Archive for the ‘Brooches and Pins’ Category

PostHeaderIcon Sarah Coventry Blue Lagoon Pin

The Sarah Coventry Blue Lagoon pin and earring set is one of the amazing creations that D & E (the designers of the famous Julianna line) made for Sarah Coventry.

Now Sarah Coventry jewelry was not known for being high-end -- if was just nice "everyday" costume jewelry. But when D & E paid a visit, magic happened!

The Blue Lagoon set wasn't the only collaborative item, but it is by far the most well-known.

In any case, if you can snag a Blue Lagoon pin or pin and earring set, do it -- it's far more lovely in person!

Sarah Coventry Blue Lagoon Brooch and Earrings Set
Sarah Coventry Blue Lagoon Brooch and Earrings Set
Paypal   US $89.50
Sarah Cov Blue Lagoon 1964 by De Lizza Ester Paurue
Sarah Cov Blue Lagoon 1964 by De Lizza Ester Paurue
Paypal   US $94.85
Sarah Coventry Blue Lagoon Pin Mfg by DeLizza Elster
Sarah Coventry Blue Lagoon Pin Mfg by DeLizza Elster
Paypal   US $100.00
DE Blue AB Rhinestones BLUE LAGOON Set SARAH COVENTRY
DE Blue AB Rhinestones BLUE LAGOON Set SARAH COVENTRY
Paypal   US $89.50
VINTAGE DE JULIANA BLUE LAGOON BROOCH EARRINGS SET FOR SARAH COVENTRY
VINTAGE DE JULIANA BLUE LAGOON BROOCH EARRINGS SET FOR SARAH COVENTRY
Paypal   US $71.99
Vtg Brooch Blue Lagoon DE for Sarah Coventry Gorgeous
Vtg Brooch Blue Lagoon DE for Sarah Coventry Gorgeous
Paypal   US $69.99
Highly Sought After Lt Sapphirre Big BLUE LAGOON Ring Sarah Coventry
Highly Sought After Lt Sapphirre Big BLUE LAGOON Ring Sarah Coventry
Paypal   US $46.50
Sarah Coventry Blue Lagoon AB Rhinestone Earrings
Sarah Coventry Blue Lagoon AB Rhinestone Earrings
Paypal   US $29.99
Blue Lagoon Juliana DE for Sarah Coventry Pin Brooch Earrings Mint Set
Blue Lagoon Juliana DE for Sarah Coventry Pin Brooch Earrings Mint Set
Paypal   US $50.00
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PostHeaderIcon AJMC Costume Jewelry

AJMC stands for American Jewelry Manufacturing Company.  This manufacturer of costume jewelry is best known for figural pins, especially those with an angel or Christmas theme.

I really don't know much about this company.  From looking at the costume jewelry available, I'd say that the heyday was in the 1980s and 1990s. 

There are some cute pins available with the AJMC mark, but before you buy, keep in mind that the prices are fairly low and that it may never be a "hot" collectible.  In other words, buy it if you like it and the price is reasonable; don't buy it hoping it will rise a great deal in price.

All that being said, here are some offerings for AJMC costume jewelry.  Enjoy!

25 Vintage Rhinetone Enamel Brooches AJMC SAC Marvella
25 Vintage Rhinetone Enamel Brooches AJMC SAC Marvella
Paypal   US $42.49
AJMC American Jewelry Manufacturing Company Apple Brooch Flag Red White Blue
AJMC American Jewelry Manufacturing Company Apple Brooch Flag Red White Blue
Paypal   US $19.99
AJMC signed Xmas Cats Pin brooch Signed Christmas
AJMC signed Xmas Cats Pin brooch Signed Christmas
Paypal   US $19.99
AJMC SIGNED SILVER TONE SKI SKIIER SNOWFLAKE MITTENS HOT CHOCOLATE WINTER PIN
AJMC SIGNED SILVER TONE SKI SKIIER SNOWFLAKE MITTENS HOT CHOCOLATE WINTER PIN
Paypal   US $6.95
AJMC signed CAT TRIO PIN BROOCH X MAS CATS
AJMC signed CAT TRIO PIN BROOCH X MAS CATS
Paypal   US $8.99
Gorgeous Vintage AJMC Aurora Borealis Rhinestone Christmas Snowman Brooch Pin
Gorgeous Vintage AJMC Aurora Borealis Rhinestone Christmas Snowman Brooch Pin
Paypal   US $19.95
AJMC Vintage Brooch Goddess of Love Pewter Signed EUC
AJMC Vintage Brooch Goddess of Love Pewter Signed EUC
Paypal   US $15.00
AJMC Enameled XMAS Christmas IS For Family Stocking Brooch Pin Very NICE MADE
AJMC Enameled XMAS Christmas IS For Family Stocking Brooch Pin Very NICE MADE
Paypal   US $4.99
AJMC Signed 3 Cats FRIENDS are Greatest GIFTS Dangle Charms PiN Brooch VINTAGE
AJMC Signed 3 Cats FRIENDS are Greatest GIFTS Dangle Charms PiN Brooch VINTAGE
Paypal   US $3.49
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PostHeaderIcon “Jelly Belly” Costume Jewelry

Jelly belly costume jewelry is a term I see quite often in auctions.  But are the costume jewelry really the highly collectible "jelly belly" or are they mis-named?  Let's talk about what's real and what's not.

What is Jelly Belly Costume Jewelry?

Jelly belly is a term that really means Trifari jewelry in the 1940s time frame.  What with the war, rhinestones were getting hard to come by and Trifari was experimenting with lucite as part of their jewelry designs.  The lucite was clear to very slighly translucent, and used for the body/belly of the figural pin.  I've only seen clear -- no colored lucite (as yet, anyway).  Also, I have only seen these as figural pins.

A short while after, Coro (among others) came out with their own version of figural lucite jewelry pins.  Coro's are the most sought after (after Trifari).  Technically, only Trifari is the true jelly belly, but most collectors will extend the term to Coro's versions as well.

What Isn't Jelly Belly

I see many auctions calling the jewelry "jelly belly" when it merely has a plastic or glass cabachon.  Sometimes the cabachon stone is transluscent, sometimes it's totally opaque.  Sometimes even jewelry with pearls or rhinestones are tagged as being jelly belly.

I've also seen bracelets, necklaces, earrings and even rings referred to as jelly belly.  Not!

(I think in most cases it's a situation where the person running the auction just isn't familiar with the real thing.  They see the term used for other cabachon jewelry and figure theirs should be called that as well.)

While these pieces might be lovely and collectible in their own right, they are not jelly belly.  Don't pay a high price thinking they are!

A Note on Jelly Belly

The very collectible jelly belly is from the 1940s timeframe.  However, Trifari and Coro did make more of it along the way -- I've seen vintage ads from the 1960s for jelly belly pins.  These newer version are also quite collectible, but won't bring as high a price as the older versions.

Somethiong you need to know -- Trifari also has done some re-releases of their older pin designs; fortunately, they have marked the re-releases with the year.  (Remember, Trifari is still in business and manufacturing jewelry.)

One Final Thought

As with any highly collectible and high-priced piece of costume jewelry, there are fakes out there.  Sometimes the not-really-real jewelry is listed as a "reproduction", which is absolutely fine.  Just know it's a reproduction and not the real thing -- and don't pay a high price.

Sometimes, well, a fake is passed off as the genuine article.  It could be an honest mistake -- the person thought it was real when they bought it, not realizing it wasn't.  Then again, it could be someone looking to make big bucks.

So the moral of the story is this:  if you love the look of the authentic jelly belly jewelry and want to add some to your collection, do your homework first.  If you are uncertain, ask a more knowledgable person to help you out.  Don't pay a high price for jelly belly costume jewelry without knowing for sure that it's real.

All that being said, here are some auctions listed as being "jelly belly".  Take a look, you should now be able to tell the ones that definitely aren't!

Lot of 5 Vintage Green Teal Jelly Belly Turtle Items 3 Pins and 1 Pair Earrings
Lot of 5 Vintage Green Teal Jelly Belly Turtle Items 3 Pins and 1 Pair Earrings
Paypal   US $24.99
CORO JELLY BELLY SWALLOW BIRD BROOCH PIN RUBY RED STONE 1945 PEGASUS MARK
CORO JELLY BELLY SWALLOW BIRD BROOCH PIN RUBY RED STONE 1945 PEGASUS MARK
Paypal   US $28.00
Beautiful Vintage Monet Green Rhinestone Jelly Belly Humingbird Brooch Pin
Beautiful Vintage Monet Green Rhinestone Jelly Belly Humingbird Brooch Pin
Paypal   US $9.99
Vintage Coro Rhinestone Cabochon Gold Tone Crown Pin Brooch Jelly Belly
Vintage Coro Rhinestone Cabochon Gold Tone Crown Pin Brooch Jelly Belly
Paypal   US $12.00
VINTAGE CROWN TRIFARI PINK JELLY BELLY BUNNY RABBIT BROOCH PIN
VINTAGE CROWN TRIFARI PINK JELLY BELLY BUNNY RABBIT BROOCH PIN
Paypal   US $39.99
Crown Trifari Philippe Rock Crystal Sterling Book Piece Jelly Belly Duck Brooch
Crown Trifari Philippe Rock Crystal Sterling Book Piece Jelly Belly Duck Brooch
Paypal   US $365.00
RARE VINTAGE CROWN TRIFARI JELLY BELLY BUNNY BROOCH PIN ORIGINAL TAG
RARE VINTAGE CROWN TRIFARI JELLY BELLY BUNNY BROOCH PIN ORIGINAL TAG
Paypal   US $125.00
CoroCraft sterling Adolph Katz jelly belly fox pin
CoroCraft sterling Adolph Katz jelly belly fox pin
Paypal   US $1,275.00
Vtg Alfred Philippe CROWN TRIFARI Sterling Silver RS Jelly Belly Penguin Pin
Vtg Alfred Philippe CROWN TRIFARI Sterling Silver RS Jelly Belly Penguin Pin
Paypal   US $20.50
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PostHeaderIcon 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.

Beautiful Vintage Gold Tone Blue Clear Rhinestone Pendant Brooch Pin
Beautiful Vintage Gold Tone Blue Clear Rhinestone Pendant Brooch Pin
Paypal   US $14.99
SUPERB VINTAGE BLUE INDIGO CUT CRYSTALS RHINESTONES CROWN PIN BROOCH c 1940
SUPERB VINTAGE BLUE INDIGO CUT CRYSTALS RHINESTONES CROWN PIN BROOCH c 1940
Paypal   US $39.99
VINTAGE STARBURST AURORA BOREALIS BLUE AND GREEN RHINESTONE BROOCH RETRO
VINTAGE STARBURST AURORA BOREALIS BLUE AND GREEN RHINESTONE BROOCH RETRO
Paypal   US $25.00
Vintage Warner Blue AB Rhinestone Domed Brooch Pin 1950s
Vintage Warner Blue AB Rhinestone Domed Brooch Pin 1950s
Paypal   US $39.99
Vintage Blue Rhinestone Grape Bunch Ribbon Dark Silvertone Metal Pin Brooch HN
Vintage Blue Rhinestone Grape Bunch Ribbon Dark Silvertone Metal Pin Brooch HN
Paypal   US $9.95
♦Electric Blue Rhinestone Aurora Borealis Flower Vintage Brooch Earrings Set♦
♦Electric Blue Rhinestone Aurora Borealis Flower Vintage Brooch Earrings Set♦
Paypal   US $13.99
Very Pretty Cute Rhinestone Blue Sapphire Jelly Belly Bug Figural Brooch Pin
Very Pretty Cute Rhinestone Blue Sapphire Jelly Belly Bug Figural Brooch Pin
Paypal   US $10.50
Vintage Lot of 4 Gold Tone Cabochon Rhinestone Pins Brooches blue purple
Vintage Lot of 4 Gold Tone Cabochon Rhinestone Pins Brooches blue purple
Paypal   US $4.24
Vintage Blue Topaz Baguette Rhinestone Bar Pin Brooch
Vintage Blue Topaz Baguette Rhinestone Bar Pin Brooch
Paypal   US $10.50
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