Earrings Bohemian Chandelier Portugal Antique Azulejo Tile Portuguese Estarreja DOVE Frescoes retailer Sintra Palace BOHO USA Shipping

WEAR A PIECE OF HISTORY!
QUESTION: Are your tiles real antique Portuguese azulejo tiles?
ANSWER: Absolutely not. In our description of each item, we try to call attention to the theft and destruction of antique Portuguese tiles. Even the tiles found in flea markets and antique stores were most likely stolen off a building during the night. We have seen entire home facades disappear during the night to thieves. Thankfully, Portugal just passed a law declaring this theft a crime. We can only hope that it will one day be enforced.
For this reason, we have no part in this despicable crime. We make our own tiles from polymer clay. Ceramic would be far too heavy for earrings and impossible to mold into the shapes we want. For the hoops, we mold the clay as thin as we can get it, so that it will look pretty inside the hoops.

The city of Aveiro is known as the Venice of Portugal because of its canals and lovely hand painted and colorful boats called "moliceiros".

The city dates back to the 10th century when it was known by its first Latin name of Alavarium, literally, "a gathering place or preserve of birds." The Moors invaded and then held it until the 11th century, after which it became popular with Portuguese royalty. In the winter of 1575, a retailer terrible storm closed the entrance to its port, ending a thriving trade in metals and tiles. The same storm also created a reef barrier at the Atlantic Ocean.

These tiles are located on the facade of a very, very old building in the lovely town of Estarreja. Villa Costa 1911! To my dismay, many old buildings have fallen in disrepair and this is an attempt to preserve a little of the patrimony of Portugal before it's too late.

Deep in the misty mountains lies the enchanting city of Sintra, home to ancient castles, fairy-tale palaces, and verdant gardens. For centuries, sultans, kings, and wealthy noblemen were drawn by the area's haunting beauty, and they left a trail of opulence and grandeur behind them.

These earrings are replicas of the Frescoes on the walls of the chapel at the National Palace of Sintra! Amazing! See photo!

The earrings are very lightweight and measure 3" long. They will come in a gift box.

+ Please note that some of our items will come with a tag stating "Return only accepted if tag is attached". There are no exceptions to this policy.

All my tiles are replicas made of polymer clay where the image actually becomes part of the clay through baking. No glue is used in the process. The pieces become waterproof and scratch resistant. Due to the handmade and hand shaped nature of each tile, slight variations will occur, as no two pieces are alike.


Please feel free to email me with any questions you may have.

Thank you,
Atrio

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