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Kramer Vintage Jewelry

Kramer vintage costume jewelry is extremely collectable. And what's nice is that it's also very wearable in two ways. One is that the jewelry runs from the glitzy to the classic, so there's all sorts to choose from if you like wearing your jewelry. (And even the glitzy is a classy glitz.)

Rhinestone Costume Jewelry Earrings by Kramer

Kramer jewelry was also well-made from the beginning, so that today much of it is still in good working order. As always you have to watch out for missing rhinestones, but since they were generally prong set, it's less of a problem than if they were pasted in.

Kramer's History

The company Kramer Jewelry Creations, Inc. was formed in 1943, in New York. It was a family-run business, with Louis, Morris and Harry Kramer all involved (although Louis was the actual founder and driving force). Louis was also the main designer of this lovely vintage costume jewelry line, although Morris also did some design work.

Kramer jewelry is definitely vintage, as the company ceased operation in the 1979-1980 time frame. That means even the newest of the jewelry is well over the 20-year-old mark for being vintage.

Jewelry Marks Used by Kramer

The most common mark is the name KRAMER in upper-case letters; this mark was the original one that first appeared in 1943, and continued through thr years.

"Christian Dior by Kramer" was a mark used mainly in the 1950's and 1960's, but the exact starting year is a little unclear. Jewelry signed with this mark makes it a bit more collectable than just the regular Kramer mark, with correspondingly higher prices.

"Kramer of New York" is another mark used, appearing in an raised oval. A mark "Kramer of New York City" is also sometimes seen. Neither of these marks seems to be more collectable than the other.

"Kramer Sterling" was naturally used on the sterling silver pieces. Exact start date for this makr is unknown, but it's quite collectable.

"Amourelle" is the rarest of the Kramer marks, and it first appeared in 1963. Quite naturally, it's sought after and priced higher.

About Collecting Kramer Vintage Costume Jewelry

You can rarely go wrong choosing to buy a Kramer piece. The jewelry holds its value well, and there is definitely an active market. This means that both buying and (eventually) selling is easy.

Kramer definitely has some high-end pieces that go for a lot of money. However, you can also find jewelry items suitable for smaller pocketbooks. If you're on a budget, you can find some nice signed Kramer examples to start your collection.

Kramer should be in excellent condition, and sets are always preferable. However, since Kramer is a good investment, even items that are slightly (emphasis on slightly) worn or missing a rhinestone or two can be a good value (providing you can easily find a matching rhinestone). Just make sure that if the piece isn't in excellent condition or is missing stones, that you don't pay a first-quality price.

While there isn't a huge variety of jewelry types, rhinestones being the main attractions, Kramer did make vintage jewelry with pearls and also with plastic. There is a wide selection in the price range, though, with the glitzier pieces and sets generally commanding the highest prices.

Kramer vitnage costume jewelry is an excellent choice for anyone beginning a jewelry collection. It's also ideal if you like to wear your collection! Here's a , but you can see a sample shown below (you can click on an item for more detail).

Enjoy shopping for your Kramer pieces!