Check out our new video which showcases some of our favorite pieces!  Click the link below.   :-)

Vintage Jewelry Video

Worth Point Review Update

Do you value your items based on Ebay closed auction prices? Worth Point does. I do and I don't and here's why.

Why I sometimes do:

If there are a lot of your item on Ebay in the closed auctions, you can generally take an average of the closed prices and that will give you a general "Ebay value" for your items. This is helpful if you are selling on Ebay or to a dealer or auction house. If there is only one of your item in closed auctions, you may have a better idea of retail value because collectors are willing to pay more if an item is harder to find, even on Ebay. If you are an average person looking to sell some of your items to dealers then Ebay may be a good reference point for you. As a dealer, you should expect to basically double to triple the auction price to find a true retail value.

Why I usually don't:

When finding the true value of an item, you should use as many sources that are available in helping you determine worth. Reliable sources include reference books, reliable internet sites, and experts found on many forums online. Ruby Lane shows their sold items for a period of time on the last page of the listings. This can be a starting point to determine worth although sites like Ruby Lane are going to be, on average, lower than book value because it is a mall with many competing vendors.

Due to the fact that Wroth Point seems to get most (maybe all - keep reading to find out why I'm not sure) of their values from Ebay, I think it is highly overpriced for what you get.

Here are their fees (taken directly from their website):

Basic $9.99 / Month 25 Worthopedia Price/Item Lookups per Month 5 Classified Ads Free Profile

Professional $24.99 / Month 75 Worthopedia Price/Item Lookups per Month 20 Classified Ads Premium Profile

Power $49.99 / Month Unlimited Worthopedia Price/Item Lookups per Month 40 Classified Ads Premium Profile

I signed up for Power with unlimited lookups. I looked up a few items (you get only 5 with your trial) and was cut off from using the system again during the 7 days of my free trial. I cancelled my subscription immediately. What I received for the trial was not even close to enough to be indicative of this service's value or to give me a true idea of how they work. This was enough to make me question their business and run for the hills.

In closing, I just want to say, use the power of the internet. Do a bit of research to find out which sites are reliable for pricing and information. Combine that with resource books and experts in forums (if you have the time and desire to do so). My valuation of Worth Point is unfortunately not very high.

Worth Point Review

Worth Point (dot com) is a website that will apparently tell you what your vintage or antique item is worth. Recently, I am going through a shift in selling. I have an entire room full of vintage items that need to be cleared out from a recently deceased step father who loved to buy anything and everything he could at auction. My husband and I were looking for values of the first box of items: Franklin Mint series "Birds and Blossoms of the World". I signed up for the "free" trial on the Worth Point website which gives you a month of unlimited searching for items on the site for about $50.00 USD. Be careful if you do this! After the 7 days of trial, if you don't cancel, you will have to pay the money for the program you signed up for! After I signed up, it became apparent that the values for the items were based off Ebay auctions and various internet sites that have closed more than three years ago.

So, overall, what I have to say about Worth Point is that it is not worth your money for a number of reasons. First of all, Ebay auctions are not a reliable source for the valuation of your vintage items. Secondly, they base the worth of your item off one auction that closed (in my case) more that three years ago. This does not seem like a realistic valuation of my items. In looking further into Worth Point, it seems that what they do is pull values off different internet sites like Rubylane or Tias or Ebay. So if I have the same item that you have and I have no idea what it is actually worth and I price it at $25.00 on Rubylane or Tias, Worth Point will pick up the sale and state it as a value on their site with no extra valuation expertise or experience. I suggest instead, going directly to rubylane.com or tias.com or etsy.com to get the true internet value of your items. If you do the footwork yourself and take an average of the value of the items sold or listed that are like your item, you will get a better idea of value than if you went only to Worth Point. In addition, you should consider buying some of the many valuable resource books that are available to the general public on the topic of vintage collectibles.

These sites will give you a more realistic view, however, not the full retail value. That is because they are malls with many competing vendors. That is why the values at these sites should be consistently less than book value.

I will continue with my "free" trial and let you know how it plays out. Hopefully I will find some worth in Worth Point.

Featured Items This Month At Vintage Jewelry Girl!

Article - Unique Ways To Display Vintage Jewelry

I thought this was an interesting article from styleathome.com.  I display my grandmother's Sherman jewelry on, around and draping out of an old musical jewelry box I received from her.  Do you have any interesting ways of displaying your jewelry?

http://www.styleathome.com/decorating-and-design/styling-secrets/unique-ways-to-display-vintage-jewelry/a/21731


Here are some of our mall displays for your viewing pleasure. You can see my grandma's jewelry box in the top left of the second picture. I "borrowed" it to my booth at the antique mall to display my jewels.

SALE For Facebook Fans of Vintage Jewelry Girl!

Vintage Jewelry Girl on FACEBOOK!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vintage-Jewelry-Girl/156478367739918

WOW! So many new likes! Welcome all. To thank you for joining, I would like to offer our dealer discount of 15% on all items during the month of July. Just mention that you are a Facebook fan when placing your order and I will adjust your total before sending a final invoice. Buy three or more pieces and receive a 20% discount. For Facebook fans only!

http://www.rubylane.com/shop/v​injgirl

Vintage Jewelry Girl! from vinjgirl on Ruby Lane

www.rubylane.com

Adorn, express, reminisce.. Selling collectibles and antiques online since 1999! Customer service is our top priority along with providing quality jewelry with accurate descriptions. We enjoy finding and sharing beautiful and unusual glass beads and anything that scre

Sherman Vintage Jewelry Guide

Jewelry marked Sherman was manufactured in Canada between 1947 to 1981 and was made using fine Austrian crystal rhinestones. Metal on these pieces can be found in rhodium or gold plate although some was also japanned. Floral, wreath, and leaf themes were a popular choice for the company although they also made abstract and figural pieces. Pink, purple, fuchsia, and red are the most sought after colors and pieces with opaque stones are generally hard to come by. Rhinestone brooch and earring sets, as well as less intricate necklaces are common. Wide glitzy bracelets are a collector favorite. You may also find crystal beaded necklaces, bracelets and earrings by this company.  Not all pieces are always signed so it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with comon elements and construction of this popular designer.

Topaz colors are less sought after but the brooch is large and sets bring more money.

 This is a sought after color and long earrings are of interest to collectors.

Aurora Borealis stones like the ones in this necklace are very attractive and Sherman jewelry with purple stones is highly sought after.

Deep red is always a favorite by Sherman collectors.  The florette on the top of the earring is common to Sherman design.

Sherman manufactured beaded sets such as this one.  Only the earrings are signed which means that there are likely a number of beaded necklaces out there being bought and sold without either party knowing that they are Sherman pieces.

Kenneth Jay Lane Vintage Jewelry Guide

Kenneth Jay Lane (1963-present)
- started out as a shoe designer working for Delman Shoes and later Christian Dior Shoes
- began designing earrings (1963) for which he immediately started receiving orders
- Saks Fifth Avenue sold out of his designs during the first day of sale
- designed shoes during the day and jewelry at night and on the weekends until it was profitable to become a full time business
- Kenneth Lane Jewelry is well known for being large, daring, flashy, imaginative, and fun. It is also known to be worn by the "rich and famous"
- His "pearls" have been worn by royalty

Marks Used:
Kenneth Lane
Kenneth J. Lane
K.J.L.
K.J.L. For Avon
K.J.L. For Laguana
The exact dates of when these marks were used is unclear. Personal research indicates that earlier pieces were marked K.J.L however this mark has been seen on recent pieces although it is accompanied by the words Tiawan or China.

Additional and Suggested References:
Kenneth Jay Lane: Faking It, Kenneth Jay Lane, Harrice Simons Miller, John Bigelow Taylor (Photographer), ISBN 0-81093-579-1, Published October 1996, Published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc.

Costume Jewelry: The Great Pretenders (Schiffer Book for Collectors) Third Edition With Revised Price Guide, Lyngerda Kelley, Nancy Schiffer, ISBN 0-7643-0613-8, Published April 1996, Revised 1998, Published by Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.

Fifty Years of Collectible Fashion Jewelry 1925-1975, Lillian Baker, ISBN 0-89145-319-9, Published April 1986, Published by Collector Books.

Popular Jewelry of the 60s, 70s & 80s (Schiffer Book for Collectors), Roseann Ettinger, ISBN 0-88740-998-9, Published March 1997, Published by Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.


          

         

Art Deco Vintage Jewelry Guide

What is Art Deco?

Art Deco is known as a style or era relating to the years 1920-1935. Of course, it didn't start on January 1, 1920 and end at the stroke of midnight on December 31, 1935, but the years mentioned are when we see the strongest examples of Art Deco characteristics. As the Deco era approached and as it faded away, we see signs of it mixed in with the era that preceded it and the era that followed. These times are known as transitional times as one era transitions into another.

•     •     •     •    •     •     •

Costume jewelry from this time consisted of (but is not limited to):

geometric shapes
angles
strong lines
bright color contrasts
copied from expensive Paris examples
Czech jewelry
German jewelry made with sterling silver, dyed chalcedony (made to imitate chrysoprase), and marcasites
marcasites (faux and real) or what is known as marcasite that is actually pyrite
butterfly wing jewelry
speed related themes such as greyhounds, rockets, airplanes, etc.
Bakelite
Celluloid
filigree
enamel
"fruit salad" jewelry
real and synthetic gems such as jade, coral, onyx, mother of pearl, ivory, lapis, rock crystal, chrysoprase, carnelian, rubies, emeralds, smoky quartz, amozonite
dress clips
duettes
"white" metal made to resemble platinum, often rhodium plated
birthstone jewelry

 

Art Deco Sterling Glass Cameo Necklace

Enamel and Glass Stone Link Bracelet

•     •     •     •    •     •     •

Influences

Egyptian themes (following the discovery of the Pyramid tombs)
African and Japanese influences
modern technology influences (The Machine Age)
Jazz Age influences
Hollywood influences
the Paris Exposition - the International Exposition des Arts Decoratifs
the Russian Ballet
Cubism 

the Bauhaus

Vintage Egyptian Revival Enameled Bib Necklace

•     •     •     •    •     •     •

Art Deco Jewelry in Different Forms

Necklaces

long flapper beaded necklaces
Czech necklaces with angular glass stones and marcasites
long necklaces worn together with short chokers or wrapped around the neck once to simulate a choker look
faux pearls and glass beads
use of Venetian beads
amber beaded necklaces
rectangular pendants with "Lalique-like" crystals

Czech Signed Deco Glass Necklace

Bracelets

many worn at one time on both wrists (as a symbol of fashion as well as status)
the "bangle" and the "tennis bracelet"
flexible link bracelets

Deco Red Molded Glass Bracelet

Earrings

long dangles worn with "bobbed" hair
screw-back

Art Deco Reverse Carved Sterling Crystal Earrings

Brooches and Pins

circle and oval shapes
"white" clear rhinestone pave set brooches
Florida theme (flamingos and palm trees)
Scottie dogs (Franklin D. Roosevelt had a Scottie dog in the 30's)
gazelles
arrows
air travel themes

Clear  Pave Set Vintage Rhinestone Brooch

Rings

use of large synthetic or semiprecious stones (commonly seen is chrysoprase or onyx)
filigree settings
rectangular shape

Sterling Marcasite and Chrysoprase Glass Deco Ring

Dress Clips

enamel
rhinestones / paste
worn just about everywhere on the body
a staple for the stylish woman

Green Glass Geometric Deco Dress Clip

Buckles

carved and molded glass

•     •     •     •    •     •     •

Sources:

Answers to Questions About Old Jewelry, 1840-1950 - 5th Ed by Jeanenne Bell, G.G. C. Jeanenne Bell, C. Jeanenne Bell (Producer)

Warman's Jewelry: A Fully Illustrated Price Guide to 19th and 20th Century Jewelry, Including Victorian, Art Nouveau, and Costume (2nd Ed) by Christie Romero

Guide created: 17/08/06 (updated 01/19/11)

This blog and all contents Copyright © Vintage Jewelry Girl. All rights reserved.

Unusual, Strange, Unique Vintage Jewelry and Value

Why Would You Wear That?!

There are many pieces of jewelry out there the average consumer would look at and think are too strange to wear.  Some might think they are just plain ugly!  But others look at them and appreciate their oddly unique appeal and collectability.

Collectability is individual and is about you, the buyer.  Don't ever let a guide book or dealer tell you the value of something.  You determine market value as a consumer. Only ever pay as much as the item is worth to you and don't buy something just because it has a high perceived market value.  These are some ways you can maintain the actual worth of your collection.

Sometimes, it's these distinct pieces that are worth the most money for a few reasons. First, they often have a strong emotive attachment, meaning that it stirs, in the potential buyer, a strong emotional reaction due to subject matter, uniqueness and/or unconventional beauty.  Also, jewelry that was produced in larger quantities was generally more streamlined, less interesting and easier to construct so unique pieces are harder to come by which increases market value. Sometimes, it takes a strong knowledge of art, design and construction to appreciate a piece so what the average person doesn't see in it, a trained eye might.

Having said that, just because something is bizarre or peculiar, doesn't mean it's worth anything.  There are other factors involved such as availability, designer, construction, condition and  theme. 

Here are some of the strange and unusual pieces I have had over the years.  Do they appeal to you?  Would you wear them? What kind of value would you expect them to have and why? What do you have in your collection that you think would fit in this discussion?  

Whimsical Bakelite Flower Earrings - click to see in store

Lucite bubble ring

Elzac Lucite face brooch

Coro snake and lampwork glass eggs brooch - click to see in store