I recall learning to type on a little plastic typewriter that my parents got me for Christmas as a child. I remember feeling all excited at the prospect of having to change the ribbon and buying myself a fresh pack of paper, feeling it's silky smoothness as I fed it into my trusty little machine and lined it up ready to type up my next pen-friend letter (tippex at the ready!).
So I was really pleasantly surprised when my lovely friend Charlotte Thomson told me about 'Monkapaws Vintage Typewriter Jewellery' - apparently, Charlotte had stumbled across this fantastic little find when researching for some illustrations she is working on for Love My Dress...
All Imagery Copyright (c) 2010, Monkapaws
Left: Limited edition 'Art Deco' typewriter key necklace, with an 18" silver-toned ball chain, $95Middle: Typewriter key necklace "Pair of Wings" with an 18" silver-toned ball chain, $55
Right: Typewriter key necklace 'frenchy' with an 18" ball chain, $55
Monkapaws designs include everything from dog charms, cuff-links, bracelets, rings, necklaces, tie tacks, brooch style pins and earrings - any of which would make a beautiful unique, antique and very special gift. You can also commission Monkapaws to design and create custom pieces with names, birth-dates, initials and words on them.
The artist behind Monkapaws is Renee Berglund, from San Francisco. Renee says she has collected many typewriters from various parts of the world...
'My collection consist of Hebrew, Russian, German, French, Flemish, Swedish, Spanish, Greek, and British typewriter keys. Most of the models are Remington, Corona, Oliver, Royal, and Underwood. Collecting is my thing - so I even have even managed to salvage some vintage cash registers in the process.'
Left: Typewriter key necklace
"Crown" with an 18" ball chain,
$55
Middle: "Paid Out", extremely
rare Cash Register key necklace
with an 18" silver-toned chain,
$49
Right: "Cigar and Candy"
Extremely rare Cash Register
key necklace with an 18"
gunmetal-toned chain, $115
Monkapaws only use recycled vintage manual typewriter keys from the early to mid 1900's - most of which are almost 100 years old. Renee says
'They don’t make things like they used to; the typewriter machines were very well made, hence there is some difficulty removing and restoring the keys. Rarely do I find “mint” keys; most of the keys were loved a lot and show imperfections and wear; which I find utterly charming.'Indeed, so do I, and I adore how Renee has reworked these pieces into such beautiful Art-Deco fashion...
Left: 'Pick 11 letters',
bracelet with selected black
typewriter keys measures 7.5",
silver-toned,
Middle: "Margin Release - Deco"
Typewriter key necklace with an
18" gunmetal-toned chain, $46
Right: Typewriter keypin, $45
What a unique and novel way to put to use all those hundreds of keys on worn out and dilapidated vintage typewriters!
Monkapaws was created to offer an alternative edgy style and eco-chic flair to typewriter key jewelry, whimsical collage altered art style jewelry, romantic broken china jewelry, and eclectic vintage button and antique jewelry pieces. Renee describes each piece as an individual work of art, able to tell it's own story - and a real conversation stater.
Visit Monkapaws for further details or to make a purchase ~ items can be shipped anywhere in the world.
