With the price of silver and other precious metals skyrocketing, artist jewelers have been looking for alternatives to silver for their handmade jewelry designs. One of the newer companies on the market that is creating very unique and interesting jewelry components is Vintaj Natural Brass Company.
They have used the fashion interest in vintage designs to create new jewelry findings, supplies, and beads out of antiqued brass, and designed an entire company around how to use their components.
They have written a book showing off some of the newer techniques using their products, Vintaj Natural Brass Company Jewelry Technique Book, that also tells you where you can buy additional design products to create the designs shown. One of the most fascinating thing about Vintaj, is that they are not just replicating the designs that you can make with silver. They are adding new ways of designing affordable jewelry for the hobbyist community, and are unique enough that the designs look like nothing that I have ever seen before.
Vintaj has introduced a totally new design concept to me with their altered blanks.
An altered blank is a blank shaped piece of brass that is flat, and meant to be altered using various design techniques including dapping, punching, embossing, and riveting.
In addition, there are numerous brass findings, chains, and other brass elements to enhance the altered blanks.
Some of the components you can buy from Vintaj are the same as you would get from any other company, except for the fact that they are made of natural brass. For instance, Vintaj carries an entire line of beautiful brass chains in different link styles, jump rings, head pins, ear wires, bead caps, and clasps that are both stylish and functional.
They also carry a nice selection of decorative connection elements like connector beads and links to join sections of bracelets, earrings, and necklaces together.
But what I like best about Vintaj components are the bendable filigree components meant to be wrapped around beads or pendants, and the altered blanks. These two elements make this line truly different.
 | Vintaj Natural Brass Rustic Altered Blank Circle Pendants 25mm (4) Vintaj® Natural Brass. Rustic Series. Altered Blank Circle Pendant. 25mm Diameter. Quantity Of 4. Vintaj Product Code : P292. This nickel and lead-free item is made of a ... Only $5.65 |
 | Vintaj Natural Brass Rustic Altered Blank Square Pendants 20mm (4) Vintaj® Natural Brass. Rustic Series. Altered Blank Square Pendant. 20mm x 20mm. Quantity Of 4. Vintaj Product Code : P291. This nickel and lead-free item is made of a lovely ... Only $5.59 |
 | Vintaj Natural Brass Rustic Altered Blank Rectangle Pendants 32mm (2) Vintaj® Natural Brass. Rustic Series. Altered Blank Rectangle Pendant. 18 x 32mm. Quantity Of 2. Vintaj Product Code : P293. This nickel and lead-free item is made of a lovely ... Only $5.5 |
If you have a few simple jewelry tools, pliers, cutters, and wire, you can use your own precious stone, or semi precious stone beads, and create something new with each use. Take a doughnut shaped stone bead and wrap it in a filigree bendable to create a pendant, then attach it to a chain that is made up of other Vintaj components.
With altered blanks, you can use many of the same tools that are used for scrapbooking, including a Cuttlebug Embossing & Die Cutting Machine, punch tools, and combine that with metalworking techniques like riveting. Alternatively, you can also use alcohol inks and embossing powder to create raised colored textures surfaces on top of the altered blanks, and combine that with dapping or metal stamping.
 | Cuttlebug Machine V2 The Cuttlebug Embosser and Die Cutter applies a unique rolling technology that allows for crisp cuts and professional-quality embossing The machine works with all leading ... Only $199.93 |
 | Sizzix Texture Boutique Embossing Machine Beginner's Kit Fun is in the cards for you. This amazing cardmaking and embellishing system creates cards for any occasion, while transforming ordinary cardstock into elegant embossed art ... |
Vintaj creates their brass jewelry components with different levels of hardness, and they list those levels in their product descriptions. Therefore, you can tell easily which components can be bent easily from their original shapes to create bails, to hold a bead or stone, or to connect to another jewelry element.
This ability to change the jewelry elements is the third thing that makes Vintaj a unique company, and allows the customer to really experiment. Each piece can be used for so many purposes.
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Comments
@Peggy they are definitely a cool look for jewelry makers.
I love the look of Vintaj brass components. I haven't used any yet but was eyeing them at Hobby Lobby on Saturday!