Customer Reviews

Classic American Costume Jewely (Classic American Costume Jewelry: Identification & Value Guide)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Images are large and outstanding, and related text very informative. Book is filled with items easily encountered in your travels, not museum pieces that are seldom found. Useful designer information included at the back of the book. I rate the usefulness of a guide by the number of postit notes on the pages after I flip thru the first time, and this book has many. Highly recommend this book if you are not into museum pieces.

The only criticism I have for this and most other jewelry guides, is the lack of images of the back of pins/brooches and earrings. Earrings are easy to do by showing the front of one and back of the other. To help us date and identify pins, we need to see the back. I hope this will be addressed in future guides.

This is a gem! Ms. Rehmann's book has turned a casual purchaser of jewelry at thrift stores into a woman with a loupe and magnifying glass going over every item in her stash. I didn't realize how much fun it can be to find a signature on the back of a piece and read more about it in this book. Knowing the background of a piece has prompted me to find new ways to wear and display my favorites and gain new appreciation of others. The book is written in a very personal, often amusing manner that anyone with even the slightest interest in costume jewelry will enjoy.

This book is well written, with a graceful style and entertaining anecdotes, but is is also well researched with vivid detailed histories of the items and their craftsmen. But worth the price alone are the hundreds of close-up photographs showing the detail of these beautiful pieces. Well done!

I didn't know much about collecting costume jewelry before reading this book. I can't say I'm an expert now, but I feel I am a more informed consumer after reading Jacqueline Rehmann's book. Besides providing an informative history of the growth of costume jewelry, she provides a comprehensive discussion about how to find, judge, and purchase items. In particular, she discusses how one can evaluate costume jewelry offered in stores, at sales, and over the internet (such as on eBay or other sales venues.) The photographs included in the book are of very high quality. My husband picked up the book and spent some time reviewing it because he was so impressed with the quality of the photos. This is the kind of book that a collector should take along when shopping for costume jewelry to compare potential purchases with the photos provided. Classic American Costume Jewelry is a treasure-trove of information and photos. It belongs in the libraries of both hobbyist and expert alike.

Prepare to be inspired! Jacqueline Rehmann's book is not only a thorough guide for identifying your costume jewelry; it helps you understand the value of your personal collection on a deeper level. Whether you own your Grandmother's Christmas pin, or have a bureau full of wearable art as the writer does, you will learn much more about the history and value of vintage costume jewlery. The author's collecting adventures brought to life in funny and entertaining anedotes, teaches us all that the real value to anything in life is sharing it with those you love.

I found this book very well thought out, easy to use and especially interesting! Jacqueline showcases pieces of her collection in relationship to the time period it is from. This book has a striking presentation of amazing color photos along with specific information about each piece. Besides a lavish description is a dollar amount approximating the value of each piece. I've already used it in the field on my last excursion thrift shopping on Cape Cod MA. It is a useful tool and a lovely collection to refer to.

I adore her use of vintage advertisements commingled with outstanding photos and patent examples. There is an extensive section on brooches broken into subsections by color, flowers, birds, the sea, dangling, diamante, butterflies, retro modern, fruit, armor, faces, animals, people, pearls, and bugs and critters. When collecting, I am so drawn to brooches and the memories of both my Grandmothers and Great-grandmother who wore them especially on the holidays.

The "About the Author" section of the book allows you to meet Jacqueline Rehmann, her husband and a very special young collector. Here you will find a bit about how this author / collector got started on her jewelry journey. I can relate to her story with one of my own about a church yard sale and the 25 cent purchases of days gone by! Another common theme is the continuity of special treasures being handed down through the generations. I do love the few pieces I have from my great-grandmother and both grandmothers and the notion of being able to keep this link to the past by connecting it to the future is indeed, special.

Other topics in this book include Demi Parures and Parures. One of my absolute favorites can be found on pg 118. This is a huge swirling snowflake design brooch and matching earrings all done in clear rhinestones and a gold setting. Simply stunning!! Additional sections are dedicated to Necklaces, Bracelets and Earrings respectively. Personal favorites include pg 141 a Schiaparelli necklace, pg 148 DeLizza and Elster (Juliana) bracelet with turquoise and gold flecked stones and pale blue rhinestones and outstanding HAR earrings featuring a lovely green stone set in japanned setting encircled with faceted clear rhinestones.

"Children as Collectors" section has a wonderful compilation of pieces from Jacqueline's daughter's collection. Interesting items such as: ballerinas, kittens, turtles, walrus, dogs and owl brooches. She is off to an early start!

Finishing off the book is an indispensable section devoted to "Costume Jewelry Designers and Manufactures". Here, Jacqueline gives credit to various sources she has referenced to put this section of her book together. Listed are: Manufacturer/ Designer, dates of operation, signature / marks, and description / characteristics of many of the industries finest. The alphabetical listing makes it very easy to search for vital information.

Adding this book to your collection is highly recommended and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Classic American Costume Jewelry: Identification & Value Guide

This book is very helpful to me on pricing jewelry that I have bought at auctions to resell.

It is a simple book good for begginers, with good examples and good reference information on the designers and manufacturers. Not for advance or more knowledgable collectors.