Costume Jewelry
                                                          

Costume jewelry was made from non-
precious materials.

Many people after the Wall Street Crash
of 1929 could not afford "real" jewelry
so jewelmakers  who could not find work
 with traditional jewelers began making
affordable pieces.

Many pieces are just as lovely, well
made, and fashionable looking as precious
jewelry.

Watch out for missing stones and chipped
enamel.

                                            
Setting styles

Prong set...Claw like metal prongs 
that hold each of the stones in place.
This was one of the most commonly
used settings.

Enameled...First appeared in Egypt,
a glassy powder placed on the metal
backing and fused with heat. Any damage
is detremental to the value

Glued...Flat backed stones are glued
onto a flat surface. This technique is quick
and an easy setting

Hand wired...Beads strung on fine metal
wire, that is wound around a metal frame
to create the design.

Invisible...This technique was developed
by fine jeweler Van Cleef and Arpels. the
stones are so tightly set, the appearance is 
of one large stone instead of many smaller
one.

Poured glass...The technique was originally
used to make buttons. Crushed glass and
metal oxides were mixed together before
being molded and heated.

Costume Jewelry Designers

Hob'e...founded in New York. He used
standards and techniques of the higher
priced jewelry.

Joseff of Hollywood...designer for film
studios. Most pieces are signed, but
prices fall dramatically if polished.

Maison Gripoix...The family made
poured glass jewelry for Chanel and
Dior from the 1920s.

Schiaparelli...Founded in Paris early 
1920s. She was based in New York.
Jewelry pieces were usually floral
or abstract using colorful stones.

Haskell...Meriam Haskell famous for
endevoring to make pieces even more 
striking than fine jewelry using fake
pearls and roses mont'ees. Complex
and innovative.

Eisenberg...Started as clothing company
making pins to accessorize its dresses.
Fine materials used include Swarovski
rhinestones. The early 1940s pins are
highly collectable.

Boucher...Marcel Boucher learned his
jewelry skills from working for Cartier.
May be marked "MB", "Marboux",
"Marcel Boucher" or just "Boucher.

Dior...Christian Dior transformed the
"look" of fashion  after World War II
with jewelry being an intrigal part of
of his collections. Early on a small  
number were made for certain clients.
Most of his pieces are signed.

Kenneth Jay Lane...renowned for bold,
elegantly styled designs. The pieces 
made up to the 1970s are the most 
prised and collectable.Signature before
1970 is "KJL", after 1970 "Kenneth Jay
Lane" or "Kenneth Lane".

Weiss...Using Austrian crystals to make
exquisite floral, figural, fruit, and foliat
designs.

Mazer...Josef and Louis Mazer made 
jewelry that was affordable and looked
like precious jewelry. The stones were
in sophisticated cuts and settings using
foliate, ribbon, or floral designs. Faux
pearls and Austrian crystals were used.