Featured Spotting quality costume Jewelry

We have pulled a few boxes from an estate.
Lots and lots of costume jewelry.

I know nothing of it.

Some is sterling, I dont recall any gold pieces..
But this is the type of estate where there is not much "junk".

Some pieces are signed, some are not.

We just will have not much time to sort through and research every single piece.
It wouldnt be feasible.


Does anyone have any tips or resources I can read up on on spotting quality costume jewelry??

 

A lot of it is pure experience. One site worth checking is Illusion Jewels. They have pages of makers' marks, to make researching easier. The good quality stuff generally will have prong-set stones, if it has stones. Some is signed, and some isn't. The hardware will be sturdy. Beyond that, don't just sit on that hoard; give us some pictures!

https://www.illusionjewels.com/research/costumejewelrymarks.html

 

The Illusion Jewels site has helped me out many times. Would propose that condition is some clue to quality: well made pieces are less likely to lose stones or show discoloration of stones or metal. (Silver of course you expect to tarnish.)

 

We just will have not much time to sort through and research every single piece.
It wouldnt be feasible.

While I fully understand that.....that's also how good pieces get away from you and end up here on the finds thread !
You can't be an expert at everything.........

 

Thanks for the link and info!

Ill try to fet to work early and snap some photos!

 

Use magnets to do quick checks for gold.

Don't forget earring backs (the little things you put on to keep them in place). I've found plenty of 14k ones on costume jewelry, and they do add up dollarwise.

After a while you'll notice that most of the better costume jewelry is just "neater" looking - not made as sloppily.

And never assume anything. The other day I had a ratty chain with half the goldtone worn off with a pendant that I was just about to toss into the junk pile; something made me stop and take a second look. The pendant on it was 14k gold with a carved piece of angel skin coral in the center.

I'm sure I can think of more tips, but gotta run right now.

 

I have watched a video by Dr. Lori and she lightly touched on the subject of how "neat" the backings of pieces would be...
Does that make since?

 

I often see cameos described as angel skin coral that are really conch shell. In case there is any doubt, this may help clarify:

http://cameotimes.com/index.php/reference/materials-guide?showall=&start=1

 

Wish I could help you sort through it. Just put me in a corner and let me do my thing. It's therapy for me.

 

Same here!

I wonder if SeaGoat is near anyone here who could do a quick perusal of the jewelry. Not that any of us would find every great piece in the lot, but the more eyes the better.

 

A few more, sorry if already mentioned. These are not 100% reliable that the item is a good piece, but at least deserves a second chance:

Open back rhinestones on pins.

Safety chain clasps on bracelets to prevent loss (although I've found some cheap bracelets that have these chains as well).

Soldered links that hold the clasps to the bracelet.

If a bracelet is strung with the clear plastic stretch magic string, it's probably not worth a lot.

Anything with dark and missing rhinestones, broken clasp, etc. I save for a repair lot or a junk lot.

Also look for sloppy construction - solder blobs, glue blobs, plastic findings (like spacer beads/disks).

Bakelite can get pretty good prices...if you familiarize with what it looks like, it can be easily spotted.

One more....though I know you said no gold pieces, I thought I'd pass this along...someone once mentioned to me that if earrings are real gold, the post itself will be gold, not silver. So keep an eye out for posts on earrings that are gold. This is not a hard and fast rule, as I've seen plenty of gold post earrings that were anything but gold, but at least it quickly rules out the silvertone posted earrings.

 

Thanks Bronwen. Just went to pull out my pendant, and I seemed to have misplaced it. I'm sure it will show up though.

 

For 35 years I've worn an 18K chain , with a tag on it marked 18K.
10 years ago I replaced the spring ring with a 14K lobster claw when the spring failed, but kept the 18 K tag on it.

Over time an item can become a combination of different pieces....

 

Very very true! Like my ratty chain with 14k pendant mentioned above.

I have a conglomeration of a necklace I've been meaning to post to get opinions on. It really looks like 3 necklaces put together as one.

 

Heres some of it.
If anything catches yalls eye I can take better picture

 

Oh my. Where are you located ?

 

If you don't want to deal with it, just chuck it into a box and ship it to me, well-padded.(LOL) I see a Victorian watch fob in the second photo; it doesn't match the watch chain it's with, but who cares. That red and white Maltese cross and earrings set looks like it's worth investigating; if I found that in a jumble/rummage sale I'd pounce on it. The bracelet looks Japanese; the ships are pretty unusual. I wonder if there's a way to identify them. Those pins in the upper right corner of the first shot look like a second look too. One is a Red Cross pin, but the others are making my jewelry junkie nose twitch.

 

Hey...you even have a Japanese mixed metal page cutter, possibly Meiji period...

Wait...that's not jewelry .. ......

You scallywag you !!!!

 

In the first photo, is the oval object with rhinestone flowers around the edge a picture frame?