The Story of Vintage Costume Jewellery

Early costume jewellery is fun to collect and you are buying a piece f history; grandma’s old jewellery is now very much on trend! Costume jewellery can be beautiful statement pieces in various forms and works well at enhancing an outfit. Vintage costume jewellery will not decrease in value; it really is a great investment. Vintage jewellery comes in different colours, mediums and they are affordable collector’s pieces.

A Brief History

Costume jewellery became popular in the 1930s. Jewellery could symbolize ones social standing in society, their religious affiliation, romantic status or even a period of mourning. Thanks to industrialization in the early 20th Century and the discovery of new materials fashion designers began to experiment and express themselves through jewellery. COCO Chanel introduced a new line of jewellery in the 1920s which proved hugely popular and was unlike anything ever seen before.  Other well known costume jewellery designers include Christian Dior, Corocraft, Trifari, Alexandra Korda, Marcel Boucher & Cartier. People were becoming bolder with their accessories and making statements through what they wore. Different materials used for making vintage costume jewellery includes Bakelite, Lucite, Resin, Celluloid, Enamel, Rhinestones, Pewter, Nickel, Silver and Brass.

What to look For when Identifying Costume Jewellery:

•    Costume Jewellery emerged at the beginning of the 1930s
•    Look to see if there are any markings or maker stamps on the back of the items
•    Look at the style of the piece
•    Clues to ages of brooches can be found by inspecting the clasp or hinge
•    Great places to find vintage costume jewellery is auctions, flea markets, antique fairs and estate sales