A student museum curator by day, and *aspiring* jewellery historian by night. I love finding, researching and restoring (when needed) fabulous pieces of antique, vintage and retro jewellery and treasure.
Where possible I aim to uncover the history behind what I hope will be the newest treasure in your collection, and perhaps one day, a future heirloom.
MY HISTORY
My love of jewellery and treasure begun as a child spending a lot of time at op shops (aka thrift shops), second hand and makers crafts markets with my Mum and siblings. I often pondered the provenance of old objects: who made them, where did they come from, where have they been, and how were they used?
Certain objects truly capture a snapshot of a moment in history. A society, a family, a trend, an art movement, an invention. And of all the things created for practical, functional reasons, we take time to create objects for beauty, adornment, aesthetic enjoyment (arguably, still a function). We give objects as gifts to symbolise our feelings for one another, we commemorate occasions so that we do not forget, we celebrate milestones and achievements.
I spent most of my twenties studying visual arts and contemporary crafts, art history, sociology and anthropology, working in community arts and retail, before finding my way into an art curatorship course where I am studying to be a museum curator slash jewellery historian.
WILLIS & SONS
While I was doing my undergrad, I developed an interest in my own family history and learned that my Great-Great-Grandfather was Thomas Willis of Willis and Co/Willis and Sons established 1858 Melbourne/London through to 1930s. My Grandfather died after WW2 and my Grandma, who turned 99 in 2021, only remembers snippets of info pertaining to her husband's family business.
When asking how this wondrous info had alluded our (living) family's common knowledge, I learned of an unfortunate mishap: my grandmother's jewellery collection had 'gone missing' when moving. I gathered it just became difficult to tell a story without any props, photos or prompts on hand. So it became a small obsession of mine to hunt down any information or pictures of Willis and Sons jewellery, with a hope to own some of it myself one day.
WILLIS & SISTERS
I've been collecting and learning what I can for several years, and learning about other migrant families who became early Australian jewellers - many of which suffered a similar fate to Willis and Sons and closed as a result of the Great Depression and WW1 - and deserve to be remembered and saved from the scrap pile (an unfortunate reality given today's gold prices).
When searching for jewellery made by Willis and Sons, I see a lot of beautiful things that I cannot walk/scroll away from (especially when the alternative can mean scrapping them for gold/silver). So I'm attempting to re-home special pieces to preserve their history, and honour their makers. I'm also a shameless magpie hoarder and sometimes just fall in love with beautifully made things and buy them because they were a good price - only to later find it's not for me.
The origin of the name Willis & Sisters is therefore pretty straightforward: reviving an ancestral family business with a modern matriarchal twist! The game is pre-loved, vintage, and antique jewellery (and other bits and bobs) from me to you.
MY ETHOS
I'm interested in not ruining the planet. Mass produced jewellery, like many things, is unsustainable (and boring). Cheap, plated, vermeil jewellery ends up in landfill. Solid gold, silver, and platinum are not only smart investments, but they require far less processing to create, can be melted and remodelled, they won't tarnish your skin and they can last for many lifetimes.
Additionally, I aim to only use recyclable, biodegradable, compostable, reusable materials and packaging for orders. This does not mean I skimp on luxurious packaging, just that I approach it mindfully and attempt to minimise waste.
AT YOUR SERVICE
I'm very approachable and happy to chat about anything from jewellery history to discussing options for payment plans if that's something you'd like to do. You can find me on Instagram or Facebook at Willis and Sisters.
I also have developed an international network of incredible friends and colleagues who treasure hunt. So if there's something particular you're looking for, I love a research challenge - whether it's a pair of hoops, a gift to commemorate an occasion, or an engagement ring - I will do my best to help you find it. I see thousands of items of jewellery per day, you may as well put your request out there!
