Life In A Box: Traveller. Antiques Dealer. Mother. Model. Iconoclast.

by Sarah Jane Adams

Auction catalogues can reveal a lot about a person - their lives, loves and style. Sarah Jane Adams, a jewellery and antiques dealer who became an international model and Instagram sensation overnight in her 60s, tells her story through a lifetime's collection of rare pieces, valuable jewellery and worthless objects, as well as personal photographs and effects from her 'estate'.

A former punk, rebel and single mother of twin girls, Sarah Jane Adams was sent to boarding school as a young child, where she soon learned the value of packing her belongings for a quick getaway. Modelling her style upon Jimi Hendrix and Keith Richards throughout the late 1960s and early '70s before becoming a punk, this globe-hopping iconoclast dealt and traded her way around the world, living a gloriously technicolour life.

Told with wit, pathos and charm. Life In A Box illustrates how style is always deeply personal to the wearer, laden with rich meaning and adventure and above all, redolent of our stories.

Genres: Nonfiction

ebook

Published March 31, 2020

About the author

Dubbed an Instagram 'It Girl' by the Daily Telegraph at 60 years old, dressed in a medley of Vintage dresses, Antique and traditional Indian textiles, Adidas Originals and baseball hats, Sarah Jane Adams defies the perception of age.

Sarah’s rise to Instagram stardom @saramaijewels has won her 185k followers. 
She has worked with a variety of brands on campaigns including H&M’s Christmas campaign for 2018, and has featured in publications such as the Huffington Post, the Daily Mail, Advanced Style’s book ‘Older and Wiser’, Buzzfeed, Man Repeller, and many more.

Sarah’s appeal is more than her clothing. Her feisty attitude, unerring principles and celebration of all her signs of ageing; from stretch-marked stomach to wrinkled knees, is like nectar to the swathes of followers hungry for a fresh approach to fashion, lifestyle and identity. 

She is the product of a life well lived, her career starting 'on the road' as a lighting technician for bands in the mid 70’s, she switched direction to pursue a lifelong passion uncovering antique jewellery pieces from around the world to sell on her Portobello Road market stall, expanding to become a global wholesale supplier and designer of antique and bespoke jewellery.

Reviews

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an enjoyable book, it is bright, colourful and bold. I love getting a glimpse of someone else's life through mainly photos of objects that have meaning to that person. It will encourage you to reflect on what it is important in your life as well as make you think how mementos can trigger strong memories. I would certainly recommend having a look.

[Rania T · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting take on an autobiography, that's for sure.

[Betty-Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated memoir told through a lifetime of photographs and objects, rare and worthless.

[Terri Durling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a huge fan of Ari Seth Cohen’s book, Advanced Style, that made older people visible for their great style. Sarah Jane Adams was one of those who came to my attention. She truly had a very unique vibe that was colorful and spoke of her travels to various parts of the world. She is a great example of how to combine different pieces to create a truly artistic look that speaks of who she is as an individual. When I saw this book, I thought it would be very interesting to get to know more about her. It is, like Sarah herself, a very different kind of book because it is her story over the years shown through the jewellery and items she collected and sold over the years as an antique jewellery dealer. She amazed me with her high energy, running a business that thrived and bringing up twin daughters at the same time. She does it her way but she is the epitome of a successful business woman and entrepreneur who rose to the top and did it her way. The book is filled with photos of the effects of her estate and personal photographs which she auctioned off because she did not want to leave this for her daughters to have to sort out and deal with- something I greatly admire that she did. Although many of the photos are small and hard to decipher, the story lines do a great job at explaining their origins and meaning. She is a force to be reckoned with and as she says herself “my wrinkles are my stripes”.

[Jenny Esots · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has assembled an immense record of her life.
She has meticulously photographed her memories and possessions and even given them an auction price.
It is fastidious but creative way of archiving her life.
It being a project that many of us attempt in our later years, but very few merit a big coffee table style book. The author should be commended for getting this project off the ground, as many have fallen at the gate in trying.
I am tempted to buy the book, as there is still so much to explore.

[Karen Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating insight into a strong, unique woman! Her collection of memorabilia & trinkets and the accompanying stories is a great way of finding out about Sarah Jane's life, travels & adventures.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the concept, love the pictures and the spirit this woman has. Not crazy about the whole idea of Instagram fame. Still, an enjoyable read.

[James · Rating 1 out of 5]

Complete rubbish!
Utter mindless vacuous dribble from the first page to the last. A complete waste of paper!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A life brilliantly photographed and described. If only I could be so cool as Sarah Jane!