#Valuable #Novelty #Jewelry #WorthPoint
Among the things that continually amaze me as a collector and dealer of vintage adornment is how many times things that look like basically nothing can hold some value. I recently sold some plastic jewelry pieces that looked like they’d be worth about a quarter each if I didn’t know any better. Those came in auction lots of jewelry purchased reasonably, and I suppose other bidders just didn’t know they had some potential.
Sure, I like to score a huge find as much as everyone else. A gold ring buried in a basket full of junk or an unmarked Schreiner brooch hidden within a bunch of less desirable jewelry thrills me. That doesn’t occur as frequently as what I call the little “knowledge victories.” Those pieces aren’t worth big money but still hold the promise of a decent profit just because you know what they are and how much they’re worth.
Sometimes, we get so caught up in looking for super valuable treasures that we overlook those sweet little pieces that make up the bread and butter of a vintage business or make up an interesting and varied collection. Let’s take a little time to focus on novelty jewelry pieces that you might very well skip over at an estate sale or ignore entirely while thrifting.
The First Novelty Jewelry
Early novelty jewelry took shape during the 1920s and into the Great Depression era. At their core, these jewelry items were fun to wear back then, and they’re still cute and clever. “It wasn’t until the reckless, lighthearted attitude of the flapper came on the scene that we begin to see whimsical and flamboyant items appear, in decidedly unnatural colors,” as noted by the late Christie Romero in Warman’s Jewelry. Those colors were courtesy of the plastics available to jewelry manufacturers during this timeframe.
Bakelite was one of those plastics, and most vintage shoppers know that figural brooches and necklaces with baubles made from this material usually hold some value. Some pieces can indeed bring hundreds, and a few top $1,000 or more.
Wood was another material used to create novelty jewelry that was familiar to vintage lovers. Most carved wooden figures from the 1930s and ‘40s sell for $35-100, so they’re worth something as well. Sometimes, wood is paired with Lucite or leather, too. Even though I get lucky occasionally, these aren’t the figures I expect to find for extremely low prices.
The surprising pieces to look for were sold mainly during the 1930s; unlike Bakelite designs, they’re made from very lightweight plastics (usually described as celluloid, although they’re probably made of another type of unidentified plastic material). They look like the cheap dime store items they are (because that’s all many people could afford during the glum days of the Depression), but they have a little kitsch factor and colorful nature that makes them desirable.
I’ve picked up many of these over the years, but two recent buys were a sweet little red bird pin (these were made in many different colors) and another depicting a cute terrier dog with an articulated head and nicely painted detailing. I sold each of these, which were both in excellent condition for their age, in the $35-45 range after paying just a couple of dollars each for them.
Other things to look for are unusual motifs or recognizable characters, like really old depictions of Mickey Mouse or other Disney characters. Plastic novelty jewelry featuring Western themes, especially cowgirls, can also be collectible. It’s also worth looking up anything that seems a bit out of the ordinary, including older Halloween jewelry made from hard plastics, which can sell in the $35-75 range.
When it comes to a mark on these older novelty pieces, most won’t have one. Occasionally, you’ll find an example with Czechoslovakia or Japan, or even Occupied Japan on the late 1940s and very early ‘50s items, molded into the plastic or stamped on a metal pinback. Since buyers often value knowing the origin of their collectibles, marks like these are worth noting.
Modern Novelty Jewelry Worthy of Notice
There were a couple of other novelty jewelry items from auction lots I purchased not too long ago that moved surprisingly quickly, and they weren’t nearly as old. These were from the 1980s. One was a necklace and earrings set made with red wooden beads and ceramic elements painted to look like playing cards and dice. The other was a buckle stretch bracelet made of black and yellow hard plastic. I put those up for sale, testing the water, and had more than one buyer interested in each of them.
I’m still not sure what was so special about the buckle bracelet other than it did look cool when I tried it on. The necklace set, however, was similar to pieces by Ruby Z and Flying Colors, two businesses started by employees of an entity that began as Parrot Pearls in the 1980s. You can read more about the jewelry those firms created in Inside the Jewelry Box: Volume 2 by Ann Pitman, a title available in the WorthPoint Library.
Necklaces made by these brands regularly sell in the $35-100 range, and some go even higher. While my set wasn’t signed, I knew it had a similar look, and a gambling theme would probably appeal to my clientele. Since only a few dollars were at stake, I took a chance that paid off. So, yes, these types of items are worth picking up when you can find them.
Many other costume jewelry companies produced novelty jewelry made of metal worth considering, too, including JJ (Jonette Jewelry Company). They made a wide array from the 1970s through the early 2000s, and some designs are worth a second look when reasonably priced.
The WorthPoint Price Guide will definitely be your friend when deciding which novelty jewelry pieces might offer the best opportunity for a knowledge victory leading to a lucrative flip.
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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