#Celebrating #Consummate #Jewelry #Collector #Barbara #Berger #WorthPoint
I often write about the truly amazing individuals I’ve gotten to know during my journey as a collector. Today, I’m writing about someone I always wanted to meet: fashion jewelry collector Barbara Berger. Every collecting genre has a rock star, a legend in their own time, and she was it for costume jewelry enthusiasts like me. When I recently learned of her passing through mutual friends on social media, my heart sank knowing how much they would miss her and that my opportunity to get to know their “Cookie” had sadly passed.
One of my regrets as a collector, and I can’t recall too many, is not attending the opening of Berger’s jewelry exhibit at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in New York in 2013. The fact that I was even invited was an honor. But in hindsight, I should have overcome the obstacles that held me back and jumped on the chance to attend. Several of my friends went, and celebrities like Nate Berkus and Iris Apfel, along with some of my favorite contemporary jewelry designers, were there to support Berger. Based on the photos I ogled online, it was a night to remember. But as they say, shoulda, woulda, coulda, and the book related to the exhibit was my consolation prize.
What Makes the Barbara Berger Collection Special
The book highlighting some of the pieces on display at MAD was published before the exhibit’s opening. I received a review copy thanks to my friend Harrice Miller, who penned the text and helped curate the event. When I posted a review online with a lovely photo of Berger, I heard through the grapevine that she’d shared that feature with Berkus. I rarely know who reads my work online, so knowing Oprah’s favorite interior designer took a peek at it, not to mention our jewelry queen herself, was a momentary thrill.
Honestly, though, looking through Fashion Jewelry: The Collection of Barbara Berger was even more inspiring to get a glimpse of what made the cache—and the collector—so special. First, she had the true heart of an enthusiast, as her words noted in the intro text: “To talk about collecting costume jewelry is to talk about life, style, heart, and passion. Collecting is a treasure hunt, looking for the unattainable, and then going on to the next challenge.”
After inheriting all her mother’s jewelry at a young age, Berger’s first purchase as a collector was a pair of Chanel earrings at a Parisian flea market when she was just thirteen. Picking up baubles as a hobby, as she put it, became her passion.
“Creating my portfolio of over four thousand pieces produced by more than eighty designers represents over fifty years of collecting,” she shares in the book. “I buy what I like, and it’s usually love at first sight.” The exhibit included six hundred of those examples, and the book highlights two hundred of them.
What impressed me most about Berger’s passion for costume jewelry, especially since her late husband Mauricio was a jeweler, is that she had the means to buy fine jewelry. In fact, many of the couture pieces she added to her collection usually cost as much as fine jewelry. Instead of following a desire for precious gems and metals, she embraced the personal expression allowed by fashion jewelry. She recognized the artistry and appeal of every example she added to her collection. That’s the mark of a true connoisseur.
The Depth of the Barbara Berger Collection
Looking through the index of designers included in Fashion Jewelry: The Collection of Barbara Berger hints at what the portfolio includes. Of course, all the best fashion houses are there. Dior, Schiaparelli, and Balenciaga are all represented, and her love of Chanel’s best work is evident. Jewels from Maison Gripoix were also clearly favorites, with many gorgeous designs from her stash beautifully photographed. Collector favorites like Boucher, Trifari, Eisenberg, Kenneth Jay Lane, Joseph of Hollywood, and Schreiner are also highlighted.
Those, however, are the designers and companies you’d expect to be included in the collection. I know Berger was “one of us” because she collected newer designers that many people don’t know about. She purchased contemporary pieces by Canadian designer Alan Anderson, and even though her work wasn’t in the book, I do know that an impressive design by my good friend Katerina Musetti was on display at the MAD exhibit. I can’t forget about Lawrence Vrba, whom I’ve personally known for years and ardently admire. Several of his pieces are in my own “never part with” stash. The late David Mandel, who designed under the name The Show Must Go On!, and Vrba’s student Robert Sorrell are also represented in the collection.
I also love the inclusion of quirky pieces by Andy Warhol’s muse BillyBoy*, Dolce & Gabbana’s red lipstick designs, and Karl Lagerfeld’s collection featuring colorful make-up brushes. Edgy, modern pieces marketed by Pierre Cardin, Versace, and Missoni also made their way into Berger’s portfolio, showing her broad appreciation for all types of jewelry artistry.
These mentions just scratch the surface but should give you an idea about the amazing range of jewelry Berger personally selected, cherished, and frequently wore. She was indeed a consummate collector, and her prized possessions and the friendships she made while obtaining them will continue to be her legacy in the fashion jewelry world.
Pamela Siegel is a freelance writer and author who has been educating collectors for more than two decades. In addition to three books on topics relating to antiques and collectibles, she frequently shares her expertise through online writing and articles for print-based publications. Pamela is also the co-founder of Costume Jewelry Collectors Int’l (CJCI) and the proprietor of Chic Antiques by Pamela.
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