Customer Reviews

Vintage Jewelry: A Price and Identification Guide, 1920-1940s

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

 

 

Sorry to disagree with everyone, but I am greatly displeased with this book. The pictures are beautiful! But there are only eleven pages of text, in very large type, and with a lot of pictures there too. Which means there is very, very, very little information. And in that small amount of information, I found several inaccuracies, therefore I can't TRUST any of the information I DON'T recognize as being inaccurate. There are very few mentions of famous designers, but two of their names are misspelled. An oval rhinestone is the same shape as a marquise rhinestone, it says. There are TWO pictures which each contain three similar-but-different items, where the captions in both cases say that the picture shows three IDENTICAL items. And the price listings are SO MUCH higher than what I see on even the highest priced web sites or jewelry shows in the New York area. Umm, pretty pictures though.

"Vintage Jewelry: A Price and Identification Guide, 1920-1940s," by Leigh Leshner, is a visually stunning reference work. The back cover notes that the book features more than 1,000 pieces. The emphasis is on pieces made with white metal and rhinestones. Included in the book are some special sections on the following topics: the history of rhinestones, cuts and shapes of rhinestones, settings used to hold rhinestones, types of metal used in jewelry, and suggestions for collecting jewelry. The bulk of the book is a price and identification guide: a huge gallery of full-color photos with descriptive text.

Overall, this is a beautiful and informative book, but I felt that at certain points the text needed tighter editing. Pictured are many different types of jewelry: fur clips, brooches, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc. The pieces shown employ many different styles and motifs: birds, floral designs, Art Deco designs, filigree work, butterflies, whimsical human figures, patriotic motifs, etc. Rhinestones of different shapes, sizes, and colors are shown. And for aspiring collectors on limited budgets, the book helpfully shows a healthy number of pieces valued at less than $50. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys looking at beautiful photographs of dazzling vintage jewelry.

This book is one of the best books for illustrations of the white metal/rhinestone forms of jewelry. All the photos are of high quality and show the pieces well. I found the price advisories to be questionable because the values listed seemed very high for local auctions and dealers and WAY high for the eBay world. Perhaps this is because the publication was over 2 years ago so the prices are even older. All in all a nice book - just get a second opinion on any $ values.

If you can only add one book on vintage costume jewelry to your library this year, this is the one! It is chock full of invaluable, well researched information, gorgeous photos, and an accurate, realistic price guide - not to mention a collection of beautiful jewelry I would love to have in my collection! This is a winner, hope more by this author will follow.

Amazing photos of a terrific selection of Vintage Rhinestone Jewelry! However I was hoping for more variety, not only rhinestone. Maybe the title should be more specific. Over all and excellent guide that is very colorful and fun to look at.

The author has wisely given us 400 beautiful pictures of
old white metal costume jewelry. Since so much is unsigned
the pictures will make it easier to evaluate pot metal pieces.
This is the first book devoted entirely to white metal and is
in a class all of its own. The illustrations make this a
"coffee table" book. The author establishes all the variables
taken in when pricing. All the jewelry in the book is mint
condition. In few words she also explains that the book is

devoted to the beauty and value of the jewelry, minimizing the
importance of signed pieces. Thank you Miss Leshner.

Without a doubt, one of the best books on this period of jewelry. I have all the books in Leigh Leshner's series and cannot rate them high enough. Brilliant photographs, excellent jewelry samples and wonderfully informative on jewelry from this period.

Leigh Leshner has created a visual feast for jewelry collectors. The book's 400 or so color pictures of a 1,000 pieces of vintage jewelry are simply beautiful. The combination of historical information, prices and page after page of spectacular photography make for a dazzling book. Even if you're not a collector you'll enjoy paging through this lovely book. And if you are a collector you'll cherish Leigh's work for years to come. Spectacular. This is a must for your library.

An exceptional review and history of jewelry from the 1920s through 1940s. Leigh gives the reader a wonderful insight in to the beauty of jewelry from this period by sharing many pieces from her personal collection. Lovely book, gorgeous photos, excellent descriptions. If you are intrigued by rhinestone jewelry from this period, Leigh's book is definitely one for your library. Being both a collector and seller of vintage jewelry, this book has broadened my insight in to pieces from this period. A book that I highly recommend for your resource library. Exceptionally presented by Leigh.

This is a great early guide for those earlier pieces that you don't often see in the other costume/vintage jewelry guides and therefore often hard to tell what they are worth. This book has plenty of pot metal made pieces, white rhinestone pave pieces, and lots of dress and fur clips. This is not a guide for beginners in collecting. My only disappointment would be the same I have with other guides - I would love to see the back of pieces; maybe not all of them of course, but I think it lends to a great education for the serious collector who isn't the most knowledgeable yet - like me! :)