Archive for May, 2009
Do You Wear Your Costume Jewelry?
So you have a costume jewelry collection, all bright and sparkly. But do you wear it? And if you do - when?
This is just a short post for you to join in on, and talk about wearing this wonderful jewelry.
What Kind of Collector Are You?
Lisner Demi Parure (Click for larger image)
Do you buy costume jewelry because you like it, buy as an investment or a little of both? I suspect most of us fall into the "little of both" category. So assuming you aren't strictly buying as an investment, the burning question is do you wear it?
I fall into the "little of both" category, and yes I do wear many of my pieces. The more subdued pins and necklaces are worn even with jeans and a casual shirt. The dressier I get, the more sparkles I wear.
I'll wear a bracelet almost anytime. Even the Juliana-type bracelets are fair game when I dress casual -- and I have people stop me and compliment me on them! Who cares if I'm just wearing jeans and out for a pizza? 
Earrings are a mixed bag -- if they aren't real dangly, I'll wear them most anytime, sparkles and all. The more dangly ones I tend to wear with more dressed-up clothes.
The one type of jewelry I love but almost never wear are the over-the-top rhinestone necklaces (like the D&E pieces). I don't remember the last time I went to anything formal (or even semi-formal), so they tend to stay in the jewelry box, which is really a shame.
What About You?
Go ahead -- scroll on down and leave a comment on what kind of costume jewelry collector you are and if/when you wear your jewelry! Let's have some fun sharing.
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 VINTAGE SIGNED KRAMER GOLD TONE NECKLACE  US $9.99
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 VINTAGE BROOCH GOLDEN OPENWORK LARGE CAT PIN SIGNED AJC US $12.98
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 VINTAGE BROOCH SIGNED LISNER LAYERED METAL FLOWER PIN US $4.98
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 Vintage Lee Angel Broochsigned 2 inMulti Rhinestone US $75.00
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 VINTAGE CLIP ON EARRINGS SIGNED HONG KONG BEADS US $.99
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 VINTAGE CLIP ON EARRINGS SIGNED JAPAN BEADS US $4.50
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 Walter Lampl Pin Brooch Signed Sterling Branch Stones US $19.99
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 Vintage Star JPSA signed WMSCHRICDE CHICAGO Pendant US $5.55
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 Cat Pin signed JJ Cat After Fish in the Fish Bowl US $5.00
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Blue Rhinestone Brooches
Blue rhinestone brooches are appropriate at any time of year. Their icy pastels are great for Spring. The deep blue jewel tones are perfect for Winter. The medium shades are like the sky on a Summer day. And for Autumn? The blue-grays are wonderful as Fall shades!
So, do you have any blue rhinestone brooches in your collection?
Signed or Unsigned?
If you don't have any in (or would like to add some to) your collection, your next question is should you buy signed or unsigned jewelry? (You can read a post I have on the pluses and minuses of unsigned costume jewelry.)
I just bought an unsigned blue rhinestone brooch the other day, but I also knew it was a Juliana / D&E piece. Normally I buy signed costume jewelry, but I've been known to buy an unsigned piece that called to me!
Signed? By Who?
If you're going the signed route, you've got lots of costume jewelry manufacturers to choose from. Some of my favorites when it comes to rhinestones are Weiss, Eisenberg, Coro and Kramer. But certainly don't limit yourself to these manufacturers! There's a whole world of gorgeous rhinestone costume jewelry out there!
Below is a list of beautiful blue rhinestone brooches / pins for your viewing pleasure, both signed and unsigned. As always, click on a link to get more information and a larger photo.
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 VTG BLUE RHINESTONE AURORA BOREALIS BROOCH PIN LISNER US $9.99
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 Vintage Round Light Dark Blue Glass Rhinestone Brooch US $9.95
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 Unmarked American Flag Brooch Red White Blue Rhinestone US $1.99
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 VINTAGE BLUE RHINESTONE BIRD HEART FLOWER BROOCH PIN US $3.52
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 Costume Jewelry Brooch Lots of Rhinestone Glamour Blue US $1.55
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 LUCITE BLUE RHINESTONE BROOCH 3 LAYERS OF SPARKLE US $4.95
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 VTG BLUE ENAMEL RHINESTONE FLORAL BROOCH AUSTRIA EUC US $6.99
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 Vintage JULIANA Style Blue Rhinestone Flower Brooch US $17.49
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 VINTAGE SIGNED WEISS BLUE RHINESTONE BROOCH PIN US $9.99
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Should you “Buy It Now” on Ebay?
Are there times that you should do a "Buy It Now" (BIN) on ebay, versus just bidding on an auction? While I normally advocate bidding on a costume jewelry auction, there are times I've used the BIN. Let's talk about when you can...and when you probably shouldn't.
And before I go on, I want to emphasize I am talking about the costume jewelry area of ebay; this won't necessarily apply to other categories.
What is a Buy It Now?
First, if you're not all that familiar with how ebay works, you can read my buying costume jewelry on ebay post. It gives you a background on ebay and what to look for in a seller.
Ebay consists of two main ways to purchase costume jewelry -- bidding on an auction and Buy It Now. (There is a third called Make an Offer, but I won't go into that for the moment.)
Buy It Now is just what it sounds like -- you buy it right then and there. No waiting until an auction ends and biting your nails to see if you're the winner. Sounds good, doesn't it?
Maybe. Maybe not. At least when it comes to costume jewelry.
What to Look For
OK, time to confuse you more. There are BINs that are attached to an auction and those that are not.
When a BIN is attached to an auction, it is only good until the first bid is placed; then the BIN option disappears. If it's not attached to an auction, a Buy It Now is all you can do.
In general, I have found the BINs to be priced like what they would sell for in an antiques mall. Not necessarily bad, but in an antiques mall you can touch and see the piece up close. Still, I have done costume jewelry BINs when there was a specific piece that I really wanted and:
- The price (including the shipping) seemed reasonable.
- The seller had at least a 99.5% rating.
- There were plenty of clear photos of the front and back of the piece.
- The seller had a money-back guarantee.
So if I wanted a piece and the above was true, I've done a BIN. And so far, I have been quite satisfied.
When Not to Buy It Now on Ebay
I've seen lots and lots of costume jewelry BINs where the price was quite high and the seller was missing one or more of my criteria. These are usually cases where the piece is being valued at 2 or 3 times the going rate on ebay for similar items. For example, I've seen the Sarah Coventry "Blue Lagoon" brooch and earring demi with a BIN price over $120. Sorry, but I can easily win an auction for less than $40 for that set. Not to mention Blue Lagoon isn't terribly rare.
I'm exceedingly wary of high-priced BINs that feature an unsigned item. While Juliana / D&E jewelry is somewhat of an exception because by nature it is unsigned, many other costume jewelry manufacturers do produce a goodly amount of signed pieces. Why spend a bundle on a gamble?
Summary on Ebay BIN
I've written this post because I've recently seen a lot of BINs show up that are outrageous. With the prices so high on many of them, you're not likely to buy anyway. But there are some good deals on BINs out there, if you keep a sharp eye out. These are usually BINs attached to an auction.
The price might be a little higher than what it would fetch as an auction, but if it's a piece you're drooling after, it just might be worth it. These are the kinds of BINs where I do buy.
OK, all that being said, here are some ebay items for you to look at. Check them out and see if the above criteria holds true. Then use my rules or make up your own before you do a Buy It Now.
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VINTAGE SIGNED KRAMER GOLD TONE NECKLACE US $9.99
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 Vtg TRIFARI Yellow Glass Cabochon Gold Link BRACELET US $10.51
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 VINTAGE CORO STERLING CRAFT ENAMEL FLORAL WREATH BROOCH US $8.27
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 VTG KRAMER Thermoset PLASTIC EARRINGS Turquoise OVALS US $4.75
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VTG BLUE RHINESTONE AURORA BOREALIS BROOCH PIN LISNER US $9.99
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VINTAGE BROOCH GOLDEN OPENWORK LARGE CAT PIN SIGNED AJC US $12.98
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VINTAGE BROOCH SIGNED LISNER LAYERED METAL FLOWER PIN US $4.98
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 STUNNING VINTAGE POLCINI BROOCH A MUST SEE US $39.99
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Vintage Lee Angel Broochsigned 2 inMulti Rhinestone US $75.00
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Eisenberg Costume Jewelry
Eisenberg is one of the costume jewelry giants. From Eisenberg Originals in the early 1900s all the way through to today's Eisenberg Ice, the jewelry dazzles the senses.
Let's learn a little about the history of Eisenberg, then find out how to get some of the glorious costume jewelry.
Brief History of Eisenberg Jewelry
Eisenberg Ice Christmas Tree Pin (Click for larger image)
It all started back in 1914, when Jonas Eisenberg founded the company in Chicago. And believe it or not, the company didn't make jewelry! Instead, they made women's clothing; the jewelry was just to use for the store displays.
Soon enough, as the story goes, ladies were clamoring not for the clothes but for the jewelry. That's when the folks at Eisenberg decided that there was something to this costume jewelry business, and Sam Eisenberg (Jonas's son) ran with it. The rest is history!
Since those humble beginnings, Eisenberg has spent many years making classic costume jewelry. When other companies like Coro and Hollycraft closed their doors due to changing consumer tastes, Eisenberg hung in there. And still produces wonderful jewelry today!
Eisenberg Jewelry Marks
You need to be aware of the marks and their approximate dates, because with so many years in business it's sometimes hard to keep up with them. The most important marks to know about are the marks for Eisenberg Ice. Why?
From about 1945 through 1958, much of the jewelry was signed Eisenberg Ice in block letters. Then fast-forward to 1985, and Eisenberg Ice was used again -- only this time in script letters and having a copyright symbol.
So just because the mark says Eisenberg Ice, don't assume it's the 1945-1958 mark. Know before you bid or buy!
The various Eisenberg marks include:
- "Eisenberg Originals" 1935 through 1945.
- "E" in block or script, 1943 through 1945. This is extremely rare.
- "Eisenberg Sterling", "Eisenberg Original Sterling", 1941 through 1945.
- "Eisenberg", "Eisenberg Ice" in block letters with no copyright symbol, 1945 through 1958. "Eisenberg Ice" was occasionally also used up into the 1970s, although most jewelry in that era was marked with a hangtag.
- "Eisenberg Ice" in script letters with a copyright symbol, 1985 through to present.
This isn't all the marks, but they are the ones you will run across the most often.
What to Look for in Eisenberg Costume Jewelry
Eisenberg is famous for their "icing" -- the generous use of small rhinestones to create a cascade of shimmering light. Although Eisenberg made some relatively unadorned jewelry, it's their rhinestone costume jewelry that is so wonderful.
Also look for their Christmas tree pins, which are also lovely (and very popular). The company has re-released some of their older designs, so check the mark to see if you're getting a recent version or the original version.
If you can find them, as they are kind of rare, look for some of the fabulous enameled jewelry they made back in the 1970s. Painstakingly created, they are exquisite examples of what enameled jewelry should really look like. (Part of the reason it's rare is that Eisenberg didn't mark a lot of their jewelry in the 1970s.)
And finally, Eisenberg is also very well known for their glorious fur clips; if you find one in good condition at a reasonable price, grab it!
Well, now it's time to take a peek at the wonderful world of Eisenberg jewelry! As always, click on the link for more details and a larger picture. Have fun!
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 Fabulous EISENBERG Clear Rhinestone Signed Vtg Earrings US $9.99
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 4 Christmas Wreath Brooches 2 Eisenberg on Orig Card US $24.99
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 VINTAGE EISENBERG CHANDELIER RHINESTONE CLIP EARRINGS US $33.66
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 Original Eisenberg Sterling Sliver Broach SIGNED US $129.00
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 VINTAGE signed EISENBERG ORIGINAL Rhinestone PIN BOX US $249.00
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 Signed Eisenberg Sterling Rstn Bracelet US $65.00
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 Beautiful Vintage Eisenberg Crystal Rhinestone Brooch US $150.00
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 EISENBERG ICE FROG PIN EX COND W EMERALD GREEN EYES US $9.99
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 Eisenberg Signed Purple Rhinestone Red Hat Brooch US $19.75
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