Posts Tagged ‘Signed Jewelry’
Vintage Sarah Coventry Jewelry
Vintage Sarah Coventry jewelry is pretty easy to find. It's online and (so far) has been at every swap shop I've been to. So you shouldn't have too much of a problem finding Sara Coventry pieces to add to your collection.
Vintage Sarah Coventry Jewelry, Blue Lagoon
There's something to note, however; vintage Sarah Coventry jewelry spans a fairly wide range of styles and quality. Generally the quality is average, with some dipping below and some rising above.
One of the most noteable (and highly collected) sets is called "Blue Lagoon". Offered approximately in 1964, this set was designed by DeLizza and Elster, of the famed Juliana jewelry. It's a gorgeous demi parure, more magnificent in person. Definitely one of the Sarah Coventry pieces that is way above average!
The other set that I see being offered as a collectible is called "Contessa". While it was created as a set, I rarely see anything but the brooch (which doubles as a pendant I believe) being offered for sale. Nevertheless, it is also lovely and well-made, and it's a coup if you find it as a parure.
A Little Sarah Coventry History
Sarah Coventry started in 1949, and originally was only sold through home party sales. While that has changed due to the internet, it's still being offered by Sara Coventry respresentatives. But rather than home parties, it's more often sold at workplace gatherings and catalogs.
Sarah Coventry was founded by Charles H. Stuart, and he named the company after his granddaughter. After surviving the turbulent 1970s, when many of the major costume jewelry manufacturers (such as Coro and Hollycraft) closed their doors, Sarah Coventry was sold in 1984.
Sales stopped for awhile, then started up again in 2002, and is still in operation as I write this. Direct sales are still the main venue for selling, but also sales are made with the help of the internet.
Company Marks
There were several marks used over the years, the main ones include:
- "SarahCov", with the copyright symbol either before or after the mark.
- "Coventry" (presumably without the copyright symbol).
- "Sarah" in a diamond, accompanied by the copyright symbol.
- "SaC"
- "SAC"
- "SC"
There may have been a few others that have snuck in, but these are the primary ones you'll see.
Buying Vintage Sarah Coventry Jewelry
As I mentioned previously, you shouldn't have a problem finding some vintage Sarah Coventry to add to your costume jewelry collection. The next time you happen up on a flea market or garage sale, take a peek; you just might find some treasures!
The most reliable place to find a wide variety of vintage Coventry is on ebay. , which is pretty comprehensive.
You can also find some as well as some
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And of course, a small selection of vintage Sarah Coventry jewelry is shown below. Enjoy!
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 SARAH COVENTRY ADAMS DELIGHT APPLE PIN SLIDE 1960S  US $2.99
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 SPARKLING VINTAGE SARAH COV BLUE LAGOON BROOCH PIN BY JULIANA US $16.69
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 Vintage SARAH COVENTRY Set Signed SACGOLDTONE and PEARL US $.99
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Vintage Lisner Jewelry
Lisner jewelry is indeed vintage constume jewelry. The company was founded in 1904, and made jewelry all the way up into the 1970s. Lisner jewelry was last made in 1979.
Lisner Jewelry, Leaf Demi Parure (Click to Enlarge)
When I think of Lisner, I think "leaf". The reason being is twofold. First, they made a lot of jewelry with a leaf or nature look and feel. Second, the most famous of the Lisner jewelry sets is the thermoset maple leaves parure, that was made in many color combinations. It's very lovely and very collectible.
Lisner is also famous for the use of AB (aurora borealis) rhinestones. As you can see (hopefully anyway) the demi parure on this post has both a leaf design and AB rhinestones.
Item of Interest
Prior to World War 2, Lisner imported and marketed Schiaparelli jewelry in the United States. No word about after WW2, so presumably they no longer did.
Lisner Jewelry Marks
Although founded in 1904, Lisner either didn't produce jewelry before 1938, or they did not mark it. These, however, are the general dates and marks that Lisner did utilize.
- "Lisner" in block letters, first used 1938.
- "Lisner" in block letters with a copyright mark, first used 1955.
- "Lisner" with the "L" elongated and the "isner" in small print, first used 1959.
- "Lisner" in script in an oval logo, first used 1959.
As with all vintage costume jewelry manufacturers, these are general dates.
View Lisner Costume Jewelry
Lisner is one of the manufacturers that I check on fairly frequently. I'm always on a hunt for a well-priced maple leaf set to add to my collection. And although a lot of the Lisner jewelry is nature-inspired, not all of it is. There's a little something for everyone.
In general, and except for the maple leaf set, Lisner jewelry is fairly affordable to collectors on a budget. The jewelry is well-made and lovely. You can find a . You can also see just a small example of their lovely jewelry below. Click the item to get more details.
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What’s in Your Jewelry Box?
So, do you have any undiscovered vintage costume jewelry treasures in your jewelry box? Pieces you've had for forever, but never wear anymore?
Before you toss those vintage pieces or donate them, take a look at what you have; they may be worth more than you think! Or at least worth something to someone else. Here's a story that unfolded yesterday.
My friend Jennie and I were chatting about costume jewelry, and she mentioned that she was putting together a pile for an end-of-year donation, along with clothes and such. Since we live pretty far apart, I asked her to take some photos of those pieces before she donated them, as there could possibly be vintage signed pieces.
Most indeed were vintage, as provenance would have it. Jennie bought a lot of brooches and earrings in the 1980's from places like Casual Corner, Macy's etc. to wear to work with her suits. For years and years, most have been languishing in the bottom of her jewelry box.
Costume Jewelry Brooch by 1928
Here's one costume jewelry brooch from the mid-1980's signed 1928 (1928 is a jewelry manufacturer, not the date it was made). While it's not really a collectible (yet!), I liked it so much that I bought it from Jennie.
So, even if what you have isn't a valuable collectible, it may still be worth something to a friend or relative or co-worker who enjoys vintage jewelry styles.
Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree
Signed Christmas Tree Pin from the 1970s
So what else did Jennie have tucked away? Well, there was a Christmas tree pin that was at least 30 years old. I asked if it was signed and Jennie said yes, but she couldn't make out the signature. Yep, it's time for a magnifying glass!
I suggested that Jennie not donate that pin yet, until she could determine who the pin was signed by. Dating back to the 1970's, it could very well be a collectible. If nothing else, it's quite pretty. But Christmas trees are a hot commodity, especially when they have provenance behind them.
Is the tree worth anything on the vintage market? Hard to tell, without knowing the signature, but it sure is pretty!
(If you've ready my Christmas jewelry post you know that I'm not quite into vintage Christmas collectibles yet...but I have a bid on one! So one day I'll know more about them.)
What's in Your Jewelry Box Right Now?
OK, you may be starting your vintage jewelry collection right now, without even realizing it! Do you have jewelry that you bought in the 1980s or earlier? Well, they are certainly vintage, but here's what to do next.
You'll usually need either a magnifying glass or a jewler's loupe to see any signatures, but some are signed more readily. Anything that has a signature, put it in one pile. Put the unsigned pieces in another. And if you have unsigned Christmas jewelry, put that into a third pile.
For your signed pieces, get a piece of paper and write down the signature, a quick description of the piece and its approximate age. Also note if the signature includes a copywrite symbol or not.
On another piece of paper, do the same thing for your unsigned pieces. And then a third time for your Christmas jewelry.
OK, are they worth anything on the vintage collectible market? Well, check any of the following links for the most common signatures you might find; they'll take you to ebay where you can check the listings for approximate values:
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I'll talk more about this subject in another post, but meanwhile, here's some more eye candy for you to enjoy!
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Costume Jewelry Sets or Single Pieces?
Should you buy only costume jewelry sets, or are single pieces OK to buy? As you're building your vintage jewelry collection, it's a question that you'll have to eventually consider.
While it's usually true that a set is worth more than the sum of its parts, it's also true that not all vintage costume jewelry was made in sets, especially prior to the 1950s.
Still, it's a valid question -- to buy parures (sets) or stay with single items. Let's chat about it some.
Demi Parure Versus Full Parure
As I mentioned previously, a parure is just another name for a set. The costume jewelry set can be two items (a demi parure), a parure (three items) or a full parure (four items). And just a note, earrings count as one item, even though I've occasionally seen them listed as two (presumably one per ear). 
Now here comes the fun. Some demi sets can actually be "full" if the set originally only came with two items. An example might be earrings and a brooch, or perhaps earrings and a necklace. However, since these are more the exception than the rule, I'll refer to a two-piece set as a demi.
Since vintage costume jewelry is 20 or more years old (and the really collectible items are from the 1930s through 1960s), an intact set is a little harder to come by. After all, how many times have you tossed a piece of fashion jewelry if a part broke (or if you just didn't like it anymore)? Therefore a vintage jewelry set is worth more.
- Costume Jewelry Set by Trifari (Click to Enlarge)
Should You Buy Costume Jewelry Sets or Individual Items?
There are two schools of thought here. One is that buying sets makes it easier to have everything altogether. The other thought is you can buy things separately and then collect the set piece by piece.
And there's yet another thought; you may want to specialize in collecting just pins or just necklaces or something of the sort. If that's the case, then sets won't generally be what you're looking for.
All are valid points of view. The trick when going the piece-by-piece routie is finding the pieces of the set without duplicating yourself! (Or sometimes it's just finding other pieces.) For example, with the photo shown on this post, I purchased it as a parure. I've since seen demi parures offered of this same set. I hope that if one day I find a matching necklace, it also won't be as part of a demi!
Personally, I like to do both -- purchase costume jewelry sets as well as individual items. While my preference is for at least a demi parure, that doesn't always happen. Besides, it's kind of fun to hunt down missing pieces of the puzzle, and quite a thrill when you find them!
I'll leave you today with some parure auctions to enjoy. Below is a small sampling, while you can find a more .
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