Collectible Costume Jewelry: Identification and Values [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Cherri Simonds (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0891457623 | ISBN-13: 978-0891457626 | Publication Date: June 1, 1997 | Edition: 1st

Collectible Costume Jewelry simplifies the understanding of historical and social influences which will aid in identification. All the major designers and manufacturers like Haskell, Coro, Eisenberg, and Trifari are featured. There are dates given and examples of the jewelry for which the designer/manufacturer is best known. A time chart shows what was in style during each period of time as do the fascinating vintage ads. There are examples from the Victorian era to the present, even featuring recent pieces by designers such as Anne Klein and Joan Rivers. There is a helpful glossary of jewelry terms with picture examples. Nearly 600 full-color pictures arranged by subjects. Current values, marks, and detailed descriptions. 2005 values.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This book addresses all kinds of questions about costume jewelry - how do you know if a piece is worth anything even though it is signed? How do know if it is rare? What about fakes? Is it a reproduction? How do I take care of the jewelry once I start collecting it? What do I do if the item is broken? This book addresses all of these topics and more. -John Alvey

Product Details

• Hardcover: 248 pages
• Publisher: Collector Books; 1st edition (June 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891457623
• ISBN-13: 978-0891457626
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #379,456 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST book! You should READ AND look at the pretty pics!, November 21, 1999

By 

Phyllis Goodwin - See all my reviews

This review is from: Collectible Costume Jewelry: Identification and Values (Hardcover)

This is a FABULOUS book! I only wish I had this for all categories of my collectables. Not only does she have WONDERFUL color pictures of ALL different types of costume jewelry, enabling you to see other pieces similar to yours; but she does an excellent job CLARIFYING terms ie BAKELITE vs CELLULOID vs PLASTIC! She even includes diagrams & terminology of stone cuts & facets, pearl lengths & styles and jewelry designs. PLUS there are diagrams of "signature" markings.There is also a section on "Watch Outs" for FRAUDULENT copies. As a novice collector, I found this to be just what I need to be knowledgable and also to alert me when sellers don't know what they're talking about. This is a book you want to READ AND LOOK at the pretty pictures.

41 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Nice Photography, But of Limited Value, June 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Collectible Costume Jewelry: Identification and Values (Hardcover)

Simonds has put together a nice collection of photographs of a variety of 20th century costume jewelry. However, future buyers should understand that the book is limited in its scope: 1920s to the recent past - focusing primarily on 40s to 60s items. Other problems with the book: very little on Bakelite & Lucite, an obsession with ornate 50s faux precious stone pieces, and failure to connect manufacturer/designer with their mark or signature. It was frustrating to go through 5 pages of designer identification prose at the front of the book only to find the related graphics stuck in an Appendix at the end of the book with NO indication as to who belonged with which mark.

In all, its a book best suited for beginning collectors of rhinestone and similar types of jewelry, not for someone attempting to do serious research. It was a waste of my money.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good book for beginners., July 9, 2001

By 

William L. Gilstrap - See all my reviews

This review is from: Collectible Costume Jewelry: Identification and Values (Hardcover)

This book is mostly a picture book and the pictures are excellent. It has a Designer/Manufacturer chart toward the front of the book. This is a good help for beginners. There are some cautions about copies of signed jewelry, some tips about cleaning/storing a collection, a glossary, and drawings of some marks and signatures. All in all it's a nice book for beginners, it's strongest point being the many fine color illustrations. Another interesting feature is the section showing old jewelry advertisements.