Erie Basin is the quintessential, antique jewelry store / gallery in a remote part of Brooklyn, Red Hook. I had my heart set on checking the store out in person on my last trip to New York. In my naivete, I thought I could jump on a train to get there. Thankfully, my brother has a car and we drove over from Williamsburg. I would have never made it there. I heard you can take the new Ikea ferry over from Manhattan. 

 

I happened across Erie Basin awhile back when obsessively hunting online for anything by the Belgian accessories designer, Natalia Brilli. She is known for her stint at the fashion house, Rochas, but more recently from her own eponymous line of leather bound long  “pearl” necklaces and bracelets and other objects. Very goth chic. One of my favorite pieces of hers that I saw when on a trip to Hong Kong at the On Pedder store was a black leather covered men’s watch bracelet. Totally useless to tell time with, but an excellent conversation piece. 

 

The owner of Erie Basin, Russell Whitmore, has carefully chosen unique, modern designs to complement the collection of antique jewelry and accessories beautifully displayed throughout the store. The items date back to the 1800’s. Among my favorite were the black rose carved necklaces and the vintage hair combs. I was on a mission to find something for my wedding day. My engagement ring is from the Art Deco period and I was looking for a wedding band or a bracelet to go with the dress I am having made, by Juan Carlos Obando. More on that later.

 

 

 

We chatted for a brief moment and short of feeling like a stalker, I quickly snapped some photos, with permission of course, and told him how I had read his guest blog on designsponge awhile back. As you can see from the photos, the store is beautiful. Coincidentally, he currently curated some antique pieces for On Pedder, HK. My how the world is small. 

 

 

 

The other modern line he carries is Conroy & Wilcox. My cousin, Joyce, got her engagement gorgeous grey diamond ring at Erie Basin. It’s a beautiful New York based line of conflict free stones set in rather natural, unforced settings. The moon stone cocktail ring by them is on my personal short wish list. 

 

 

 

The site is updated regularly and is worth checking out from time to time as the pieces are one-of-a-kind and if you don’t snatch it up, you may never come across one again. 

 

 

 

Good news: mission accomplished. I found a pair of unique Victorian Wedding cuffs. I couldn’t find any information online about the tradition of wearing them, but in that era, everything was a fad that trickled down from Queen Victoria herself. 

 

 

 

I am not posting a photo of them since they are being shipped to me and I don’t want to ruin the surprise, but they are gold-toned, identical closed cuffs with an art deco-like geometric and floral etching on them, to be worn one on each wrist on the wedding day. I love all things that have a story and history behind them and these are no exception. 

 

 

 

As luck would have it the famed Brooklyn bakery, Baked, was right across the street. Fleur de Sel Cupcake, here I come.

 

 

 

Erie Basin

388 Van Brunt Street

Brooklyn, NY 11231