Costume Jewelry Online

Beginning Your Vintage Costume Jewelry Collection

Beginning your vintage costume jewelry collection is both easy and difficult. Easy because there's a wide array of jewelry available, both online and off. Difficult because there's a wide array of jewelry available! So where do you start?

My first suggestion would be to get the book Collecting Costume Jewelry 101: The Basics by Julia C. Carroll. In it, Julia goes over what you should be looking for as a new collector, what to be wary of and how to care for your new pieces. There are also tons of color pictures of some gorgeous jewelry! The major collectable designers are also featured. I have this book, and I find it totally invaluable.

(While you're at it, you may as well also pick up Collecting Costume Jewelry 202: Dating Jewelry, also by Julia Carroll -- it's another in my library that I can't recommend enough.)

OK, so what's next? Well, if you're like me, you couldn't wait to get the book to start. And with starting, I would suggest . Why? Because generally you see the best prices there. If you aren't sure exactly what you want, then you will be able to see all kinds of options to help you decide.

Go With a Signed Piece

In the beginning, I suggest that you start your collection with signed pieces. For one, they are the ones most collectable, and liable to hold their value and appreciate more.

As to the designers, I would choose any of the following: (includes Crown Trifari), Coro (includes Corocraft and Coro Duette), , Kramer, , . These are all established designers that signed their work. There is a large variety of pieces from which to select; you are sure to find something you like!

I would stay away from the following for the time being: JJ, Gerry's, Avon. They are all still too new (or too plentiful) to be considered collectable classic designers. In fact, I have some JJ and Gerry's pieces, but they are ones I bought new back in the late 80's early 90's (before I started collecting). And there is one particular JJ piece I am always on the lookout for anyway, because I like it so very much. But as a beginning collector, you'd have to wait too long for the pieces to really appreciate in price.

What about the designers like Miriam Haskell, Hattie Carnegie, Sarah Coventry and the famous (or infamous) Juliana? They indeed have some very lovely pieces, but just starting out I would avoid them. Why?

I'll start out with and . They both have absolutely wonderful work, and I love their pieces dearly. But I think you need more of an eye to their values, which you can really only get through time and experience. Not to mention that unless you have a large pocketbook, they will strain your budget.

Sarah Coventry I'm on the fence about. Indeed, made some beautiful pieces, and there's one set in particular that I really, really want -- a demi costume jewelry set that Delizza and Elster designed for Sarah Coventry. But in general, the jewelry is all over the map. Some is very well made and beautiful. Some is just nice. And some looks like it will fall apart if you wear it. So watch the auctions and get used to what Sarah Coventry has to offer before you jump in.

Juliana. I am a huge fan of jewelry, and I can't count the auctions I've lost because lots of other people also adore this gorgeous costume jewelry! But that's not the problem. The problem is that Juliana jewelry was only "signed" with a paper hangtag, which is normally removed before wearing the jewelry -- and naturally was thrown away. So Juliana jewelry isn't marked. And there are a lot of people who think they have Juliana pieces, but they may or may not really be Juliana. You need plenty of experience here before you plunge into this fantastically beautiful vintage jewelry. You just don't want to pay a Juliana price for a Juliana wannabe.

Buying Vintage Costume Jewelry on Ebay

Personally, it's my favorite way to buy vintage costume jewelry, even though I do visit other online sellers from time to time. (Of course when I can get to a flea market that doesn't resemble a mall, I enjoy those as well.)

There are two schools of thought for ebay. First is to jump in and start bidding on the classic designers (Coro, Trifari, etc.). The other is to put everything you like on your watch list. Personally, I do both, and here's why.

If I see an auction that I really want, I'll make a minimum bid on it, then wait. I generally won't bid again until between the last 5 minutes to an hour of the auction (depending on what time the auction ends), when I bid my final amount. Since there are fewer items on my bid list than my watch list, there's less of a chance it will get lost in the shuffle.

If I see an auction I am either just curious about or I'm debating if I should bid, I put it on my watch list. My big problem is that I watch a lot of auctions and I have had some lost in the shuffle. I try to review my watch list a few times a day to decide if I want to bid or pass it by.

If you decide to get your feet wet by buying on ebay, look for three things: a photo of the piece's signature mark, a photo of the entire back of the piece and note in the description as to the condition (i.e. missing rhinestones, more than moderate wear to the finish, etc.). Pass anything by for now that isn't signed, is missing rhinestones or has very visible wear to the finish. (A little wear is OK -- after all, these pieces are 20 to 80 years old.)

To bid on ebay you have to have an account, but it's fast, free and easy to set one up, so no problems there.

Whew! This is a lot of information for you to digest, I know. But in the meanwhile, while you're waiting for your book to come in, here are some beautiful vintage costume jewelry for you to enjoy! As always, click on an item for a larger image and details.