Typewriter Earrings

I love using typewriter parts, but I rarely use the keys.  I think it's because there are soooo many other folks doing name and saying jewelry using the keys, to the point you can buy fake keys for making said jewelry.

I'm into going where my muse leads me,  so I don't normally feel like I even want to use them.  I've made a couple of rings and I've used the odd letter key here and there as embellishments.  I have nothing against them, they just don't talk to me normally.  (And if anyone ever wants to commission something with the keys, that's fine and dandy- I have no problems with that, hint hint)   However when Jerry was chopping up a old L. C. Smith typewriter from the 1920's, I fell in love with the shift keys.  As you can see in the pictures, it has "Smith Typewriter Sales Chicago"

These keys' tell a story.  I tried to research them, but couldn't find anything conclusive. They make my imagination run wild.  Was the typewriter a special, display model to sell other typewriters?   Did a particular store get this added to the typewriters they sold for branding?  I did find an interesting ad from 1922 .

I paired the keys with large crystals that are new, but they look really vintage to me with the large bezels.  I love these, I'm tempted to keep them, but they are currently in the sales pile.  Want to see them in person? Be sure to Stop by Small Business Saturday Nov 26th starting at 10am at Five Monkey's Inc gallery!   They won't last long, that's for sure.