Days Gone

It may only happen once, but if you make a mistake in cleaning your jewelry, you can ruin a beautiful piece of vintage costume jewelry or a precious heirloom. Here are some ways to avoid disaster: 1. Always work in a well-lighted area. Use a piece of felt or soft cloth on the work surface in case you drop the piece of jewelry or one of its components. 2. Examine the piece closely with a jeweler's loupe or magnifying glass. Look for any loose stones - rhinestones sometimes come loose from their settings. 3. Spray some glass cleaner into a small container, and use a very soft baby toothbrush, barely dipped in the cleaner and tapped almost dry, to gently brush the piece. Be careful not to get any...

Vintage Trifari jewelry is a good choice for beginning collectors. The jewelry is beautifully made, was plentiful over a long period of time, and vintage pieces are still very affordable. The company started to produce costume jewelry in 1910, and production continues to the present day. The most affordable and available vintage Trifari jewelry dates from the 1950s and '60s. Trifari produced so many different styles, that the beginning collector can be choosy and select only those pieces that she truly likes. For investment purposes, Trifari rhinestone jewelry from the 1950s is affordable and a good long-term investment. And, as always, the piece should be in excellent condition. Keep that loupe or...

When we look at vintage or contemporary costume jewelry, and it looks like gold, is it really? What does "Karat" mean? What is HGE? What is the difference between gold plate and gold filled? Let's look at the different definitions of gold that you're likely to find on jewelry: 14 Karat Gold: Pure gold is 24 Karat, or kt, which means that 24 out of 24 parts are gold. 24kt is too soft to be made into jewelry, so it's alloyed with other metals for cost, durability and color. 14kt is 14 parts gold out of 24, and the remaining 10 parts may be copper, silver, nickel, zinc, tin, palladium and/or manganese. The color of the gold - yellow, white or rose - depends on the metal that is combined with the gold...

Queen Victoria ruled Britain for 64 years between 1837-1901. Most of this period saw prudery and a visible code of moral conduct. The change took place from a romantic society to the more puritanical Victorian society. The transition to prudery was felt more severely after Victoria’s marriage to Albert in 1840. A change to a livelier lifestyle took place in 1890 with the arrival on the scene of Prince Edward. There was a sharp divide between the people from the towns and those from rural areas. The railroad brought about a huge change in the quality of life as a whole especially among the poorer people from the villages. A show of wealth, while wearing clothes of fashion, became the order of the...

Being those really valuable and highly regarded pieces of collectibles and jewelry that they are, every woman dreams to own some piece of antique jewelry. Even if it is just a little antique earring, it is enough to make a woman revel in its proud possession. Antique jewelry is cherished so much as it is represents the era gone by and is really stylish and elegant. The designs, the patterns and the style it carries is simply irresistible and fascinating, making the wearer come in the attention of many by one mere look.   Antique earrings are quite popular among women as they can match up to their heavy and stylish wardrobes. They help women to get a classy and traditional look and give them a royal...

Earning money working from home will take some planning on your part. Buying and selling antiques and collectibles can become the most rewarding business you can ever imagine. It's all about the hunt, searching high and low for the one treasure that satisfies the collectors appetite. The thrill of finding something from the past and learning the history behind the items and how they were used or what function they had in life gives you a sense of being a part of that history. • Knowing Your Market.... When first starting out in the business it is imperative to learn about the items you want to market. You can go to an antique fair in a mall and see all kinds of different dealers that will major in...

I have been buying and selling antiques and art for almost 20 years. The economy has changed so much since those days. Like anything else, acquiring antiques, requires certain rules and regulations and convention. One must not blindly buy each and every junk item that one should find anywhere and everywhere. If you are interested in purchasing and selling antiques, finding a good, trustworthy dealer is important. A dealer is a knowledgeable person who often owns an antique store that can offer you advice when dealing antiques such as authenticity, historical information, price guides, and negotiating services. Online auctions are the time consuming part for new sellers and takes some time to get up...

Do you have an antique item or even several antique items that you feel are worth a significant amount of money:? It may be something you inherited or something you bought many years ago. If you have thought of selling these valuable items, it may be easier to do than you think. Selling your antiques online is relatively simple. There are two basic ways of selling antiques online. One way is to set up your own website or a simple web page. Or you can use an auction site such as eBay. Selling from your own web site If you have a number of antiques you wish to sell, you can set up a web site or just a simple web page with a domain name for just a few dollars a month. The first thing you should do is...

Throughout the decades many people have turned to costume jewelry as a cheap and chic alternative to the real thing. It can come in many designs and is extremely versatile making it a great and necessary addition to any fashionable wardrobe. Keep some pieces in your purse if you are rushing about and need to change from day to night outfits without returning home. One of the good things about it is that, unlike precious jewels, it can be worn as a fashion item and changed whenever the mood takes you. Therefore if you get bored and fancy a change then you haven't paid hundreds of dollars for it and so you can mix and match your jewels with your mood and outfit. They can be bold and outrageous. You...

In an old home with a rich history, there may be antique items unknowingly stowed away in its forgotten crooks and crannies-the attic, the basement, the storage room, or even the garage. While some items may not be of any value, other than sentimental, you may be lucky enough to find antique pieces. Objects that have been kept and passed down through the generations could be of great worth, especially furniture. There are countless places to find antique furniture other than your home, such as garage sales, secondhand stores, flea markets, and household auctions. While you could scour antique stores for furniture, it usually is expensive and not as satisfying as restoring pieces you find on your own...

Everyone wants to look good and just be in vogue. Mankind has invented many a forms of beautifying objects for that purpose and antique jewelleries are one among them. With their never ending charm and everlasting impression, they are perfect to adorn you for all sorts of occasions. The specialty of these jewelleries is that they go well with different outfits thus making it easy for you catch public attention wherever you go. Almost every piece of antique or historical jewelry highlights the penchants of a particular time period with its unique artistic influence. The love of women for antique earrings, bracelets and rings and other forms of jewelleries have increased a lot over the years. Antique...

our grandma left you her rings and necklace? If so you may be sitting on a undiscovered goldmine, forgive the pun. Antique jewellery has never been so fashionable. Expensive stones and high carat metal will always carry a curtain market price. Antique jewellery however has developed a strong market however simply on its antique status. Fashion-forward celebrities including Nicole Richie, Ashley Simpson, and Victoria Beckham have been adding a unique sparkle to their wardrobes with one-off pieces of antique and vintage jewellery. And with the red carpet coming to Dubai this month, thanks to the fifth edition of the Dubai International Film Festival, style-conscious women in the region are also...

When looking to make money with the buying and reselling of products, many turn to antiques. They are easy to make money with. Many original sellers do not know they have an antique in their hands and are unaware of the value. You, on the other hand, may know better. You can buy these antiques for cheap and turn a profit by selling them to antique collectors, dealers, and more. But wait! What products should you target and how can you find them? Get started with something easy, like books, and use the internet, namely Craigslist.org. As previously stated, you need to buy products to resell for a profit. Use Craigslist to find antique books for sale. Get started with a search. To perform a search on...

Are you thinking about starting a career selling items on eBay? If so, you need to know what you are going to sell, as well as which items give you the best chance of success. Many people have found that selling antiques on eBay is a great place to start. Not only do they have some of these at home to already sell, but many more can be found at garage sales, flea markets, etc. Of course, there is a lot that goes into successful selling antiques on eBay. As mentioned above, you need to have enough items to sell. You can start out with what you have at home, but over time you will need to begin to hunt for bargains. This will allow you to buy antiques on the cheap, and then profit by selling them on...

If you are deciding to become an antique dealer keep in mind that you will be meeting many different type of people, each of these people you meet have a different role in antique dealings. Many people are now finding antiques as a great way of making their rooms look that little bit more special. When it comes to antiques many people have their own agenda, many people prefer clocks, porcelain, furniture or jewelry. Next look to make sure that you can afford to purchase items in your chosen item, you may be fascinated say by rare art, but unfortunately it may be unaffordable. Purchasing antiques usually involves money; lots of money, gathering the proper information can help with the purchase...

Most of the people don’t know what the actual costume jewellery is or and it can earn you a big sum of money when it is collected for business. Vintage costume pieces are very popular in public and can give you profit several times of its actual sale price. Vintage costume pieces were firstly made in France. After the end of the world war, American soldiers purchased these pieces of jewellery from French boutiques and brought them home. Shortly after that it became popular during 1920’s; the companies in America began to set up shops of the vintage jewellery. These companies made different pieces of vintage costume jewellery which includes bracelets, rings, necklaces, pendants and many other...

Collecting antique dolls may be a passion for some and they may do their best to buy a wide variety of examples from every part of the globe, but displaying them in the most attractive way is not an easy task. Displaying your collection in such a way that they will attract the attraction of your friends and also enhance the look of your home can take some thought and talent. You can find in-depth guidance from specialty websites for creating such attractive displays, but here's a few tips to get you started. Before displaying your assorted beauties, you should segregate them according to their category and make a decision about the display location. If you can afford to spare a whole room for the...

Who doesn't love a beautiful creamy porcelain faced doll dressed in long flowing dresses of so long ago? Today the antique dolls available on the market were made by a handful of makers who were from either France or Germany, where the art of doll making was at its peak in the years between 1840 and 1930. During these years there emerged in France a young man by the name of Leon Casimir Bru, the youngest son of a weaver.The young Bru went to work for a dollmaker in Paris... and history began there. Soon after he began in the work of doll making, Bru opened his own manufacturing company. His first dolls resembled other makers' creations, but his later ones, 1870 and on, carried a signature mark of...

If one is a collector of antique dolls, chances are she's also looking for antique doll clothes. One must have a keen eye to know the authenticity of the dolls' clothing. These must be in accordance with the period they were manufactured in. Antique dolls are collected because they tell a story. These are parts of history. The clothes is very important in the re-telling of these stories. Antique doll clothes are considered to be collectible items for the avid antique doll collector. One must know that antique dolls have three kinds of clothing. There's the dress, then the accessories, then the trimmings. All of these parts of the antique doll clothes must have elaborate details which represent the...

Almost all of us have owned some costume jewelry at some point in our lives. Some of us have even recognized the terrific value it has in our accessories offering an affordable way to complete many outfits in many different styles. You simply cannot have enough pieces. But did you know there are three different types to choose from? Semi Precious Gemstones When we talk about semi precious gemstones we automatically think of fine jewelry. Semi precious stones aren't just found in the best pieces. Higher end costume jewelry, especially many of the vintage pieces, often used semi precious gemstones. While these gemstones would not be the "cream of the crop" they still are beautiful and offer an...

You've had some. You've worn some. You may have even sold some, but do you really know the characteristics of costume jewelry? To really know what it is, you first have to know what it is not. There are three different types of jewelry which we will discuss. Fine Jewelry This type of jewelry is the most commonly heard of. It is made with precious metals and set with precious gemstones such as ruby, sapphire, emerald, or diamond. Engagement rings and diamond-studded earrings fall into this category. Bridge Jewelry This type of jewelry "bridges" the gap between fine and costume jewelry. Usually, bridge jewelry is made of sterling silver. If it is set with and gemstones, they are the semi-precious ones...

If you have been searching for information about a vintage necklace, then you could be in store for learning a lot of new information. The biggest thing when it comes down to these types of necklaces is defining certain parameters that will quality a necklace for being vintage or just another type of necklace. It would not be uncommon to hear different people give different requirements of a necklace to be considered vintage; the truth is to many people vintage necklaces are nothing more then ones with a certain type of older look or style about it that cannot be classified by a date alone. A necklace of this type is not by any means limited to only being created out of one type of metal or stone...

Everybody craves for glittering jewelry however; everyone cannot afford gold or diamonds. But does it mean that you are limited to wear your old traditional jewelry? Absolutely no as costume jewelry is there to satiate your needs of wearing glittering and trendy ornaments. It is made from not so valuable materials such as glass, plastic and base metal and is easily available wholesale jewelry market. If you want to wear gem stones but their price doesn't let your touch them, go for costume jewels, in which you can easily get man made stones with an exact look of gemstones. If you're not brand conscious and need ornaments just to flaunt, costume necklaces, rings and bracelets will be the best choice...

Unlike other antiquities, antique books are the probably the one type of item you wouldn't expect to collect. What more could you dig from a book that is over a hundred years old? With the outdated and inaccurate contents, the obsolete and undeveloped knowledge, why would anyone pay a thousand bucks for what can already be considered a junk? Many people have old and antique books at their house and have no idea how much they are worth. Below you will find some helpful tips in trying to appraise how much an antique book is valued in the market place. While there is no rules set down in concrete about how to value an antique book, there are some factors that will influence the price people will pay...

a few years now vintage clothing has been the craze, a fad and the fashion. Items made between 1920 and 1980 are considered vintage, and we see a lot of current day designers copying the ideas from the past. In today's world, individuality is encouraged and supported, and sometimes a unique vintage item can be just what you need to set yourself apart from the crowd. The vintage clothing designs seem ageless, and so many are drawn to experiencing a glimpse of trendy times gone by. If it was very fashionable in its own time, you can pretty much guarantee it is still just as fashionable today. Vintage clothing goes well with all of today's fashions, but strangely seems to take it to another level...

Antiques are those items, which show some degree of craftsmanship, or a certain attention to design. They can be bought from antique shops, or passed down as an estate. Some valuable antiques can be bought from antique dealers and auction services or purchased online through websites and online auctions. There are a number of different styles of antique furniture depending on when and where it was made. There are three areas to consider when caring for antiques: proper cleaning, proper protection and maintaining a proper environment The collecting of antique furniture is a particularly popular area of antiques due to the practical characteristics of these antiques. One of the great advantages of...

Investing in Antique Furniture Owing antique furniture is most definitely an asset. Anyone owning a piece of antique furniture may be able to get thousands of dollars, if it is in good condition. The value of your furniture piece depends on how old it is, where it was made, the level of craftsmanship and the condition it is in. There are things you can do to guarantee your furniture piece stays in a good condition and as a result maintain a high value. Keeping your antique furniture clean When cleaning antique furniture make sure that it becomes part of your regular cleaning routine; do not neglect your antiques. Dust your antiques every few days, once a week at the very least. Use a soft cloth to...

Everybody loves antique jewelry, there is something just so beautiful about those old settings and the stones involved. It can cost a small fortune to put a collection together, unless you know where to buy them from. Forget the auction sites such as eBay, anyone selling antique jewelry will know exactly how much it is worth and more than likely have a high reserve price. You need to go down the wholesale route to get your jewelry at a reasonable price. Make sure you regularly check the newspapers for estate and garage sales. There are some fantastic bargains to be found here, mainly due to ignorance of the sellers as to the value of what their stuff is worth. It's not unknown to pick up $500 worth...

Why would anyone buy antique furniture reproductions? If the styles and construction of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are so appealing, why not just buy the genuine antique? After all, what can compare with the wonderful sense of history and romance conjured by a genuine antique? What ardent seventeenth century lovers may have stolen a kiss on that Louis XIV loveseat, what secret missive may have been composed atop that delicate marquetry writing desk? Undoubtedly, antiques have an undeniable cachet. All of which again begs the question: why not buy the original? And frankly, as a dealer who has collected, sold and loved antiques for virtually all of my life, I would be hard-pressed...

Are you fascinated by Antique Jewellery and vintage jewellery or just want to buy a piece as a special gift or heirloom? If so you you need to know that the piece you are buying is a genuine antique and not a modern copy. There are many things to check and look out for such as the materials the piece is made from, the way the jewellery is made and the shape of the catches and hinges. All of these factors are just guidelines but with British Antique Jewellery you can sometimes tell the exact date of a piece from its hallmarks. Hallmarking law is complex, it varied from city to city and has changed many times over the years since it was introduced in the middle ages. It takes a set of tables to work...

are in the market for antique furniture here are a few things that you should know first. Furniture styles have changed drastically, and now even furniture from the 1960s and even the early 1970s is considered to be antique. There are many things to learn and gain knowledge about antique furniture, but what is most important is what you find enchanting. For the most people it is the well constructed claw footed oak furniture that is there preference. Antique furniture from the early 1800s on it can be purchased for a reasonable price and it blends well with today's modern furniture in a home or office. A nice antique oak table with big claw style feet works great in any setting and is both...