but we could still set our own pace. It took us a bit more than three hours.
The exhibit was didactic and historical. The emphasis was on Gulf natural salt water pearls. Many Pinctada margaritifera and some Pinctada mazatlanica. Natural fresh water pearls from Scotland and the Americas were also shown. Some really huge pearls, but the most amazing were a large quantity of 1mm drilled pearls shown loose, in a multi-strand necklace, and in embroidery.
Huge amount of extravagant, hyper-expensive jewelry, sometimes with lots of diamonds in a supporting role.
As for cultured pearls, only Mikimoto got any credit at all. Considerable cultured FW showed up in modern jewelry. Strangely enough, although the show describes the massive Chinese pearl production as a danger to the industry, the poster and the cover of the catalog (see post number 1 above) shows a piece made entirely of cultured FWs.

And of course, the video on the creation of a pearl ended "a pearl is never caused by a grain of sand."

 

[pattye]

Thank you for the great report, Nora! Have a lovely time in London!

 

[pattye]

And thank you, Andrew, for the link to the excellent video! Worth watching more than once!

 

[GemGeek]

Nora, thanks so much. It sounds like time well-spent. Were they selling souvenirs?

 

[Nora]

Blair, in the museum shop: catalog and FW jewelry not connected to the exhibit.

BTW barely see any pearls on the street.

Thank you Pattye, we are trying .....

 

[Nora]

Blair, in the museum shop: catalog and FW jewelry not connected to the exhibit.

BTW barely see any pearls on the street.

 

[pearlescence]

BTW barely see any pearls on the street.

tell me about it!
Sometimes I feel I am pushing puddles up a very steep hill

 

[Marianne]

I shall echo my thanks to Nora and Andrew for sharing. The video is wonderful (I had to keep pausing the feed)!

Wendy, the vision of pushing puddles up a very steep hill...... kinda says it all!