One of the unfortunate aspects of our society is the "collectible". Objects given
value, not for what they do, but for what they signify. Made after things that earned
their status by the actual value, either artisitcally or serviceabilty, the "collectible" is prized
for the skill of its imitation. This is true of knives, guns, steins and the like
The craze for phoney collectible has not yet touched the tiara. She
derives her value form her grace and beauty. Her service is the grace she lends to the
person who wears her. As such, she has not one phoney thing about her. if you buy a tiara, she was made to "do her thing", not imitate that which has.
What makes tiaras true collecibles is the many kinds and styles that you can find that are
all examples of ther arts of design, fabrication and merchanting:
- Design: Tiara visually represents, though not intentionally, the feminine Elanne Vitalle.
This is done in an abstract rather than representative, manner, This requires in the desingers a sense
of kinds of line and form that best represents this. This is both a science and an art worthy of notice and
honor.
- Manufacture: Many of the persons who design these gorgeous companions that I cherish make them. This
requires skills in material selection and use. I was fortunate enough to be clsoe to Star55 and got to see the
work of Patraicia. What I also saw was the one-off's she made; lovely items that were never up for sale. These were
her personal designs made into metal and stones. I also learned a bit of how she fabricated them. I wish I could do this.
This too is worth honoring
- Merchants: There are those in this world who select what they consider the most attractive to their eye and make them
available to us. To make a living at this, Persons like Dion Palady of Tiara Town and Patricia Jenkins or Romantic Headlines
must demonstrate an eye for line and form that is good enough to attract customores.
Each of these require skills. Skill is made of talent and practice and is a worthy endeavor in itself. In the world of tiaras,
this also implies an appreciation and love of these things. Ella told me, "I'm mad about tiaras" and Dion has said that she
caught the "bug" by trying one one, If I recall aright" for a photo, aned fell in love with the way it made her feel.
And what a panoply is represented by the tiara:
- Rhinestone/Crystal: Made of lengths of carved or cut glass set into metal settings or other things of the like, These stones are clear, colored,
"aurora borealis" or the like. They imitate the diamond and other precious stone and metal ones that cost tens and hundreds
of thousands of dollars.
- Pearl: This headpiece derives her attraction from the solf sheen of peral rather than the pyrotechnique of prism and reflected
color that the "stone" tiara exhibits. She is more subtle and makes an excellent bride's headpiece.
- Filligree and Wire: Made from long strands of wire or metallic sculptings with set stones. these gems have a beauty of thier own.
- Flower: These are constructed of flower shapes made of percelain or some other material. A related type is the floral them which
is made of crystal cut in the shape of petals and leaves and arranged to look like flowers.
- Bead: Thses are made of glass beads that are colored or clear and cut to various shapes, They have holes drilled in them that let them be
set on wire strands. These are often the product of amateur desingers and fabricators.
- Plastic: The decendents of the metal Shirley Temple Tiara That was my first, they are made of plastic and primarily for little girls. Though large, they do not seem
gaudy. They are plated in metallic colors and often set with acrylic stones. Other plastic tiaras are made with "jewel cut" work that simulates the prismatic
effect of stones. They are tiara enough to be tiaras. I own severa of these and like them as much as any that I have.
Another characteristic of Tiara is the style. floral, Celtic or heart. These refer to shape and size.
Thses are all "themes" along which collections can be organized. The one thing that makes tiaras a true collectible is the fact that you will never make a bundle of
money by creating and selling such collections, since tiaras are made to actually be used rather than put in cases and gawked at. Becuase of this, the market for the
ersatz has not found tiaras. And becuase of that, If you wish to have collectibles that are not the run of the mill collectible, consider tiaras.