Pearl Society

2012 Pearl Society Planned Programs

Dear Readers & Fellow Pearl Enthusiasts,

Our founder, artist & designer Eve J. Alfillé has set an interesting and varied agenda for this year's meetings. As you will see, some of the dates have not been fully confirmed, pending the speakers travel plans. However, the topics and a time frame for these meetings have been given so you will be able to make your own plans and still attend these exciting sessions. Our first meeting of the year, January 15th meeting, Miracles of refracted light: Pearls and Opals with speaker Robert Shapiro, was a well attended success and the audience enjoyed a bountiful array of both pearls and beautiful boulder opals.

Our schedule of upcoming meetings is below, and we look forward to having you join our adventures:

On April 19 or 24 (exact date to be announced), our first ever encounter with a specialist in keshi pearls will take place.  Their unique ways of working will these extremely small pearls, often introducing slivers of other gems, will be a surprise to most attendees.

On May 20, author Renee Newman, whom many of us met during the book signing for her popular “Pearls” book, will return to discuss  the many mysteries of “Rare Gems”, her new work. Come see which of these you might be familiar with!

In July (exact date to be announced), we will return for a glimpse into the Great Pearl Rush and its aftermath. Historian George Johnson discovered a trove of detailed photos documenting the muddy and somewhat malodorous  life at a Wisconsin “pearl camp”, and Eve Alfille was able to view some of these during a photo shoot at Milwaukee’s Natural History Museum.

On September 22, a panel of jewelry designers will reveal how, in the same way as Cartier with the Peregrina, they face the dilemmas of inheritance: How to redesign unworn pearls for today’s world? What to do with pearls you don’t wear? 

And finally, on November 11, our last meeting of 2012 will be a hands-on workshop. Special techniques will be shared to create jewelry with pearls and gems; this will be a partial repeat of the popular workshop Pearl Society founder Eve Alfille will lead in August at the Peninsula School of Arts, in Door County, Wisconsin. Bring any pearls you are thinking of redesigning.

As a special gesture to commemorate the upcoming 25th anniversary of the Eve J. Alfille Gallery, dues paid for the 2011 year will extend through 2012. The Pearl Society, which counts members throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia, was founded in January 1990.

Miracles of refracted light: Pearls and Opals - January 15, 2012 Meeting

"...For in (opals)  you shall see the living fire of the ruby, the glorious purple of the amethyst, the sea green of the emerald, all glittering together in an incredible mixture of light."

Pliny, 1st Century A.D.

Miracles of refracted light: Pearls and Opals

Join us on January 15, 2012, from 3 to 5 pm, for the next meeting of The Pearl Society, and become an expert not only on pearls, but on boulder opals. 

Robert Shapiro, a long time collector and specialist in opals more recently added Tahitian pearls to his interests and inventory.  Each of these gems derives its sensuous appeal from refracted light: opals through their unique structure retain water through which light circulates.

You will learn to distinguish the merely good from the exquisite, viewing actual opal samples and comparing their appeal to that of Robert's lush Tahiti pearls,also on view that day.  If you are in the Chicago area, or can make arrangements to be here for the meeting, you are welcome to attend. Please RSVP to contact@EveJewelry.com or call The Eve J. Alfillé Gallery, 847-869-7920 to reserve your spot as space is limited.

 

Cleveland Museum of Natural History; Eve Alfille shared her Pearl Expertise

Expert shares pearls of wisdom on pearls at Cleveland Museum of Natural History (gallery)

Published: Sunday, August 14, 2011, 7:18 PM     Updated: Sunday, August 14, 2011, 7:42 PM

 By Rachel Dissell, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Eve Alfille doles out her wisdom about pearls in tales filled with ancient history, flamboyant characters and practical knowledge about the calcium carbonate creations -- beauty born from an irritation inside a mollusk.

The founder of The Pearl Society, based near Chicago, gave a three-hour lecture about pearls at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History today. She punctuated her presentation with examples of some of the rarest natural and cultured -- or created -- pearls from all over the globe.

Alfille started out decades ago as a field archaeologist unearthing mostly shards of cooking pots and tools from lands inhabited by humble people.

But one thing that piqued her interest was that there was always some form jewelry -- and the pieces were often nicer than the surroundings would lead her to expect.

Alfille was fascinated by the radiant pieces of jewelry people wore around their necks, close to their hearts.

"It's human nature to handle it, you fondle it. It's close to you. It has meaning to you and it becomes an extension of self, "Alfille said. "This was where the original value of jewelry was, in transcendence."

Pearls are among earliest examples worn as embellishments by both women and men , going back thousands of years, she said.

Her lecture was sponsored and attended by members of the newly reborn Cleveland Gemological Society. The group consists of area jewelers, gem enthusiasts, collectors and hobbyists who meet monthly, said Molly Paschke, of South Russell.

Paschke, who recently returned to the area after college and is studying with the Gemological Institute of America, revived the dormant group that was founded in 1985. Alfille said the pearl, with its naturally occurring luster and creamy radiance, has always captured people's imaginations. But she added that in modern history it has taken a backseat to the diamond, mostly thanks to heavy marketing efforts by diamond giants like DeBeers.

Photo Credit Peggy Turbett, The Plain Dealer.

A strand of silvery white South Seas cultured pearls, known as Baroques for their irregular shape, are connected with chocolate pave diamonds, part of the display presented by Eve J. Alfille, founder of the United States Pearl Society, at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History Sunday. All about pearls gallery (7 photos)

Eve J. Alfille, founder of the U.S. Pearl Society, wears South Seas circle pearls during her lecture on the history and variety of pearls at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Sunday. Alfillé, a jewelry designer, owns the Eve J. Alfille Gallery & Studio in Evanston, Ill.

Photo Credit Peggy Turbett, The Plain Dealer.

Sunday, August 14, 2011 7:10 PM

Niki Novello, jeweler with Cleveland Jewelry Designs in Lyndhurst, takes a close look at a bridal necklace made of Oriental pearls sewn with horsehair, part of the display presented by Eve J. Alfille for her lecture on the history and varieties of pearls at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History Sunday.

 

At the center of Alfille's world of pearls is nacre, the secretion that forms pearls in layers over time.

Harnessing the substance has been a fascination for legions of fisherman, sketchy businessmen and pearl doctors always looking to one-up each other with secret processes for enhancing quality, size and price of the precious objects, she said.

Alfille showcased rare pearls made of abalone, funky baroque-style and a natural pearl bridal necklace made of tiny orbs stitched onto shell with horsehair.

She also brought examples of more pedestrian strands, dyed pearls and some experiments gone wrong that show the progression of the industry, now dominated by Chinese pearl farmers who have learned to grow strikingly shiny cylindrical pearls that are coveted for their uniformity.

Now, she said, people like pearls with odd shapes and more relaxed designs.

"People now want beauty that doesn't look like it's trying too hard."

link to this story:

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/08/expert_shares_pearls_of_widsom.html

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: rdissell@plaind.com, 216-999-4121

Ah, If Pearls Grew On Trees....

This creative pin was brought to our attention by a long-standing member of The Pearl Society, Carol Ising.

This is a fun piece made to look like a wonderful Pearl Tree with ripe freshwater pearl "fruit" and shell "fungi".

 

The American Pearl Rush: Its' Wisconsin Beginnings

Join us for our next meeting

"The American Pearl Rush: Its' Wisconsin Beginnings"

Sunday, March 6, 2011 from 3 pm to 5 pm

George Johnson, journalist and historian, has recently completed a major project detailing a seldom-described aspect of U.S. history. His scholarly article The American Pearl Rush: Its' Wisconsin Beginnings is to appear in the Wisconsin Magazine of History.

While the American Gold Rush has been thoroughly documented and romanticized, the equally sensational Pearl Rush, which occurred from August 1889 to 1915, has never been thoroughly described. Mr. Johnson sees himself as the successor of famed gemologist George Kunz, who, in his 1908 "Book of the Pearl" could only cover the beginning of the Wisconsin stampede to pearls.

What happened to those pearls is the subject of much speculation as well. Once the rush ended, pearling gave way to clamming, both for nacre to produce buttons for the world, and for nuclei to send to Japan for the nascent cultured pearl industry. But some natural pearls continued to be discovered, and some of those will be on view for this presentation. Mr. Johnson, who has another vocation as a restorer of native prairie, is an energetic and fascinating speaker. Copies of the January 2011 Wisconsin Magazine of History will be available to be signed by the author. To be held on Sunday, March 6, from 3 to 5 pm at the gallery.

Refreshments will be served
RSVP: 847-869-7920 or email contact@evejewelry.com
Please RSVP Now – space is limited

Pearl Society presents - "Designing with Pearls"

Join us for our next meeting

"Designing with Pearls"

Sunday, January 23, 2011 from 3 pm to 5 pm

At the Eve J. Alfillé Gallery & Studio
623 Grove Street, Evanston
RSVP: 847-869-7920 or contact@evejewelry.com

Designing with pearls is a fascinating subject to most of our members. Pearl Society founder Eve Alfillé will share some of her approaches, and contrast them with those of some other designers who also seek out exotic pearls. In addition, this hands-on session will introduce some new techniques, such as ‘caged pearls’, that members may want to try. Materials and instruction will be available, but please reserve ahead as seating is limited.

Refreshments will be served
RSVP: 847-869-7920 or email contact@evejewelry.com
Please RSVP Now – space is limited

Pearl Society presents - “Problems in Paradise”–Tahitian Pearls

Join us for our next meeting

“Problems in Paradise”–Tahitian Pearls

Thursday, November 18th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

At the Eve J. Alfillé Gallery & Studio
623 Grove Street, Evanston
RSVP: 847-869-7920 or contact@evejewelry.com

Tahitian pearls have been coveted by women (and men) across the globe for their exotic, dusky hues and sumptuous luster. The demand for these sultry orbs has grown with each passing year. And in order to try and meet the demand, pearl farmers have set up outposts along the many shorelines and remote atolls of French Polynesia. There are 5 archipelagos in total, all formed as a result of volcanic activity.

Now government regulations are making it very difficult for the small pearl farmers, of which there are many in Tahiti. Frequent traveller, pearl dealer and expert, Cyril Israileff has graciously agreed to make a presentation to The Pearl Society membership and guests. Israileff will reveal some of the little known secrets of Tahitian pearliculture and the state of farming today in Tahiti. As his title suggests, there are indeed some problems in paradise.

Please join us to hear this charming and knowledgeable speaker at this special time, Thursday November 18th from 7pm to 9pm. Refreshments will be served, and guests are welcome! Please RSVP as seating is limited.

RSVP: 847-869-7920 or email contact@evejewelry.com
Refreshments will be servedPlease RSVP Now – space is limited

Every Mollusc Forms A Pearl!

Every Mollusc Forms A Pearl!

Well, maybe not all, but according to recent Pearl Society speaker Elisabeth Strack, the world is experiencing an explosion in the types of 'new' natural pearls now reaching notoriety – and the market.

Never have so many new types of  natural pearls been recognized and brought to the attention of pearl connoisseurs at one time. Ms Strack, author of the definitive work "Pearls" and an internationally  recognized expert with a laboratory in Hamburg, Germany, presented a masterful, well-documented catalog of the new pearls together with their host shell at the October 12, 2010 meeting of The Pearl Society.

But many of the new pearls may not be immediately attractive to those who wish to enhance womanly charms with a bright pearly luster.

When I first beheld "Lion's Paw" pearls a few years ago in Tucson, their violetish color and absence of nacre did not  really impress.  I knew they were produced by the pecten shell, the one claimed by every Shell gas station. Yes, most of those pearls were round, but they were small, and  did not even possess the charm of a  good conch pearl, with its mysterious flame structure.  But the fire had been lit.

And now every one went back to search, and see if maybe they did have some sort of rare, unknown calcareous concretion, as the GIA calls such non-nacreous pearls, lying forgotten in a drawer.

Consider the Quahog shell:  it is best known for the wampum old American Indian societies fashioned for ornament and currency. Quahog mussels live off the  New England coast. But a couple of years ago someone brought out  already- known but unappreciated Quahog pearls that their grandmothers might have worn in a humble pin.

The Pearl Society then received numerous anxious calls:" I found a Quahog purple and white pearl, it's in an old pin from my family in Connecticut, how much is it worth?"

The fire was blazing, and visions of potential fortunes danced in the firelight.  A pearl's price, like that of any gem, depends on how many takers exist, and how high they are willing to bid. Therefore, the value of all such little known, and newly-publicized pearls is in flux, at least for the moment.

But enthusiasts are searching, and  some collectors are beginning to reveal the rarities they had concealed until this moment.  We heard about Cassis pearls, from the bright orange cassis shell, blue mussel pearls, and many, many others. At times it seemed as Ms Strack spoke, indeed, as though 'Every Mollusc forms a Pearl"!
 
Eve J. Alfille
October 16, 2010

Pearl Sleuth: Tracing the Origins of Natural Pearls, October 12, 2010

Join us for our next meeting:

"Pearl Sleuth: Tracing the Origins of Natural Pearls"

Tuesday, October 12, 2010 from 7 pm to 9 pm
at the Eve J. Alfillé Gallery & Studio
623 Grove Street, Evanston, Illinois 60201
RSVP: 847-869-7920 or contact@EveJewelry.com

Elizabeth Strack of Hamburg Germany, noted pearl expert and author of the book "Pearls" will be back to speak about the origins of natural pearls on Tuesday, October 12th from 7pm to 9pm.

The meeting will be Tuesday, October 12, 2010 from 7 pm to 9 pm
at the Eve J. Alfillé Gallery & Studio
623 Grove Street, Evanston, Illinois 60201 • 847-869-7920

Please reserve now! Call: 847-869-7920 or E-mail: contact@EveJewelry.com 

“Rare Pearls of the Past” presentation on Sunday, July 18th, 2010

Floridian Marlene Miller is fascinated with pearls... and pearl artifacts... and things from the past. This lively, highly enthusiastic and knowledgeable speaker is an irrepressible collector (and maker of craft objects) who has amassed a personal collection of objects of desire for all pearl lovers: conch pearls, abalone pearls, Biwa pearls. She also has a rare stereoscopic film of Lake Biwa, a century past. The Pearl Society will host Miller at our next meeting, Sunday, July 18th from 3 pm to 5 pm, at The Eve J. Alfille Gallery.

Marlene scours antique shops and garage sales on the lookout for things like the single pearl pendants favored by ladies in the Fifties (I think I once saw a photo of Marilyn Monroe wearing one).  When she discovered an authentic Faberge egg pendant made of pink Honduran opal (she had the expertise to know what it was), she went on to find the perfect necklace to wear it from: a rare strand of pink natural Mississippi pearls.Join us for a chance to see and touch these and many treasures that Ms. Miller will transport to Chicago for our pleasure and edification, and bring a friend!

 
The meeting will be Sunday, July 18th from 3 pm to 5 pm

at the Eve J. Alfillé Gallery & Studio

623 Grove Street, Evanston, Illinois 60201 • 847-869-7920

Please reserve now! Call: 847-869-7920 or E-mail: contact@EveJewelry.com