| Authentic costume jewelry actually originated on the | | | | demand for some reason or another which will |
| stages and theatres in Europe before becoming | | | | greatly affect value. While you can't give away |
| popular in the U.S. Shortly after the popularity | | | | pieces people don't want, those in demand can |
| exploded during the 1920's, American companies | | | | command several times their original purchase price. |
| began setting up shop and soon dominating the | | | | Despite having some rather odd designs, signed |
| industry. These same companies produced some of | | | | Miriam Haskel jewelry is in high demand right now. |
| the most coveted collectible vintage costume | | | | Potential investors need to do a little homework on |
| necklaces, bracelets, rings, and other jewelry. Some | | | | the Internet to find which designs are hot and which |
| popular American manufacturers to keep an eye out | | | | are not in order to identify the best pieces to buy. It |
| for at the flea markets include: | | | | doesn't matter whether you like the popular designs |
| Coro | | | | or not--just remember that they will make you more |
| Eisenberg | | | | money! |
| Weiss | | | | But what actually affects market demand? Without |
| Trifari | | | | question, the design itself is one of the biggest |
| Barclay | | | | factors that affect the demand for any piece of |
| But what truly makes costume jewelry unique and | | | | jewelry, costume or otherwise. While novice |
| potentially valuable? The very first true costume | | | | investors tend to focus exclusively on the signed |
| jewelry appeared on theatres throughout Europe | | | | vintage costume pieces, the unsigned one featuring |
| before being brought back to the States by | | | | unique and compelling designs are often the most |
| American G.I.'s returning home from World War I. | | | | profitable to collect. Collecting vintage costume |
| American manufacturers began dominating the | | | | jewelry for profit is complicated by the fact that |
| industry from the 1920's onward. Signed vintage | | | | most of the pieces are actually unsigned. Simply |
| costume necklaces, rings, and other pieces are worth | | | | knowing what makes a great design great can |
| more money. Some popular American companies | | | | actually help you identify the unsigned pieces and |
| known to produce high quality and highly collectible | | | | optimize profits. Unsigned pieces by companies like |
| pieces include: | | | | Bergere and B. David are highly prized by collectors |
| Trifari | | | | and can be identified by their distinctive but high |
| Eisenberg | | | | quality designs. |
| Art | | | | The quality of construction and materials used to |
| Carnegie | | | | make a piece of jewelry ultimately vindicate or |
| Coventry | | | | condemn any design. The gemstones are typically the |
| If you know what you are looking for and can | | | | most relevant materials when it comes to the value |
| distinguish the worthless knock-offs from the genuine | | | | of a particular piece of jewelry. There were some |
| Eisenberg necklaces and other top pieces, then you | | | | companies that were famous for using gemstones of |
| can literally make a great living--while having fun in the | | | | exceptional quality though none of them would be |
| process! Value is determined by: | | | | considered precious. Bogoff, Eisenberg, and Weiss are |
| Rarity of Piece | | | | all great investments because they almost always |
| Demand | | | | had great designs made with high quality stones. |
| Design | | | | Without question, Eisenberg costume jewelry is |
| Quality of Construction and Materials | | | | renown for being of exceptional quality and design. |
| Current Condition | | | | This makes it very hard for collectors to buy and sell |
| The supply of vintage jewelry varies greatly and this | | | | it for a profit. If you are trying to find some |
| affects pricing in a big way. The jewelry itself was | | | | profitable pieces to purchase at cheap prices but still |
| supplied by dozens of manufacturers. Batch sizes | | | | command a lot with serious investors, look for |
| could vary dramatically from one company to the | | | | jewelry made by these companies: |
| next. Larger companies like Coro and Trifari would | | | | Danecraft |
| commonly produce thousands of pieces of each | | | | Kramer |
| design. Barclays, DeMario, and many of the smaller | | | | Bogoff |
| companies had limited facilities and thus tended to | | | | Weiss |
| have far smaller batches. Because signed or stamped | | | | Monet |
| pieces from the smaller companies like McClelland are | | | | Ultimately, the overall value of any piece of costume |
| rarer, they tend to sell for more than similar pieces | | | | or fine jewelry is assessed based upon its current |
| from the larger manufacturers like Coro. But, the | | | | condition. Excessive signs of wear, lost stones, and |
| other four factors will also affect price but supply is | | | | discoloration are all factors that can lower the value |
| definitely a big factor in the equation. Yet even large | | | | of a vintage necklace, ring, brooch, or any piece of |
| manufacturers conjured up a small specialty batch for | | | | jewelry. But while some degree of wear is expected, |
| holidays and other special occasions. In most cases, | | | | it is not the only factor that determines price. |
| the specialty pieces will be of higher value than | | | | Collectors who do their homework can still make a |
| others produced by the very same outfit. | | | | tidy profit off of damaged or excessively worn |
| A piece of jewelry can be rare but command little | | | | pieces by knowing how to spot the hidden gems. |