| Vintage costume jewelry has become a highly | | | | jewelry is characterized by it's excellent quality of |
| collectible niche in the antiques and collectibles world. | | | | craftsmanship, usage of gold and silver plated |
| Here are some of the most collectible names in | | | | settings and quality stones. During Hollywood's golden |
| vintage costume jewelry and some background on | | | | age, Hobe jewelry was a favorite of Hollywood stars |
| them. | | | | and their finest pieces could be seen adorning starlets |
| Weiss | | | | wardrobe's in many classic movies. Hobe pieces were |
| Created in 1942 by a former Coro company | | | | all marked, with the name Hobe typically stamped in |
| employee named Albert Weiss, Weiss has become | | | | a stylized Art Deco style script with an elongated H |
| one of the most popular and collectible names in | | | | or B or in block letters. The original, family run Hobe |
| vintage costume jewelry collecting. Weiss is | | | | company stopped producing jewelry in the early |
| synonymous with gorgeous and elegant rhinestone | | | | 1990's, however a Hobe company exists that still |
| pieces including brooches, necklaces, bracelets and | | | | produces jewelry marked as Hobe up to today. |
| earrings. Sadly, the Weiss company went out of | | | | Coro |
| business in 1971, therefore their pieces are very | | | | The name Coro actually comes from an abbreviation |
| collectible and the most beautiful pieces including | | | | of the original founders last names, which were Cohn |
| figurals like birds and animals routinely sell for high | | | | and Rosenberger. The company was founded in New |
| prices on auction sites and in both online and offline | | | | York around the turn of the century and later |
| stores. Watch out for reproductions of Weiss | | | | incorporated with the name Coro. The Coro company |
| jewelry, many less knowledgeable sellers on eBay will | | | | was one of the most, if not the most, prolific |
| sell a reproduction as a true Weiss. Real Weiss | | | | producer of costume jewelry in the 20th century. At |
| jewelry is of exceptional quality, you can often tell a | | | | one point during the 1920's, the company was said to |
| fake from a real piece by viewing the details of the | | | | have employed more than 2000 workers in producing |
| piece with a loupe. Also, some Weiss fakes have a | | | | their lines of costume jewelry. The Coro company |
| textured backing, where real Weiss is very smooth. | | | | prided itself on producing costume jewelry for a wide |
| The stamp may also be offset or a bit difficult to | | | | range of customers, and as a result you could find |
| read. Real Weiss generally has a strong stamp with | | | | Coro pieces available in both a local five and dime |
| clear lettering. | | | | store and also find finer Coro pieces in high end |
| Eisenberg | | | | department stores. Coro's finest pieces could |
| The Eisenberg company began in 1914 as an apparel | | | | certainly compare in craftsmanship, design and quality |
| company. Then sometime in the 1930's, they created | | | | to well known, highly collectible names like Weiss and |
| and began to market jewelry pieces. Like Weiss, | | | | Eisenberg. Due to their massive production, Coro |
| Eisenberg is known for high quality craftsmanship and | | | | used well over 100 styles of marks, stamps and |
| for using high quality materials, including sparkling | | | | variations of marks on their jewelry, sometimes |
| Austrian crystals. Their earliest pieces were marked | | | | changing their marks every year. Coro also produced |
| as "Eisenberg Original" and later on they marked their | | | | jewelry under other brand names such as Vendome, |
| pieces simply "Eisenberg" or "Eisenberg Ice". The | | | | which is highly collectible, CoroCraft, Cellini, Francois |
| Eisenberg company still makes jewelry today but | | | | among many others. Highly collectible Coro pieces |
| obviously the older pieces are the most collectible. | | | | include their famous "jelly belly" pieces, sterling silver |
| For a time in the 1940's, Eisenberg used sterling silver | | | | pieces including those marked MEXICO and their |
| in their pieces and any pieces in sterling silver are | | | | "Coro Duette" line. |
| very collectible. Their pieces in sterling silver will be | | | | Other Collectible Names |
| marked as such. | | | | While these names are some of the most collectible |
| Hobe | | | | names in costume jewelry, they certainly aren't the |
| Pronounced ho-bee, Hobe has been a name | | | | only collectible names. More collectible names include |
| synonymous with fine quality costume jewelry since | | | | Art, Lisner, Napier, Trifari, Boucher, Miriam Haskell, |
| the 1920's. The Hobe family actually started making | | | | Carnegie, Florenza, Kramer, Sarah Coventry, |
| jewelry in France in the late 19th century, then | | | | Schreiner, Van Dell, Whiting & Davis, Bogoff, as |
| William Hobe founded the official company when he | | | | well as others. |
| came to the US from France in the late 1920's. Hobe | | | | |