Featured Signed Trifari Bumblebee Brooch

Hi was just wondering what price I should sell it as, it is a beautiful brooch and I normally keep all the brooches I get but I do not like bees lol

 

Ah, poor bees.
Don't know much about costume, I'm sure the others will be along soon.
I seem to remember Trifari isn't worth much these days. But it will appeal to the bee lovers out there.
Here is the 'maligned' bee in full image:

 

As always thank you for your help!!

 

In my area, Northern CA, there are a lot of bee keepers. Bee pins are very popular.
I sell a lot of new costume jewelry purchased at gift shows, most is from China, bees like this new would be in the $15 - 25 range, depending on quality.

Trifari, pre owned, I'd probably have at the upper end.
Keep in mind, I have a retail store, located in a tourist area.

Research ebay's completeds.

 

Thank you!!

 

You can find the mark here. Hard to tell from out of focus photograph but looks to be late 1970s.

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

Debora

 

Bolded and snipped by me for space and emphasis.

Someone posted on one of the ebay boards that some Trifari is going for outrageous prices these days. The emphasis being on some. I would guess that the stuff going for crazy prices is Crown Trifari items or items designed by Alfred Philippe.

Here's a link to sold items, sorted by highest price, and below the link are two examples of what prices they're selling at....

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&_nkw=trifari&_sop=16

This sold for $3,272:



And this for over $1,400:

 

So everyone be sure to go check your drawers to see if you have any Crown Trifari!

 

Do ou buy items from here for your ebay account?

 

The regulars here know their stuff, so I don't know how likely it would be for to find items to buy that would resell for a profit.

That said, if I saw something I was interested in, I'd probably do a little investigating before buying...are they a regular member here and a contributor, do they have an ebay or etsy store, etc. A person could sign up here, put some stuff up for sale, and run off with your money.

I can't think of any of the regulars here that I would hesitate to buy from.

Which reminds me that I need to check out the selling forum more often! I always forget to do that.

 

The bulk of Crown Trifari not worth much for resale. Has to be a certain higher end type. But find the right piece, as shown in the photos and sold completed link shown above, their prices can be jaw dropping.

"Sold" Crown Trifari (starting at lowest first)

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_sop=15&_nkw=crown trifari&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc&_trksid=p2045573.m1684

 

I think moral of the story, is to always check under Ebay completed. I had a nice Trifari brooch sale last year -- a piece I posted here. Sold for $175.

 

Please always use the full image button for all your photos.
-

 

Sorry I thought I did, let me see if i can fix it thanks

 

Actually, if you scroll up on this thread you will see full size photos

 

Do you know if the most sought after are only the Crown Trifari, or does some of the "regular" (non-Crown) Trifari sell well too?

I second your advice to check the completeds & solds...gives a great starting point on deciding what to price your stuff at.

 

I saw that AJ did that for you but I was trying to help you for the future.

 

Thank you King --

@tie.dye.cat

It would probably be a good exercise to educate ourselves what with some of these prices on the upper end of costume Trifari approaching 3K.

I think anything Trifari that looks way over the top should be purchased if the price is right. (We can get calibrated as to the "over the top look" by the tried and true scrolling through completed, highest first.) Seems like pieces with what is called an "invisible setting" are sometimes on the higher end, ANYTHING with a clear lucite piece --sort of Jelly bell like, is worth getting.

As far as marks, I've seen high sales with the Crown Trifari mark (tiny crown over the T), Trifari Pat Pend and just Trifari.

So maybe better to approach purchasing by the look of the piece rather than the mark itself. What gets tricky is whether to know to spend, say $400 on a piece -- I'm nowhere near there yet, but clearly would have been a good move to spend that much on either of the pieces you linked above.

 

OH entomology is one of my passions, I love this!

 

Thanks Lucille.b!

I have gotten a feeling for when an item is well made over the years, but sometimes what makes a particular piece popular seems fickle (or maybe I just don't know the backstory on what makes it special).