Bammy-douzler?
As you may well imagine the phrase “bobby dazzler” is much older than it’s recent use on Oak Island. The phrase is known in Australia, but it’s origin can be traced to the mid-19th century in northern England. The meaning of the first part of the phrase is unknown. The second word is from the verb “dazzle”, as in very flashy, bright, and something which causes surprise. And, depending on the emphasis, it may mean “over the top.” The phrase “bammy-douzler” is often heard in Scotland, where it means great surprise [1]. We want to show and tell you about just a few dazzlers that we have found over the years at estate sales and in antique shops.
Remember, a bobby dazzler may not be the most expensive bauble in the jewelry box. It may not even be the most shiny and sparkly. But it will be surprising and probably it will cause you to ask questions which can never be answered.
Bobby Dazzler: Whazzit?
In November 2019 we visited an estate sale in northern Floyd County, Georgia. Joanne was looking through the jewelry and found a prize! It is a teleidoscope which is intended to wear as jewelry! And at only 3” long, it is the smallest in our collection. The old teleidoscope is in good shape, but one side is tarnished or stained. The backing in the plastic box was rotted. We cannot determine how old it is.
We have full-sized teleidscopes and kaleidoscopes in our collection and some are one of a kind works of art. For example we bought kaleidoscope art made by Cathy Painter in Destin, Florida. [1] Some of our scopes are very old. They are made of brass, wood, and even cardboard.
We won’t go into encyclopedic detail about scope types and their long history, but a few notes are needed.
A teleidoscope is a kaleidoscope with no object cell. The image in the scope is whatever the scope is pointed at at the time. In effect, whatever the kaleidoscope is pointing at becomes the object cell.”[2] Written by rootadmin. Posted on Friday, November 14th, 2014 at 5:50 pm. https://brewstersociety.com/faq/what-is-a-teleidoscope/ (11/19/2019). Also check https://artterms.artopium.com/t/Teleidoscope.htm 11/19/2019
Turn, Turn, Turn
A telediscope is a type of kaleidoscope. With a teleidscope you turn the object you are looking at while with a kaleidoscope you turn the body of the scope. You point a kaleidoscope toward a light and it works by reflecting that light in patterns.
A telediscope, even our tiny one, is complicated. The object cell in our little teleidscope is a marble. While we are unsure of the maker of either the marble or the teleidoscope, the marble looks like a Heaton Cat’s Eye.
The “eye” is red in clear and there are many bubbles in the glass. The effect, when the marble is turned is extraordinary! There are three additional marbles which appear to be Vitro Agate Company Anacortes. Colors of the Vitro are blue, light yellow, and green. The scope is designed so that the marbles are interchangeable.
Marbles Used in Jewelry? Really?
We really like our little scope, but had no idea why it had a loop on it or why it was so small. While there was no chain with it, we also wondered why it was included in the estate jewelry. Online we were astonished to learn that these “vintage” scopes, in steel, brass (ours is brass), wood, and other materials are in fact pendant necklaces meant for both men and women! While ours is small, we also learned that even tinier scopes are made to be worn as rings! The necklaces (not toys) are, apparently, still popular. They are certainly not uncommon online, but we had never heard of them nor had we seen one. Joanne added a brass-colored ball chain to ours.
Remember When?
At a nice antique shop in Adairsville, Georgia, in March 2021 we found a simple ring with a marble “set” and, like the teleidoscope, it has a couple of extra “sets” which snap on and off so that your ring will match your ensemble for the day.
We found this Avon Color Fling gold tone ring which was introduced in 1972. The three marbles are original to the ring and they are listed online as being white, turquoise, and coral. Yes, you can still find the ring set online!
We’re sure most people don’t know it, but Avon Products, Inc. dates to 1886 and it revenues in 2020 were over $9 billion.
Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
In September 2020 Joanne bought a pair of clip-on earrings made with marbles from a jewelry broker in Mobile, Alabama. The costume jewelry was originally gold-washed, but it has worn off. The marbles are about ⅝” old gold wavy Cat’s Eyes. The transparent glass is not clear or crystal but a light amber.
We agree with the broker that the earrings are almost certainly German. They may date to the early 1950s. At any rate someone really treasured, wore, and enjoyed them.
Marbles Used in Jewelry: An old Brooch
For a long time Joanne has made, repaired, and sold jewelry as a hobby. In June 2019 she found a pressed metal brooch in a bag of jewelry scrap and beads which she bought for her work.
The old brooch is 3” long and 1½” wide. While it looks substantial, it feels almost weightless. In the center of the brooch is a sub pee wee clear ruby red glass marble!
The setting appears to be one like Paul Chilo used on his finials in the 1930s; not acanthus leaves but four smaller “leaves”. It appears, like Chilo’s finials, that the setting could be removed and then replaced with another marble to help match the colors of the lady’s outfit. While there is no hallmark on the jewelry, we were able to date it by the round hinge on the back.
Round hinge used since about 1930. Typical machine made assembly of pin, hinge and catch saved labor attaching to brooch.” Chervenka, Mark. Dating Brooch Fasteners – 1850 to 1910. https://www.realorrepro.com/article/Dating-brooch-fasteners 6/11/2019
So, the pin is machine made and it dates to the 1930s when marbles were in their peak.
We have Gobs more Bobby Dazzlers…
….jewelry in our collection that we could talk about. Look at the full tray at the top of this post again. We also have another complete tray.
In the photo above you see contemporary marbles used in jewelry making. Joanne uses a small kiln to melt our own Everglades marbles then affixes jewelry findings to make pendants. You can read more about our making Everglades marbles on pages 23-26 in our book The Secret Life of Marbles: Their History and Mystery.
And we keep looking for examples of marble jewelry. Who knows what will turn up next?
[1] If you are interested in scopes then you will want to check http://www.thekaleidoscopebook.com/thescopebook/ 1/12/2022
[2]Written by rootadmin. Posted on Friday, November 14th, 2014 at 5:50 pm. https://brewstersociety.com/faq/what-is-a-teleidoscope/ (11/19/2019). Also check https://artterms.artopium.com/t/Teleidoscope.htm 11/19/2019
[1] If you are interested in scopes then you will want to check http://www.thekaleidoscopebook.com/thescopebook/ 1/12/2022
[2]Written by rootadmin. Posted on Friday, November 14th, 2014 at 5:50 pm. https://brewstersociety.com/faq/what-is-a-teleidoscope/ (11/19/2019). Also check https://artterms.artopium.com/t/Teleidoscope.htm 11/19/2019
[1] “That gravat’s a fair bammydouzler”; seems also to indicate rather too much “show” at times.” Check https://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/bobbydazzler 1/8/2022.
[1] Chervenka, Mark. Dating Brooch Fasteners – 1850 to 1910. https://www.realorrepro.com/article/Dating-brooch-fasteners 6/11/2019
Want to read more about marbles?
