About
Welcome to Old Curiosity Jewels
At Old Curiosity Jewels, every piece of jewelry in our collection tells a story. The carefully curated collection you'll find here features unique, often one-of-a-kind pieces that celebrate the craftsmanship of days-gone-by and timeless elegance.
Thank you for choosing Old Curiosity Jewels. I am grateful to be a part of your jewelry story.
About Me & My Story
Hello there! My name is Laila, and I am a nerd for all things history! And like a magpie, I’m attracted to anything shiny!
A little about me: I’ve worked as a boat captain, horse wrangler, and tour guide in Glacier National Park, and I've also worked as an interpretive park ranger under Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps for the National Park Service in Canyonlands National Park! I’ve interned in both the collections and curatorial departments at an art museum, and I've worked on and off as a museum educator at a living history museum since high school, which lets me dress up in 19th century clothing and teach all kinds of people, but especially kids, about the past!
I’m also a current member of the National Association for Interpretation (NAI), and I became an NAI Certified Interpretive Guide after training in Grand Teton National Park in June of 2025! Some other random tidbits about me are that I've had experience in basic metalsmithing and making jewelry, though I unfortunately don't have access to a metals studio at the moment; and although cultural anthropology is my specialty in the field of interpretation, I also enjoy learning about phytomedicine, botany, and wildlife biology; and finally, I'm also certified in Wilderness First Aid, which I found an unlikely passion for, so I'm hoping to one day become certified as a Wilderness First Responder.
After I finished my fixed term with the Park Service at Canyonlands, like many people at this particular moment in time, I found it increasingly hard to find a full-time job of any kind, much less one that made use of my specialized skills. So here I was, a semi-recent college graduate with two degrees and a bit of entry-level experience working in museum, educational, and public lands settings, with just a fun antique jewelry thing on the side, but I was unable to find something full-time. So, I decided to use this time to really grow, establish, and flesh out Old Curiosity Jewels properly. I wanted to make it a real business, something more than just an instagram page.
When I’m not hunting for antique jewelry, I’m probably volunteering at the nearest cat shelter getting my fur fix and playing with kittens, riding horses, hiking, working on a craft of some sort (either painting, drawing, or sewing, usually), trying to visit a new national park, or involving myself in the field of public lands (whether employed, volunteering, or on the phone harassing my state representatives about legislation). I hope you join me and follow along on my antiquing adventures, and maybe you'll find something much-loved and sparkly that speaks to your heart!
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My journey to collecting and selling antique jewelry was one that began whilst on a journey of healing. After experiencing some traumatic life events, I found myself in London spending time with family as a way to heal and move forward. Little did I know that, on one day during my visit, I would stumble into a shop on Portobello Road and discover a whole new world of stories in which I could get lost, in the form of wearable, often very sparkly treasures. Though at first the fascination with antique jewelry began with collecting personal collection items, it quickly grew from there.
My love language has always been gift-giving, and that's because I really enjoy putting thought into finding things that show the people I love how well I know them. That same energy drove me to begin sourcing pieces to sell for other fellow collectors and jewelry lovers. I put care and effort into what I find, sourcing my inventory primarily from auction houses based in the UK, as well as from antique shows, other collectors/dealers, and smaller estate jewelry stores, and I look for things that I truly think others will find enchanting or exciting. If I wouldn’t buy it for myself, then I don't buy it for other collectors. A piece must have character, and it really has to speak to me; by virtue of this method, I really hope you find a piece here that speaks to you.
Who is "Our?"
Most of the time, this is just a one-woman show here. However, I do occasionally use the collective "Our," and that is because I am not without help and support. My mom is the tax and finance manager extraordinaire, and I would love to thank her for all her work and helping me with the more boring paperwork part of owning a business, for helping me with photoshoots, especially on days when my hands are a little extra shaky, for waiting patiently as I drag her to countless antique malls and estate jewelry stores, for watching Antiques Roadshow with me, and for helping me set up and tear down at in-person pop-up and flea market events. My dad is also part of this small team, as my official business partner/adviser, and the main person who encouraged me to pursue my own business, so he definitely deserves a big thank you, too. Throughout this whole process, he has developed his own interest for antique jewelry as well, which has been really fun to share with him. The last little member of our team is four-legged and furry, and his name is Pumpkin, or "Kitty,” as he is most often called. Our family cat is a constant (and very vocal) companion in this whole operation, as a large part of this business is run from home. Very opinionated about most things, he would like everyone to know that, above all else, he does his best to restrain his natural feline instinct to whack the antiques off the table when I'm trying to take pictures of the jewelry. He has no apologies to make, however, for rubbing against the corners of my phone and tripod stand while I take pictures, as he asserts he is entitled to chin scritches whenever he so chooses.
