Online stores and auction sites are great places to find beautiful, dirt cheap, vintage costume jewelry pieces. Because online sellers lack the overhead that traditional antique stores must factor into their prices, they are able to sell their vintage costume jewelry at a reasonable price. Since shopping online can be a cumbersome process, it is helpful to familiarize yourself with vintage costume jewelry designers before you look for vintage baubles. Here is a synopsis of some popular designers of vintage costume jewelry.
Goldette. Goldette costume jewelry was owned by Ben Gartner and produced in the 1950s and 1960s. Goldette jewelry often bears the mark “Goldette” or “Goldette N.Y.” They produced ornate costume jewelry designed in Art Nouveau and Victorian styles. Goldette jewelry commonly featured Art Nouveau women, Roman soldiers, and intaglios. (An intaglio looks like a cameo, but the design is actually engraved into glass or a gemstone instead of standing up in relief like typically cameos.)
Art. Jewelry signed “Art” was made by Art Mode Jewelry Creations Inc. Art jewelry was manufactured from the 1940s until the late 1960's. Victorian revival styles are commonly found in jewelry marked “Art” but they also produced some Asian inspired jewelry pieces featuring cameos of courting Asian couples.
Amita. Jewelry marked “Amita” was produced by the Damascene Mfg. Co. in Kyoto, Japan. Amita produced some of the finest damascene jewelry pieces. (Damascene refers to the art of etching non-precious metals with gold.). Amita made brooches, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and cufflinks. Asian themes were frequently used in Amita’s jewelry etchings such as Mt. Fuji, birds, pagodas, fans, and floral scenes.
Pididdly Links. Pididdly Links jewelry was started in 1969 in New York State by Stephen and Elise Pittelman. They produced adorable, dainty costume jewelry in Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and Renaissance styles. Their pieces were often made of antique brass and they also made charm bracelets.
Trifari. The Trifari jewelry manufacturing company is known for making high-quality costume jewelry. The company began in 1910 and is still around today. Trifari made very traditional minimalist costume jewelry using rhinestones and faux pearls. Their memorable brooches were typically shaped like animals or flowers.
Avon. The Avon cosmetics company began producing jewelry in 1971. Believe it or not, Avon produced some substantial, high-quality vintage costume jewelry pieces including intaglio necklaces of Diane the Huntress and Victorian women. They also made ornate magnifying glass necklaces which featured cherubs and swans.
Now that you have familiarized yourself with some popular vintage costume jewelry designers, try putting these names into search engines on sites such as eBay and Ruby Lane. You will be delighted with the results!
Marsha West - Marsha West loves vintage fashion. It all began when her mother took her to a vintage store as a teenager. She was hooked! Marsha has been ...
