| Authentic costume jewelry, originally made popular | | | | demand, the greater the price and vice versa. For |
| during the "Roaring Twenties", is considered a hot | | | | anyone looking for the hot items right now, signed |
| collector's item today and has rapidly appreciated | | | | Miriam Haskell vintage jewelry is the best bet |
| in value in recent years. Vintage costume | | | | despite being a bit eccentric in design. Being able |
| necklaces, bracelets, and other pieces were | | | | to identify the hot items from the pretty |
| purchased by American soldiers in French | | | | imitators is what separates the successful |
| boutiques and brought home after the first world | | | | collectors from the mere hobbyist. Avid collectors |
| war. U.S. companies began dominating costume | | | | tend to include popular pieces in their collections |
| jewelry design and manufacturing from the late | | | | because they are more profitable. In many cases, |
| 1920's onward. Signed vintage costume necklaces, | | | | the collector doesn't even like the particular piece! |
| rings, and other pieces are worth more money. | | | | So what factors actually affect the demand for |
| Some popular American companies known to | | | | any given piece of jewelry? Demand for a piece |
| produce high quality and highly collectible pieces | | | | is stimulated most by the actual design of the |
| include: | | | | jewelry. Seasoned collectors will not hesitate to |
| Trifari | | | | shun a signed piece in favor of an unsigned one |
| Eisenberg | | | | featuring a unique and impressive design. |
| Art | | | | Ultimately, the unsigned piece often proves |
| Carnegie | | | | profitable because it commands greater demand. |
| Coventry | | | | A large portion of the entire vintage costume |
| But why are some costume jewelry pieces more | | | | stock is unsigned despite having been made by |
| valuable than others and how do you identify the | | | | some of the most respected companies in the |
| collectible pieces? The very first true costume | | | | industry. Being able to identify quality or |
| jewelry appeared on theatres throughout Europe | | | | exceptional designs is one way to spot the |
| before being brought back to the States by | | | | unsigned but valuable pieces. Some of the most |
| American G.I.'s returning home from World War I. | | | | profitable unsigned pieces by manufacturers who |
| American manufacturers began dominating the | | | | consistently produced high quality designs include |
| industry from the 1920's onward. Trifari, Coro, | | | | those by Holycraft and Florenza. |
| and dozens of American manufacturers soon | | | | The quality of the stones and craftsmanship will |
| began producing the designs and pieces that are | | | | ultimately determine the success and overall |
| some of the most prized collectibles on the | | | | popularity of any design. In particular, the |
| vintage market today. If you know what you are | | | | gemstone quality is of particular relevance to the |
| looking for and can distinguish the worthless | | | | value of any vintage piece of jewelry. Gemstones |
| knock-offs from the genuine Eisenberg necklaces | | | | of exceptional quality were consistently used by a |
| and other top pieces, then you can literally make | | | | few of the major manufacturers. Jewelry designs |
| a great living--while having fun in the process! | | | | by Bogoff, Weiss, and Eisenberg tend to be high |
| Value is determined by: | | | | value collectibles primarily because of their |
| Rarity of Piece | | | | exceptionally high quality. |
| Demand | | | | Unless you happen to stumble across an unsigned |
| Design | | | | Eisenberg piece, you will find it hard to find this |
| Quality of Construction and Materials | | | | high-quality jewelry at bargain prices. If you are |
| Current Condition | | | | trying to find some profitable pieces to purchase |
| The supply of vintage pieces is not evenly | | | | at cheap prices but still command a lot with |
| distributed which is a large reason why there is so | | | | serious investors, look for jewelry made by these |
| much diversity in pricing. The jewelry itself was | | | | companies: |
| supplied by dozens of manufacturers. Batch sizes | | | | Danecraft |
| could vary dramatically from one company to the | | | | Kramer |
| next. Coventry, Coro, and other larger | | | | Bogoff |
| manufacturers often made thousands of pieces | | | | Weiss |
| for every design. On the other side of the coin, | | | | Monet |
| McClelland, DeMario and many of the smaller | | | | The final component of the value determination is |
| players might only produce a few hundred of | | | | based upon the current value of the jewelry. |
| each design. When other pricing variables are held | | | | Expect lower values for vintage costume pieces |
| constant, signed pieces from the small companies | | | | that have discoloration, rust, excessive wear |
| tend to be worth more money. Still, careful | | | | marks, or even lost stones. Despite having |
| research is required because even larger | | | | noticeable signs of wear, most vintage jewelry |
| manufacturers sometimes produced specialty | | | | pieces are still worth more today than when they |
| batches. These were smaller batches making the | | | | were originally sold. But if you know how to locate |
| pieces more valuable than others produced by the | | | | the unsigned gems hiding in flea markets and |
| same company. | | | | online auctions every day, then you can really |
| A piece of jewelry can be rare but command little | | | | make a bundle collecting vintage costume |
| demand for some reason or another which will | | | | pieces--even those with excessive signs of wear! |
| greatly affect value. Basically, the higher the | | | | |