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For hot handbags, cool gems, stop by

By ELIZABETH BETTENDORF
Published June 16, 2006

John Wilshusen's stash of jewelry might well rival that of Zsa Zsa Gabor.

Thousands of antique, vintage and collectible treasures - from frothy baubles to sparkly rhinestones and hard-to-find gems - sparkle from a corner booth of the Now and Again II antique store at 4713 N Florida Ave. in Old Seminole Heights.

"I've always liked jewelry from the time I was in high school. Even then, my parents gave me a ring for quitting smoking," Wilshusen says.

He wears an eclectic assortment of his own inventory: a Lord Elgin watch from the 1940s; a choker made of Venetian glass African trading beads; and a Jay Gatsby-esque pinkie ring from the 1920s.

Wilshusen, who has lectured at Hillsborough Community College on the topic of antique jewels, displays his wares with the flair of an interior designer.

Beads, baubles and necklaces trail from vintage teacups, Chinese figurines and a pair of brass shorebirds, all of which are for sale.

His closet-sized booth is decorated with a cache of original artwork - another passion.

"I love, love, love collecting original art," he says. "You won't find many prints here."

Customers also can browse his collection of cool vintage handbags, including an intricately beaded burlap Bohemian purse from the 1960s, and a floral fabric and straw handbag embellished with faux jewels, also from the Kennedy era.

"All of these handbags, if you take care of them, can be displayed in the home," he says. "That means taking them to special events only - not bars!"

Speaking of the Kennedys, he also has some grapefruit-sized Jackie-O sunglasses, authentic relics from the period.

Wilshusen, 45, who lives in Temple Terrace, hardly fits the profile of a regional expert on costume jewelry created by popular 20th century designers.

He majored in geophysics at Michigan State University and worked for a long stretch in the oil and gas investment business. He acts and directs community theater in Temple Terrace, loves to play golf and sang for years in a local barbershop quartet.

But jewelry is what pays the bills and keeps him creative.

"I guess you could say I'm kind of a rock guy in many ways," he likes to joke. "After all, I did take a lot of geology courses."

He also designs his own jewelry, such as a necklace made of black-glass and gold-toned filigree beads, and matching 2½-inch drop earrings "that would look fabulous with jeans or a black dress."

Customers are loyal and tend to browse for languorous stretches. They range from young hipsters to hip grownups who love his smartly acquired collection, which includes everything from a beautiful turn-of-the-century turquoise necklace from Yemen to a chunky amber bracelet with beads the size of tiger's teeth.

And just how did he amass such a glittering mound of jewels?

The obvious way: combing antique stores, thrift shops, estate sales, even garage sales around the state. He also loves to travel and picks up pieces on his journeys to places like Scotland, where he has family.

His constantly changing collection has attracted the attention of dealers and boutique owners from Miami, Atlanta and New York. Items range from $20 to the thousands.

Among his specialities is a Parures, a specially designed pairing that includes a matching bracelet, earrings and necklace.

"They're really in right now," he says of the trendy baubles his customers are sporting around Tampa.

The popularity of his collection is really no surprise, he said. "Ladies have always really liked their jewels."

[Last modified June 15, 2006, 21:28:40]