Posts Tagged ‘BSK’

The My Fair Lady costume jewelry collection is arguably the best known of the B.S.K. jewelry line.  There are several brooches, each related to the movie the line was named after, My Fair Lady.

The My Fair Lady pins are quite lovely.  They are enameled in colors of pinks, yellows, whites and more.   The most popular of the pins is the floral hat.  But if you can find the wheelbarrow loaded with flowers -- grab it if the price is reasonable.

Below are some My Fair Lady brooches.  And if you're curious, here's some more information on the jewelry manufacturer, BSK.

B.S.K. costume jewelry doesn't get enough respect, in my opinion.  Sure, B.S.K. made medium-quality jewelry and aren't in the league of Weiss or Eisenberg.  But they still made some lovely pieces that are worth collecting.

On the other hand, the fact that B.S.K. costume jewelry isn't highly sought after means that the prices are quite affordable!  And this translates to more pieces of jewelry for your collection.

I found the piece shown in this post this past weekend.  Before I turned it over to see if it had a signature, I was thinking maybe a Coro piece.  To my delight, it proudly proclaimed B.S.K. for the mark!  It's well-made, with amtique white enameled leaves and rhinestones in AB, rose and light yellow.  The three large AB stones are set in a rose-type setting.  Some of the other stones are also set in tiny floral settings.  It's a very pretty piece.

A Little ABout B.S.K.

The name B.S.K. came from the three main owners of the company -- Benny Steinberg, Hy Slovitt and Kaslo (not sure if that is a first or last name).  The jewelry was made between 1948 and the early 1980s.

B.S.K.'s claim to fame involves their "My Fair Lady" line of jewelry, which commemorates the movie by the same name.  It's the most collectible of the B.S.K. jewelry.

The B.S.K. Marks

There are just two marks used by B.S.K. for their jewelry.

• B.S.K.
• B.S.K. My Fair Lady

Every piece I've ever seen has a copyright symbol, but that doesn't mean there might not be some without the copyright symbol floating around out there.

Buying B.S.K. Costume Jewelry

There usually isn't a ton available at any given time, but you can find it.  Here's a for your perusal, as well as a small sample listed below.  Have fun shopping!

You might be, as a lot of us are, collecting costume jewelry on a budget.  You see all these lovely pieces but they are way out of your price range.  How can you build a collection if you don't have a lot of money to spare?

You do have some options, so let's take a look at them.

Check Out Yard Sales

Yard / garage / tag sales tend to have the lowest prices for vintage jewelry, as the owners tend to think of it as "junk jewelry".  While this isn't always the case, more often than not you can pick up some pieces for just a few dollars.  Sometimes signed pieces, sometimes with boxes included.

The down side is that a lot of yard sales don't have vintage jewelry, so you might go to several before you hit on one that has some worth checking out.

Buy Lesser Collected Makers

You might start your collection with some of the lesser-collected makers.  Sometimes these are newer jewelry (e.g. from the 1980's), sometimes they are makers who didn't usually design glitzy pieces.  Two of my favorite makers in this area are 1928 and BSK; I can usually pick up some nice pieces for less than $10.  Just make sure you like the costume jewelry a lot, because otherwise you may have a harder time selling it.

Buy Costume Jewelry With Less Glitz

It's true, you can pick up some pieces from the big-name designers, when those pieces don't have any (or minimal use of) rhinestones.  I've seen a lovely Trifari brooch be offered for (and sell for) as little as $3 on auction.  No rhinestones, and the particular piece dates from the mid-1980s, but it's well-made, signed and pretty.

Know When to Buy Vintage Jewelry on Ebay

As a lampwork bead seller for many years on ebay, I can tell you there are certain days and times of the week, as well as certain times of the month and even year, where the auction prices don't tend to go as high.  Knowing the cycles can help you get a piece you might not otherwise be able to afford.

In general, the last few days of the month and the first few days of the next month are good buying times.  People are paying their bills and may not have a lot of money left to spare.  Conversely, the middle of the month generally brings higher prices, as people may either have more money to spend, or at least think they do.

Summertime can bring lower prices, especially on Saturdays when the weather is fine; people are out and about instead of in front of the computer.

During the day, if you can access the auctions during a break at work or at lunchtime.  Also in the evenings before 6 PM Eastern time.

Save Up Your Money

It's true, if you are longing after a Julianna. Haskell or Eisenberg, you may have to save your pennies for while, as these pieces generally don't come cheap.  So you may want to forego buying lesser pieces for awhile in order to have enough to get a higher-end piece of costume jewelry that is near and dear to your heart.

So there are some tips or collecting costume jewelry on a budget; I hope they have helped you!  Meanwhile, let's check out some more eye candy on a budget.