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About Vintage Costume Jewelry

Costume jewelry, which is also known as fashion jewelry, surged in popularity starting in the 1920s, and is still hugely popular today. Costume jewelry is bigger, brighter, and flashier than fine jewelry, and the emphasis is more on fun and eye appeal than on the designers' technical skills.

Some of the most popular costume jewelry items i...

Costume jewelry falls into two categories: 1) pieces which imitate fine jewelry items, and 2) pieces created just for fun, often featuring comical, political, or cultural designs. Costume jewelry imitating fine jewelry can be so skillfully made that it can be hard to tell the difference.

Throughout the 20th century, inexpensive costume jewelry pieces were sold at variety stores while more expensive items were sold at department stores and via catalog.

Costume jewelry was made of glass, plastic, and synthetic or semiprecious stones with imitation or inexpensive metals. Rhinestones and Bakelite, for example, were two commonly used materials. Plated metals (gold- and silver-plated brass, nickel, and pewter, for example) were commonly used to replace real gold and silver.

During World War II, the base metals used for costume jewelry were needed for the war effort, so sterling silver jewelry became popular and was sometimes plated with colored gold. Those items are sought-after today.

Other materials used during WWII include wood, felt, plastic, yarn, and leather.

Because it was cheap, costume jewelry was meant to be fashionable, and women were expected to get rid of old pieces as new fashion trends changed; however, many women saved their jewelry pieces because they liked how they looked!

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Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Vintage Costume Jewelry Collector Carole Tanenbaum

My husband and I have many collections. We were in London at one point in the ’80s, and I saw a fabulous collection of vintage cos… [more]

An Interview with Rhinestone Costume Jewelry Appraiser and Repairperson Rosalie Sayyah

My parents had a second-hand store in Orlando, Florida. They sold furniture and clothing. They would buy estates, and there was al… [more]

An Interview with Miriam Haskell Costume Jewelry Collector and Author Sheila Pamfiloff

I’ve been interested in jewelry since I was in high school. I’ll be 60 in September, so that’s a lot of years. I wore jewelry and … [more]

An Interview With Fine Jewelry and Costume Jewelry Collector Christie Romero

I started out with general antiques and collectibles... I was a dealer for a while and bought and sold all kinds of things. Gradua… [more]



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Costume Jewelry Videos



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Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Researching Costume Jewelry

Researching Costume Jewelry

Jewelry lovers, venture through this amazing database of vintage jewelry articles, catalogs, and brochures, as well… [read review or visit site]

Emerald City Vintage Costume Jewelry

Emerald City Vintage Costume Jewelry

It looks like we're not in Kansas anymore with Elizabeth Rowlands' site on vintage costume jewelry from the 1940s a… [read review or visit site]

Vintage Costume Jewelry Owl Pendants

Vintage Costume Jewelry Owl Pendants

Daniel VanArsdale loves owls. He must, because his online collection of costume jewelry owl pendants numbers more t… [read review or visit site]

Collecting Costume Jewelry

Collecting Costume Jewelry

Carol Bell's simple but informative site focuses on photographs of brooches, bracelets, pendants, and pins, with an… [read review or visit site]

Morning Glory Antiques and Jewelry

Morning Glory Antiques and Jewelry

Jewelry collectors, feast your eyes on this internet gem! It's a goldmine of jewelry information featuring all styl… [read review or visit site]

All About Jewels Dictionary

All About Jewels Dictionary

This incredible reference dictionary on jewelry, from Enchantedlearning.com, is both beautiful and comprehensive. S… [read review or visit site]

Cathy Gordon's Jewelry Gallery

Cathy Gordon's Jewelry Gallery

With its vast galleries featuring clear images of jewelry and style, this site really covers it all! Divided up by … [read review or visit site]



Clubs & Associations: Costume Jewelry

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Recent News: Costume Jewelry

Source: Google News

Chris Matthews Stops by Michael's
mediabistro.com (blog), September 8th

and my good pal Miriam Driot, who is handling international public relations and marketing for Lisa's line of vintage costume jewelry, Lulu Frost...Read more

How To Sell Vintage Costume Jewelry Online
Tom Wilt News, September 7th

Passionate about Vintage Costume Jewelry? Earn up to 00/mo with 5-6 hrs a week on the computer selling it on eBay®! Exposed secrets of Top-Rated Power...Read more

TODAY'S TOP TV PICKS
NewsOK.com, September 2nd

Garage sale yields treasure trove of vintage costume jewelry for Oklahoma man. Sep 3 It's time Oklahoma bans texting while driving...Read more

Wanted: Rare and unique items to buy at Holiday Inn Express
Woodland Record, September 2nd

modern jewelry, diamond rings, broaches, bracelets, earrings, loose diamonds, ruby's, sapphires, emeralds, gemstones, rare vintage costume jewelry, etc...Read more

Secretary of State Clinton launches first direct Israeli-Palestinian peace ...
NewsOK.com, September 2nd

Garage sale yields treasure trove of vintage costume jewelry for Oklahoma man. Aug 31 Watch reaction to the vote not to host a Grand Prix race in Oklahoma...Read more

Vintage, Designer Fall Jewelry Trends Featured in Jewels and Treasures Past ...
PR Web (press release), September 2nd

of their ecommerce store and features several promotions on affordably priced Signed and Unsigned Vintage Costume Jewelry and Modern Designer Jewelry...Read more

Garage sale yields treasure trove of vintage costume jewelry for Oklahoma man
NewsOK.com, August 30th

Randy Graham bought about 45 boxes of vintage costume jewelry at a garage sale. It was left from a south Oklahoma City woman's idea for selling inexpensive...Read more

Show will feature vintage costume jewelry
West Milford Messenger, August 25th

Numerous exhibitors and collectors of vintage costume jewelry from the tri-state and regional area will be present. A wealth of information about the hobby...Read more

Costume Jewelry

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