| Collecting vintage costume jewelry for profit is a | | | | There are many pieces being sold in flea markets |
| great way to enjoy wearing high quality pieces in | | | | for a few bucks while being worth hundreds! |
| the present while acquiring pieces that only | | | | When hunting for vintage investment |
| appreciate in value making them the ideal | | | | opportunities, remember that there are three |
| investment: practical and profitable! Originating in | | | | main things that help determine the value of |
| Europe at the end of the 19th century, the styles | | | | vintage costume pieces: Quality of Materials, |
| and market came to be dominated by American | | | | Craftsmanship, and Rarity. |
| manufacturers like Trifari and Eisenberg from the | | | | Despite dozens of companies producing thousands |
| 1920's onward. These luxurious knock-offs | | | | of pieces annually, they produced jewelry in |
| feature exceptional design complemented by high | | | | varying quantities. On the one hand, you had large |
| quality materials and craftsmanship. | | | | players such as Florenza and Coventry launched |
| Almost all costume jewelry was priced under $10 | | | | several thousand pieces for each new line. |
| prior to World War II. The Great Depression and | | | | However, on the flip side of things were |
| poor sales caused some of the jewelry | | | | manufacturers like Barclays, McClelland, and |
| manufacturers to go out of business. Still, a large | | | | Coventry who only produced much smaller |
| number managed to hang on and made it through | | | | volumes creating a smaller supply and also making |
| to the glory days of the 1950's and 1960's. Sales | | | | pieces from them both rarer and more valuable in |
| were boosted to all-time high's in the 50's and 60's | | | | the eyes of true collectors. Perhaps the largest |
| thanks to television and a boom in advertising. | | | | single factor determining value of costume pieces |
| Today, high quality costume pieces are more | | | | is the quality of the stones. It is certainly true that |
| popular than ever and make a great addition to | | | | none of the stones would be considered precious |
| the jewelry box because the right pieces will | | | | it is still true there were companies that used high |
| appreciate in value-after all, they aren't make any | | | | quality stones and gemstones to make their |
| more of it! | | | | jewelry, such as: |
| While cheap to buy when first released, vintage | | | | Hollycraft |
| fashion jewelry manufactured between 1920-1970 | | | | Bogoff |
| are the treasures in a growing market of | | | | Eisenberg |
| collectors but shrinking demand. A large part of | | | | Eisenberg costume pieces are renowned for |
| this explosion in both growth and value is not | | | | having superior quality stones so it is hard to find |
| expected to shrink until the Internet has 4 billion | | | | something by this company that is not already |
| surfers or more-in about 5 years. But with a | | | | high-priced. However, if you search in the flea |
| continually shrinking inventory, vintage pieces by | | | | markets and even on many vintage jewelry |
| prized manufacturers will continue to appreciate in | | | | websites, many pieces are drastically |
| value for the foreseeable future. | | | | under-valued-especially the unsigned ones! |