Posts Tagged ‘collection’
Ladybug Vintage Costume Jewelry
Ladybug costume jewelry is a popular theme among the manufacturers. These tiny insects evoke thoughts of Spring and Summer, and naturally go well with the flower collections that were so prevalent in the seasonal offerings!
Pretty much all the major costume jewelry manufactuers made ladybug jewelry at some point, and pins and brooches were by far the most common sighting. However, you will sometimes find one of these ubiquitous insects trundling along a pendant, too!
Also keep in mind that you'll find these pieces of jewelry as both signed and unsigned. I've most often seen ladybugs in jewelry by Coro and Sarah Coventry, but you'll find others as well.
Below are some examples of ladybug costume jewelry currently available for sale. Remember, you can click the links for a larger photo and more information.
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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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Building Your Vintage Jewelry Collection
Now that the "vintage jewelry bug" has bitten you, how do you go about building your own costume jewelry collection? Where should you start?
Well, your own jewelry box should be the first place to check, but I'll assume you've done that already. Maybe you've checked out some of the and felt totally overwhelmed. Where to begin!?!
Building From Antiques Shows
If you live in an area with frequent antique shows, you are fortunate as many shows have lots of vintage costume jewelry.
The plus of an antique show is that you can see the jewelry close up; hold it in your hands and really see what it looks like in person. If you plan to wear it, you can check for fit right then and there. You can look at the sparkle of the piece, check for any missing components and take a close look at the signature (assuming the work is signed).
The minus of an antique show is that the jewelry there can be more expensive than you'd find on ebay. However, there is something to be said about being able to buy in person. Recommendation: become familiar with ebay prices before venturing to an antiques show. While you may end up paying a bit more for the privilege of buying in person (which is ok), you can also get a good idea of what's a bargain and what's better passed up, as far as prices go.
Building Your Collection Using Flea Markets and Yard Sales
For those of you who enjoy the thrill of the hunt and the possibility of some huge bargains, flea markets and yard sales can be the ticket. Sometimes people don't realize what they have and will let it go for a song. (On the other hand, some people will also try to sell for more than it's worth.) This is another case where it pays to know your prices before shopping!
The biggest minus of flea markets and yard (tag) sales is the time it takes. Some flea markets are mighty big and may not have a lot in the way of vintage jewelry. Yard sales may or may not have jewelry, much less vintage costume jewelry.
The big plus, though, (outside of price) is that you can often get the provenance of the piece. You may be able to find out when it was originally purchased, thus helping to date the piece more accurately.
Building Your Collection Online
As you peruse the offerings online, you'll see that there are plenty of sites outside of ebay to purchase your vintage costume jewelry. As with any other source, it pays to know the average ebay prices for a piece beforehand.
The big plus of an online store is that you can see right then and there, in a more relaxed atmosphere, just what is available. Some sites specialize in a maker (like Coro for example); others may specialize in a certain time period (e.g. the 1950s). Others may specialize in pins or earrings or...you get the idea. If that's what you want to collect, these online sites can be a big plus.
Building Your Vintage Collection Using Ebay
As you can already tell, this is my favorite way to purchase my own jewelry, although I use all methods as available.
The biggest advantages are the variety of pieces, low prices and the ability to shop anytime of the day or night. If you can't find something you like on ebay, you aren't looking!
The biggest disadvantages are the variety of pieces, sometimes high shipping and sometimes lack of detail in the photos. Add to that the possibility of being sniped at the last second!
Keep in mind that on ebay, you need to factor in the price of shipping your goodie to you. Many sellers have totally reasonable shipping charges, or even free shipping. But there are a good proportion who have what I consider exhorbitant shipping ($5 for a pair of small earrings, sent via first class mail is an example). So remember, it's the total cost of the piece that you have to consider, not just the bidding price.
This has gotten to be a long post, so I'll leave you with some ebay goodies for the moment. Enjoy!
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 2CORO BROOCHES PINS  US $4.99
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 VINTAGE CORO SIGNED YELLOW AND GOLDEN RHINESTONE NECKLACE SET STUNNING US $81.00
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 LOT OF 2 VINTAGE CORO BRACELETS GOLDTONE CLAMPER STRETCHY FLORAL US $9.99
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