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Vintage Jewelry Supply - Everything Old is New Again
Recently my mother has been giving me her vintage jewelry supply. I have spent some time looking at it and thinking what to do with it. I consider myself more of a metalsmith and art jewelry designer than a vintage jewelry refurbished. However there is a tremendous attraction to the beautiful gemstones, beads and vintage jewerly supplies that I have found in her boxes. The questions begin to come to my head; do I take pieces apart and use only the vintage jewelry supplies and findings? Do I keep the pieces intact and just clean them? Do I modify them to make them look modern? And then there is the question around value; will they lose their value if I take them apart? I have decided to take follow my friend’s advice and take some time to learn more about vintage jewelry and vintage jewelry supplies. This is what I have found out so far. Wikipedia defines vintage jewelry and vintage jewelry supplies as: Estate jewelry can be divided into Antique Jewelry and vintage jewerly supplies. Stores selling this jewelry are becoming more common in the United States. Antique and Vintage jewelry can range from inexpensive to highly costly, but the act of collecting such jewelry is enjoyable for enthusiasts. Jewelry which is termed ‘vintage’ includes many decades or eras. Each era has many different designs. During the Late Victorian or Aesthetic period, jewelers used diamonds and feminine, bright gemstones such as sapphire, peridot, and spinel. Star and crescent designs as well as elaborate hat pins were also popular. Due to the Industrial Revolution, many jewelry designers rebelled during the Arts and Crafts movement, returning to intricate jewelry designs and handmade craftsmanship. It was common for jewelry of this era to be simple in pattern, made of colorful, uncut stones. Designed by Rene Jules Lalique in France and other jewelers in America, Art Nouveau jewelry features natural designs such as flowers and butterflies. The Edwardian period was born when Queen Victoria died and her son Edward became king. During this period, expensive gemstones such as diamonds, emeralds and rubies and elaborate designs were the fashion. Influenced by African, Egyptian and Japanese themes, Art Deco jewelry is famous for its geometric designs, sharp lines, and bright colors. Bakelite, celluloid, enamel and doublets were used frequently during this era. Necklaces were long and bracelets were worn many at a time. Amber and murano beads were worn as well as chokers. Inspired by Hollywood, Retro jewelry is colorful, bold and elaborate. Commonly worn were large cocktail rings, bracelets, watches, necklaces and charm bracelets.
This video give you a review of the history of vintage jewelry. After researching the provenance and the exact era in which the jewelry was made. This is particularly important because certain manufacturers are known for creating jewelry of quality as well: Eisenberg, Schiaparelli, Miriam Haskell and Schreiner are a few names to look for. More moderately priced signatures include Weiss and Kramer among many others. The next step is to assess the condition of each piece. It is important to look for worn plating; darkened or cloudy rhinestones, missing parts, missing stones, and chipped or scratched enamel all lower the value of a vintage piece. It is also important to notice the obvious repairs such as sloppy soldering and haphazard stone replacements should also be taken into account. The vintage jewelry supply from the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s can be in like-new condition. The rest of the jewelry is probably in need of a little makeover; even the pieces that have some broken beads, chipped crystals or a broken clasp can be made to shine once the vintage jewelry supplies are combined with new findings. I love the idea that you can link generations by creating a keepsake that retains the past while holding the future in its design.
Here is a link to a video on how to refurbish vintage jewerly supply.
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