This week Dr Nicola Tallis talks to historian, writer and maritime history expert Dr Ian Friel about pirates, their treasure (the T word), and the story and the significance of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island.

Ian is the author of several major books on maritime history, The Good Ship (1995), The British Museum Maritime History of Britain & Ireland c 400 – 2001 (2003) and Henry V’s Navy (2015) and Britain and the Ocean Road (2020), with its sequel, Breaking Seas, Broken Ships, due out in 2021. He has also written as a book of local history photographs and over 20 papers, articles and booklets on maritime history, local history and education.

Join the conversation on social media and check out images of some of the jewels discussed by visiting @historygemspod on both Twitter and Instagram.

Special 'pirate music' from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/a-seafaring-adventure
License code: 1M3GO1DWYUWPYLHD

This week Dr Nicola Tallis explores one of the world's most revered jewellers - Atelier Torbjörn Tillander - with the youngest of the Tillander family - Jenny.

The firm of A. Tillander was established by Alexander Tillander in Russia in 1860. After completing a seven year apprenticeship with a master goldsmith he went to work for Carl Becks who was a supplier to the Russian Imperial court. Before long however, Alexander decided to go into business on his own and at just 23 he opened his first premises in the heart of St Petersburg.

Whilst the firm remained relatively unscathed by the Russian Revolution of 1905, the same was not true of the one that occurred in 1917. Along with many other Russian jewellery manufacturers, the firm was forced to closed and the Tillander family moved their lives and business to Helsinki. Here, in 1918 Alexander Jr. re-established A. Tillander and the firm is still in existence today and remains family owned.

Jenny has been fully involved in the family business since 2014. In 2017, she graduated as a gemmologist from the Gemological Institute of America in London. Jenny is a natural-born customer service representative who, as the youngest in the family business, also naturally ensures that Atelier Torbjörn Tillander's product range follows trends. In spring 2020, Jenny launched her first jewellery collection – Transparency by Jenny Tillander. Check out the collection here.

Join the conversation on social media and check out images of some of the jewels discussed by visiting @historygemspod on both Twitter and Instagram.

This week Nicola is joined by author and historian Valerie Schutte to explore the history of one of the world's most famous pearls - La Peregrina, which was worn by kings and queens in paintings and apparently eaten by Elizabeth Taylor's puppy!

Valerie Schutte earned her PhD in History from the University of Akron. She is author or editor of six books on Queen Mary I, unexpected heirs, and queens in Shakespeare. She has also published several journal articles and book chapters on Queen Mary I, royal Tudor women, history of the book, and book dedications.

Her research interests include Queen Mary I, Tudor queens, book dedications, Princess Elizabeth, and books related to Tudor kings. You can find out more about her work here - Valerie Schutte – Read about the work of historian Valerie Schutte (tudorqueenship.com).

Join the conversation on social media and check out images of La Peregrina by visiting @historygemspod on both Twitter and Instagram.