Fire for Your Finger

This outstanding opal ring features a large and fiery stone with flashes not only of vivid blue and green, but scarcer, and therefore highly desirable, red. Eight glowing red rubies complement the opal's brilliant colors. The beautiful vintage setting of gleaming 14 karat gold features stylized flowers with ruby centers and textured oval leaves.

The birthstone for October, in ancient times opals were considered extremely lucky and powerful talismans, as they were said to possess the virtues of every gemstone whose color was represented in the opal's ever-changing colors. An opal wrapped in a bay leaf was thought to grant invisibility. 

While we cannot promise this rich and refulgent ring will make you invisible, it certainly will get you noticed! One of the rubies has a ding, but overall the stunning ring is in wonderful shape and ready to wear.

 All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New but things can sell quickly!

15545-196

Pressing Matters

If you have an urge to make your own wine or cider, this vintage fruit press is just what you need. Not only is it so much neater than trying to stomp on grapes in the bathtub, this handsome iron and wood vise makes a delightful decorative item.  

It was made by the Red Cross Manufacturing Company, located in Bluffton, Indiana. Originally founded in 1898 to manufacture farm windmills, the company adopted the name Red Cross Manufacturing Company in 1902. It manufactured a wide variety of farm and gardening equipment, such as livestock troughs, pumps, corn shellers, hay bale conveyors, lawn mowers, and shredders. Following the enactment of Prohibition in 1918, the company introduced fruit presses and mills for home use. The company went out of business in 1974.

An ad from the 1920s pictures a similar fruit press by Red Cross "For The Man Who Wants A Small Handy Press." The ad describes the press as being made from maple and poplar woods.

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New but things can sell quickly!

 12708-2635

True Confessions

If like the young man pictured above, you are getting ready to confess your love this upcoming Valentine's Day, Next-to-New has just what you need! This wonderful vintage wood prie dieu (a piece of furniture designed to be used for prayer with a platform for kneeling and shelf for resting a book or arms) includes a mesh confessional screen, perfect for spilling out the secrets of your heart to your soulmate. 

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

3-3730