In this Bonus Bank Holiday Special episode, we wanted to mark the recent passing of the founder of Courtville, Catherine "Kitten" Pierse by having a chat about the history of how Courtville began and how much of what was started by Kitten so long ago and continued by her daughter Gráinne has been carried through to what we at Courtville are all about today.

Producer: Ross Hannon

www.courtville.ie

Part VII - Religous Symbols

Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery'

In the final part of this series, we probably bite off a bit more than we can chew by trying to cover the topic of religious symbols in one hour-long podcast…

We mainly discuss symbols from Christianity such as the ichthus, the cross and where they show up in jewellery as well as other forms of christian jewellery like iconographic rings and St Christopher medals. 

We also touch on symbols from other world religions as well as some famous pieces that carry a religious meaning.

Listen to end for the conclusion of this season of Gem Trivial Pursuit…

Producer: Ross Hannon

Additional Research: Giulia Grasseschi

www.courtville.ie

Part VI - Serpents

Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery'

In the penultimate episode of this series, we take a look at the mysterious and often misunderstood symbol that is the serpent.

The snake has been an extremely popular motif in jewellery down through the centuries, partly because of the way it naturally coils around the body but also due to its complex and ambivalent symbolic signifiance.

We talk about the serpent in the story of Adam & Eve, René Lalique and the Art Nouveau movement, Sarah Bernhardt's Medusa headpiece, Diana Vreeland and of course Bulgari's Serpenti collection.

Listen to the end for Collector's Tips where we'll tell you what to look out for when you're buying your own pieces of serpent jewellery.

Producer: Ross Hannon

Additional Research: Giulia Grasseschi

www.courtville.ie

Part V - Mourning Motifs in Jewellery

Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery'

Long before the modern phrase 'YOLO' (you only live once) entered common parlance, a similar sentiment has been expressed since ancient times through the latin expression 'Memento Mori' which literally translates as 'remember that you (must) die'.

This episode will focus on how this expression, which has its roots in classical philosophy, had a major influence on art, architecture and of course jewellery through the centuries, culminating in a huge wave of popularity during the mourning period of the Victorian Era.

View our collection of mourning jewellery.

Producer: Ross Hannon

Additional Research: Giulia Grasseschi

www.courtville.ie

Part IV - Victorian Flower Language

Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery'

The Victorian period was a time when self-expression wasn't really advised so if you wanted to show somebody how you felt, you had to get creative.

One of the amazing ways they did this was by exchanging flowers that served as their own cryptic love language. And of course, this had a knock-on effect on the jewellery that was made in this period.

We break help you crack the code in this episode and tell you how to navigate the sophisticated landscape of Victorian flower jewellery.

Producer: Ross Hannon

Additional Research: Giulia Grasseschi

www.courtville.ie

#victorianera #victorianjewellery #history #gems

Part III - Symbols of the Sea in Jewellery

Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery'

In this episode we do a deep dive into the unknown and the unknowable deep blue ocean.

As always we talk about the origin and evolution of these motifs and then get our hands salty and briney as we sift through coral, anchors and shells, dodging jellyfish and turtles to find the real treasured tokens at the bottom of the sea.

As always we'll have great jewellery stories - this week featuring heavy hitters such as Jean Schlumberger, Fulco di Verdura, René Boivin and Salvador Dali.

Listen to the end for collector's tips and an even-more-controversial-than-usual edition of Gem Trivial Pursuit.

Producer: Ross Hannon

Additional Research: Giulia Grasseschi

www.courtville.ie

Part II - Celestial Motifs

Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery'

This week we are looking to the skies and thanking the gods for celestial symbols that have been inspiring beautiful art & jewellery for longer than anyone can remember.

Producer: Ross Hannon

Additional Research: Giulia Grasseschi

www.courtville.ie

Part I - The Claddagh Ring

Our fifth season of Gem Pursuit feat. Matthew Weldon & Alyce Ketcher is called 'Treasured Tokens: the Secret Language of Jewellery'

We go back to the origins of this extremely popular Irish symbol of love, loyalty and friendship to discover that its history stretches back a little further than one might think...

We try to separate fact from fiction in the story of who made the very first Claddagh ring.

And as always we'll have specific jewellery stories, collector's tips and a brand new (but unchanged) edition of Gem Trivial Pursuit.

Producer: Ross Hannon

Additional Research: Giulia Grasseschi

www.courtville.ie

It's a little Gem Pursuit bonus episode, featuring an interview with Matty's Dad and one of the foremost experts on antique Irish silver, Jimmy Weldon.

We sat down for a lovely chat (rudely cut short by a very loud machine on the street - the perils of recording in Dublin city!) about the history of silver in Ireland, how to spot a good piece of silver and why he has been so drawn to it over the years.

We hope you enjoy Jimmy's mellifluous tones, vast knowledge and delightful passion for beautiful objects.

View our sterling silver collection.

Producer: Ross Hannon

www.courtville.ie

It's the final instalment in our Firm Favourites series, and we're back to Paris for a bumper episode about the one and only jewellery giant that is Cartier.

King Edward VII famously described Cartier as "the Jeweller of Kings and the King of Jewellers" but as you'll learn in this episode, he wasn't the only one who thought so.

Among other things we discuss King Lear, the Patiala necklace, Platinum, Panthers and the origins of the modern wristwatch.

We've talked about Cartier in almost every episode, such is their dominance of the jewellery world, but we dug up some brand new Cartier stories for you this week.

And don't forget to listen to the end for the conclusion of this season's very tightly contested Gem Trivial Pursuit!

Producer: Ross Hannon

www.courtville.ie