Posts Tagged ‘Brooches and Pins’
My Fair Lady Pin
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.
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 My Fair Lady Pins Set of 8  US $99.99
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 Vintage BSK MY FAIR LADY Hat Brooch Pin Enamel Rhinestones Flowers Ribbon US $10.50
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 1964 My Fair Lady Series by BSK Flower Pin Earring Set Book Piece US $64.88
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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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Beau Jewels Costume Jewelry
Beau Jewels jewelry is for anyone who loves rhinestones done in a feminine style. It tends to be colorful (few pieces with all clear rhinestones) and eye-catching.
Beau Jewels Earrings (Click to Enlarge)
Not a lot is known about Beau Jewels and its history. The jewelry is thought to be made by Bowman Foster, Inc. which is no longer in existence.
The jewelry is thought to have a timeframe of sometime in the 1950s to sometime in the 1970s.
Beau Jewels Markings
Interestingly, Beau Jewels seems to have marked only the earrings! The mark is "Beau Jewels" imprinted into the metal (not raised or on a cartouche).
Because Beau Jewels only marked the earrings, there are a lot of unmarked pins out there! The only way to know for sure is to find the marked earrings and make the match.
The construction of a Beau Jewels piece tends to be lightweight for its size and brooches were made with lots of rivets. But don't let the lightweight fool you -- the jewelry is still made well.
Until you are familiar with the style of Beau Jewels pieces, it's best to buy only earrings or sets that include marked earrings. (Me, I can't wait to find the brooch that goes with the earrings above.)
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Buying a Costume Jewelry Brooch
A costume jewelry brooch is an excellent way to dive into the wonderful world of vintage jewelry. There are no sizes to worry about, like you'd have with a bracelet or necklace. They don't pinch, like some of the clip earrings can do. Instead, they just lie softly on your jacket or blouse, while you collect the compliments!
First: Decide What You Want
Costume Jewelry Brooch by Lisner (Click to Enlarge)
Yes, that's a loaded statment -- if you're like me, you want it all! But since you likely have to work within a budget of some sort, it's time for your first decision. Are you buying this costume jewelry brooch to wear, as an investment or both? Yes, it may effect what you purchase.
You can see the details in my post on buying signed or unsigned costume jewelry, but basically you need to decide what kind of collection you want to build. In a nutshell, if you only want to wear the jewelry, buy what you like! If you are also interested in the financial appreciation of your investment, other factors come into play.
OK, let's assume that you want to both wear at least some of the jewelry, but keep some of it for investment as well. That being the case, you want to go with signed pieces. You can read more about the designers to begin your collection with here.
What Kind of Costume Jewelry Brooch?
Now that you've decided on which designer(s) you want to target, is there a "best" kind of brooch or pin with which to start?
Rhinestone costume jewelry has a big audience, and you can't go wrong with a quality rhinestone brooch. Not only are they scrumptious to look at, but they tend to hold their value well. Just make sure that all the rhinestones are present and accounted for, and that none are "dead" (i.e. they don't reflect light anymore).
A pearl brooch has a timeless appeal, even if the pearls are faux and not real. Pearls are classy and work for just about any occasion. Make sure all the pearls are in place, and that there are no peeling spots on any of them.
Enameled pins and brooches can be a big draw, depending on the designer -- not all enamels are created equal! You might want to study the auctions for a bit before jumping into the enamel section.
What about a plain goldtone or silvertone brooch? Well, some are anything but plain, but here I mean they aren't adorned with anything else -- just the metalwork. You can usually pick one of these up inexpensively, which is great when you are first building your collection. But the resale value (when you want to upgrade your collection) isn't much. You'll likely just get what you paid for it (which can be just fine, too).
Look Out For...
Here's one I got caught on (almost literally). I bought a costume jewelry brooch without looking well at the back of the brooch. Yep, the pin was short...almost too short! It did manage to make it into the clasp, but it was a near thing. I had been concentrating too hard on reading the designer signature!
Along the same lines, make sure the pin mechanism isn't bent or the clasp catch broken. The vast majority of times in an auction the seller will mention if these problems exist, but looking carefully at photos of the pin back can save you from a pin you can't wear. And if in doubt -- ask! Most sellers are happy to answer questions.
Now I'll speed you on your way with some pretty eye candy of some costume jewelry brooch auctions. Enjoy!
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