Peridot is said to host magical powers and healing properties to protect against nightmares and to bring the wearer power, influence, and a wonderful year. As peridot is a gemstone that forms deep inside the earth and brought to the surface by volcanoes, in Hawaii, peridot symbolizes the tears of Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes. 

This gemstone comes in several colour variations ranging from yellowish green to brown, but most consumers are attracted to the bright lime greens and olive greens. Peridot, in smaller sizes, often is used in beaded necklaces and bracelets.

The pieces pictured below to celebrate the August birthstone of Peridot are a 15ct yellow gold bar brooch set with a large square central peridot in original box by Mappin & Webb, c1930; An Art Nouveau peridot and natural keshi pearl pendant in 9ct yellow gold on a 10ct gold chain, c.1890; And a contemporary large tumbled and polished peridot string of beads with interspersed amethyst.

Come and visit us in store here at Greene & Greene Antiques to celebrate the August birthstone Peridot and all its wonders.

Last Sunday we celebrated Mothers Day here in Australia and we consumed a fair amount of tea and cakes. If you go through the slideshow below you can see our festivities throughout the day, from morning and afternoon tea to a sophisticated supper with something rich and chocolatey. Nothing better than to be surrounded with your loved ones while enjoying great food on some elegant antiquities.

Join us on the 5-8th of May in the Royal Exhibition Building, Nicholson Street Carlton for the annual Australian Antique & Art Dealers Association (AAADA) Fair and fall under the spell by the variety of art and antiques from Australia's finest dealers.

Thursday 5 May (Gala Preview)                                6pm – 9pm
Friday 6 May                                                             11am – 7pm
Saturday 7 May                                                         11am – 6pm
Sunday 8 May (Mother’s Day)                                   11am – 5pm

General admission is $20. For more information about the AAADA fair, click here.

Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461), and the foremost patron saint of Ireland. Come and visit us in store here at Greene & Greene Antiques, Woollahra to help us celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
 
Saint Patrick's Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early 17th century and is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion (especially the Church of Ireland), the Eastern Orthodox Church, and Lutheran Church. The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, and celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish in general. Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, céilithe, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks. Christians also attend church services and the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol are lifted for the day, which has encouraged and propagated the holiday's tradition of alcohol consumption.

We have an array of Irish made antiques from Irish silver to Irish themed goods. The photos below just show two examples of our Irish range. The left photo is a hallmarked sterling silver brooch with connemara (Irish) marble depicting the Belfast crest amusingly made in Birmingham 1905. And, the right image shows a set of 6 hallmarked sterling silver fiddle pattern entree forks, Dublin 1844 with beautifully clear Dublin hallmarks with Hibernia and a crowned harp.

Last week we sold a fabulous Irish silver dish ring by West & Co. Unfortunately we didn't take a photo so it couldn't be featured in the blog.

Come and visit us in store here at Greene & Greene Antiques, Woollahra to help us celebrate St Patrick’s Day.

As of a 2007 study, cats are the second most popular pet in the world by number of pets owned, behind the first, which is freshwater fish. Goes to show we've been CAT CRAZY for generations and here at Greene & Greene Antiques we've got plenty in store for our cat collectors.

Since cats were venerated in ancient Egypt, they were commonly believed to have been domesticated there, but there may have been instances of domestication as early as the Neolithic period from around 9,500 years ago (7,500 BCE). A genetic study in 2007 concluded that domestic cats are descended from Near Eastern wildcats, having diverged around 8,000 BCE in West Asia. A 2016 study found that leopard cats were undergoing domestication independently in China around 5,500 BCE, though this line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domesticated populations of today.

The three images below are just an example of our diverse cat collection: (Left) 18 carat white gold cat ring with sapphire eyes and diamond teeth, Italian c.1990. (Right) 18 carat yellow gold cat brooch with ruby eyes and pearl collar, c.1970. 

(Below) Heavy quality hallmarked sterling silver tea tray, Sheffield 1929 made and retailed by Hardy Bros with (close-up) unusual hand engraved crest in centre depicting a cat passant, above a torse or wreath.

Need a piece of our cat collection right Meow! Come and visit us at Greene & Greene Antiques, Woollahra.

“Do you ever wonder ‘why’ everyone is so mad about antiques, vintage and retro these days? There are plenty of great new items being made every day so what has started this whole movement of reusing pre-loved, older pieces?”
 
I asked around and found that for the most part, there are five main reasons why people are turning to antiques and collectibles over new store-bought products.

1. They cost less in the long run
This one is actually a bit hard to get your head around since most people envisage that antiques are expensive due to their scarcity or individuality.

The truth is, while there are some pieces which go up in value exponentially, a lot of pieces you find in your antique centre are a really affordable price and the best part: they are usually better made than the things you’ll find in the department stores these days!

So instead of needing to purchase new furniture every 10 years due to wear and tear, your antique items continue to endure with just a small amount of care and attention and the occasional refresh with wax and polish.

2. Antiques are eco-friendly
Yes, if you put your money back into a local business selling a second hand item, you are looking after our precious resources and reusing an item instead of buying a new one.

If everyone bought brand new items instead of second hand, we would soon be sitting on one very large pile of landfill. As I’ve said above, not only is it cost effective as your antiques will last longer, but that longevity means less new cheap items are out there in the world which will eventually be scrapped.

3. They are more interesting and unique
It’s part of the human condition to want to stand out from the rest! We love to have something interesting and special in our homes as a talking point and to show our impeccable taste and style.

By mixing and matching with newer items and from different eras and genres, you can achieve a unique and eclectic style which would be difficult using pieces from a well-known Scandinavian furniture store alone.

4. There’s a story to tell
Run your fingers over any antique piece of furniture and you’ll find hidden secrets from its past lives with other families and friends. The history of a piece can be the difference between liking and LOVING an antique piece.
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While you may not be able to find out every particular, sometimes just knowing the period from which the items comes from can evoke nostalgic feelings and make a stronger connection with you and your possessions.

5. They never go out of style
Yes, it’s true that certain types of antiques, vintage and retro can be the ‘flavour of the month’ but the best part about older items is that they aren’t stuck on an everlasting loop of popularity and decline.

To update a piece of antique furniture, you only need to change how you style the pieces that go with it to update its look. The smaller pieces you collect can also find their way into any style or fad with a little bit of styling knowledge and a refresh from time to time.

If you’re interested in how you can incorporate antiques, vintage and retro items, please come and visit us at Greene & Greene Antiques, Woollahra.
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Christmas has snuck up on us again and there’s only ten days left to get our gift shopping done. There’s still time though and there are an abundance of items in store that would make greats gifts. Here at Greene & Greene Antiques we hold unique collections for all ages and styles.

One of the main reasons we have the custom of giving and receiving presents at Christmas, is to remind us of the presents given to Jesus by the Wise Men: Frankincense, Gold and Myrrh.

All over the world, families and friends give presents to each other. Most children around the world believe in a Christmas gift bringer. It's often St. Nicholas, Santa Claus or Father Christmas, but in Germany they believe that it is the Christkind, in Spain they believe it is the Wise Men and in Italy they believe it is an old lady called Befana.
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So we thought to show you just an example of our range for the men in store. A Tunbridge ware stamp box circa 1860; Gold cased quizzing glass circa 1820; Collection of various bone and perspex dice; HMSS aesthetic design vesta case Birmingham 1883; HMSS small box with engraved knight Birmingham 1895; Double nine whalebone and ebony dominoes from a complete set, 19th century.

For the women Plique-à-jour enamel, 18ct yellow gold and diamond set dragonfly brooch, circa 1970-80; Natural yellow sapphire and diamond 18ct gold pendant circa 1890; Moonstone and 9ct half-moon shaped brooch, circa 1890; 22ct gold Indian bracelet circa 1850; French 18ct yellow gold and diamond dragon brooch, circa 1900; 18ct gold mistletoe brooch/pendant with diamonds and pearls, circa 1910; Moonstone, diamond and 18ct gold brooch circa 1960; 15ct gold stick pin with a fighting cock circa 1850.

​Plenty more in store so come and find the perfect Christmas gift at Greene & Greene Antiques, Woollahra.

History on the track was made on Tuesday with a jockey from Ballarat, Michelle Payne, riding Prince of Penzance to victory in the 155th Melbourne Cup, becoming the first female in history to hold the most prestigious trophy in horse racing.

Her win is significant, whether you love or loathe horse racing and gambling. Her win is significant because it proves anything is possible. And if you think that seems trite, take a look at the response her win invoked.

“This is everybody’s dream as a jockey in Australia and now probably the world,” she told Channel 7 just after the race. “And I dreamt about it from when I was five years old and there is an interview from my school friends, they were teasing me about, when I was about seven, and I said, “I’m going to win the Melbourne Cup” and they always give me a bit of grief about it and I can’t believe we’ve done it.”

After the triumph for women in horse racing at the Melbourne Cup, the next significant raceday is the Crown Oaks Day, traditionally known as ‘ladies day’. This fittingly plays host to the national final of Myer Fashions on the Field Women’s Racewear competition. Myer Fashions on the Field plays out over the first three racedays of the week and is as much a part of the Melbourne Cup Carnival as the horses. 

Crown Oaks Day is a wonderful social occasion for friends to gather on this most stylish of days, and soak up the atmosphere in a glamorous environment, surrounded by manicured gardens, fine dining and beautiful marquees.
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While we are on the topic of the races and fashion how about adding some history of your own into your outfit this year. Images can be found below of products. We have a delicate stock pin in platinum and 15ct with a horse shoe set with old cut diamonds c1890 and a special sterling silver and enamel cigarette case depicting three horses with Swedish import marks c1920 (ideal for credit/business cards or even use as a photo frame) to complete your look this race season.

​Think you’ve seen history been made, prepare to unravel centuries of history. Come and visit us at Greene & Greene Antiques, Woollahra. 

Mankind has long gazed toward the heavens, searching to put meaning and order to the universe around him. Neither an asteroid nor a comet will hit us in September but rather a total lunar eclipse will take place on September 28, 2015.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes within Earth's umbra (shadow). As the eclipse begins, the Earth's shadow first darkens the Moon slightly. Then, the shadow begins to "cover" part of the Moon, turning it a dark red-brown color. The Moon appears to be reddish because of Rayleigh scattering (the same effect that causes sunsets to appear reddish) and the refraction of that light by the Earth's atmosphere into its umbra.

The following simulation shows the approximate appearance of the Moon passing through the earth's shadow. The Moon's brightness is exaggerated within the umbral shadow. The northern portion of the Moon was closest to the center of the shadow, making it darkest, and most red in appearance.

If you’re interested in astronomy and obtaining the perfect instrument to navigate your way to view the lunar eclipse, then look no more. We have two special items in store; the first is a brass cased Surveyor’s Compass with original leather pouch, made by W. MacDonnell & Co., Sydney c1900. This is an instrument used in surveying to measure horizontal angles. It consists of a circular brass box containing a magnetic needle, which moves freely over a brass circle, or compass divided into 360 degrees. The needle is protected by a glass covering. A pair of sights is located on the North-South axis of the compass.

The second is an ebony and ivory sextant in original box, c1840. A sextant is a doubly reflecting navigation instrument used to measure the angle between any two visible objects. The primary use of a sextant is to determine the angle between an astronomical object and the horizon for the purposes of celestial navigation. Here at Greene & Greene, we couldn’t think of anything better for an astronomy enthusiast.

Antique Scientific Instruments

The Lunar Eclipse is moving closer to earth so better be quick and collect some of our antique scientific instruments. Come and visit us at Greene & Greene Antiques, Woollahra.