Posted 5 years ago
mikelv85
(1145 items)
Thought I'd share a sampling of a great book I picked up at our "Half Price Books" yesterday. It's Gems of Costume Jewelry by Gabriele Greindl. A nice coffee table size book at 12.5" x 9.5". Filled with 156 pages of the most stunning array of costume jewelry by all the greats. Weiss, Eisenberg, Trifari, Coro, and Kenneth J. Lane. The chapters are divided into themes which include : Flowers, Animals, Leaves, Curiosities, Necklaces and Bracelets, Eisenberg, Stars, Ear Rings, Rhinestones and Bakelite, Bows, Birds, Flower Baskets, National Emblems, Victorian Brooches and Fruit. The internet is a great resource but, sometimes all you need is a good book. -Mike-
Thanks Ken and Thomas....@Ken I believe this is a 1st Edition as well judging by the ones for sale on Amazon. It does say that on the title page of mine. Oddly there are no Miriam Haskell pieces in here which was what I was looking for initially. The scope of her Collection is so vast though you'd need a couple of books to do it justice. This is definitely a wish book !
Love this! I prefer resource books to internet. I've been to Half Price stores and I also look online at half.com or Amazon....or shock - my library. Could be in 1991 she didn't have much info on Miriam Haskell. I love these resource books!!! One thing to keep in mind - the essential book will come from the designer and manufacturer. Until they decide to dig into archives and write the "real" book we only know a part of their history. I think these companies were only interested in making money, they didn't care future consumers would stress over signed or unsigned Haskel, Weiss, Julianna, Loetz, etc.
Collectors Weekly staff provides great research too. I tend to pass over but shouldn't, really good articles - Thank you!
Thanks Val :)...I couldn't agree with you more. I think this book is more eye candy than brain food but how could you not love it, plus the price was right too. It was interesting reading online about Miriam and her life. So sad she appeared to suffer from some sort of mental disorder later in life and lost control of her company to her brother. I really don't think he cared as much for the business as the money it could make. Although it was at his insistence that she mark her jewelry around 1947. She apparently had OCD as well. After her death they found a huge trunk just filled with all her jewelry in her mother's apartment where she had been living. I would have loved to have seen that !! :)
Absolute must have, books are incomparables for documentation! This one seems fabulous, great catch, Mike!
Thanks Kyra...it's beautiful and a 1st Edition too. :)
There are so many books on costume jewellery and most people looking in thrift shops will not usually find any good ones. I try to get all the books that are out there on what I collect. There is no price barrier for knowledge. If you collect it, then get some books on it ! Great find, have not seen this one.
Thank you Phil....the photography in this book is wonderful. I'm sure you'd appreciate that most of all. :)
Good comments all around about research. I didn't know MH had a troubled later life. I can only imagine what the trunk looked like! I hope someday we will see them.
Seems that the out break of WW II took a toll on her emotionally. I don't think her brother was much help or very sympathetic to her either. She was competing in a business dominated by men even though it was women's jewelry. I think he just couldn't wait to take over and then he turns around and sells the company. What a rat ! This story has all the makings for an excellent movie. :)
That's awesome Ken..I checked but it doesn't give a maker. All it says is the ear rings on that page date to 1935-1950.
Cool...I'd love to see them ! :)
I love the story of Haskell you told, I remember in most of my books, the special passages I come back to, over and over and over again !
Thank you Phil :)
Great post! I want more:) Thanks for posting this, and yes you are right about books.
Thank you Elisabethan :)....I've been thinking about posting more. It would take about 35 posts to do all the color plates in the book..lol
Nothing can take the place of a good reference book.
As I collect D & E, I have The Art of Juliana Jewelry..lots pf pretty pictures, but as far as info goes not so hot. The book to own is Juliana Reference Guide by Ann Pitman. Sadly, it's been out of print for years, and the price is astronomical! I've seen it range from 500 for the paperback to 1500 for the "coffee table hard back" REALLY?
Why don't they just do a reprint? Ugh
Fabulous Fakes is a great book..lots of info
As is Collecting Costume Jewelry 101, 202, 303- great info in these!