If you adore vintage costume jewelry, then some good reference books are a must-have.  Not only can you find more information about the costume jewelry manufacturers, there are usually also tons of photographs of gorgeous jewelry!

Whether you are thinking about collecting, just starting collecting or already have a vintage jewelry collection, the reference books are a must for your library.

Here are some of my favorite books.

Costume Jewelry 101 and 202

I can't recommend these two books enough! Collecting Costume Jewelry 101: The Basics of Starting and Collecting Costume Jewelry 202: The Basics of Dating Jewelry are both by the same author, Julia C. Carroll.

In Collecting Costume Jewelry 101: The Basics of Starting are the things you need to know before starting your collection, or even once you've begin. She has an engaging style, and is an easy read. And the photos! Ahh, they are gorgeous, and they cover a wide range of designers. I have the older 2003 version and I need to grab the second edition.

Now that you've read the first one, now's the time for Collecting Costume Jewelry 202: The Basics of Dating Jewelry. Not all "vintage" jewelry is as vintage as you may think! In this book, you'll find clues for dating vintage jewelry; what to look for and some fascinating information about jewelry before the mid-1950s. Once you've been bitten by the costume jewelry bug, this should be in your library.

Inside the Jewelry Box and Inside the Jewelry Box 2

These two books are by Ann Mitchell Pitman, and are two more that are deserving of being in your costume jewelry book collection.

The first book, Inside the Jewelry Box: A Collector's Guide is about identification and values. Take the values with a grain of salt, since the book was written in 2004 (things change), but she touches on some facets of vintage jewelry that Julia Carroll's books don't. While some of the same designers are covered, there are also others Ann covers that Julia doesn't. And have you ever wondered what the term "fruit salad" jewelry means? You will definitely find out here! Tons of lovely photos to boot.

Volume 2 is Inside the Jewelry Box, Vol. 2: A Collector's Guide . Same type of book as volume 1, but highlighting more different designers. If you have volume 1, you should also seriously consider volume 2.

The Art of Juliana Jewelry

If you're fascinated by the gorgeous Juliana jewelry, this book is essential. The Art of Juliana Jewelry is by Katerina Musetti, and it goes into the nitty-gritty details of sorting out real Juliana from Juliana wannabe.

I've seen so many pieces of Juliana offered up on ebay that are clearly not Juliana, but are taking advantage of the name. Since Juliana was only marked with a paper hangtag, the term is sometimes used more loosely than it should be.

Bracelets are pretty easy to distinguish, but necklaces, earrings and brooches can be harder. That's where this book comes into play; it helps you to better recognize the real thing and to not pay a steep price for a "wannabe".

And the photos! They are to die for! Beg, borrow or steal (well, not steal) to get this book, if you love Juliana. It's pricey, but it can save you from a pricey mistake!

Well, those are five costume jewelry books that I think should be staples in your library. You'll read them and refer to them over and over and over!