#Tips #Correctly #Attributing #Unmarked #Costume #Jewelry #WorthPoint
Attributing unmarked costume jewelry to one manufacturer or another makes sense when you can do it with certainty. It’s not always easy, though. After so many years of doing jewelry research, I’ve learned when to put in the effort and when to accept things as unmarked mysteries and let them go.
Have I overlooked some things along the way? Sure. But I’ve also learned that there are many instances when it’s impossible to pin a designer or company name to a piece and that, other times, it can get tricky. With that in mind, I’m going to give you some tips to help you make good attributions and know when to give up and move on.
Educate Yourself About Modern Unmarked Copies
Many Asian imports based on designer jewelry made during the 1980s and ‘90s are currently being sold for very reasonable prices through online sources. These filter into flea markets and thrift stores, and novice buyers mistake them for vintage designs.
For example, a friend recently pointed out a piece being sold as an unmarked Joan Rivers brooch. When I compared that piece to a marked one listed online, the back construction was completely different, the pin back wasn’t attached in the same way, and the clasp was different. It was, however, just like one she found for sale. In my opinion, the seller didn’t adequately research the piece before deeming it to be unsigned Joan Rivers.
The main point in sharing this story is not to shame anyone for making a mistake. It happens to everyone. But I do want to remind vintage jewelry resellers (including myself!) that with so much American-made costume jewelry being exported over the past few years, it’s not surprising that we’re seeing this happen. It behooves everyone to be extra cautious before attributing this type of jewelry; especially with mass-marketed items like Joan Rivers designs, it’s not hard to do.
Learn to Recognize Vintage Copies
Believe it or not, there was a lot of copying among American costume jewelry manufacturers in the late 1930s and ‘40s, too. One company would knock off a successful design, another would make their own version, and finally, the least expensive copies would hit the market. The quality would go down each time a new copy was introduced.
I was reminded of this recently when pricing a Coro Craft sterling silver bird bath brooch I own. I remembered that I bought one years ago at an antique mall on a fancy card purporting it to be Coro but when I got it home, I realized it was a copy. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Then, jewelry historian Robin Deutsch wrote a series of articles for Costume Jewelry Collectors Int’l that expounded on the topic, and I learned even more about this practice.
The moral of this story is that most companies like Trifari, Coro, and Boucher marked their jewelry back in the day. If you have one of their designs that isn’t marked, it could very well be a lesser-quality copy, so be very careful with these attributions.
Look for Other Marked Pieces in Sets
There are times when only one piece in a set is marked. For instance, I recently bought a pair of McClelland Barclay maple leaf dress clips made in 1940, and only one was marked. I’ve owned unsigned Schiaparelli brooches with matching marked earrings. Reja didn’t always mark all pieces in rhodium-plated jewelry sets made during the late 1940s and early ‘50s, either. These are all designer pieces that you learn to recognize with experience. If not the exact piece, then you get a feel for the overall style after handling them. Sometimes, you can search for Schiaparelli earrings and find a pair that is an exact match to your unmarked brooch, for instance.
When you buy an unmarked piece with design characteristics that ring a bell, use Google Lens to see what you can come up with first. If that doesn’t yield anything, do detailed searches using keywords specific to the item, like unfoiled stones, cabochons, gold-plated, etc., to find a signed match.
Utilize Written and Online Resources
Jewelry made by DeLizza & Elster, commonly called Juliana by collectors, is a prime example of jewelry thoroughly researched by jewelry historians. Be sure to check out Juliana Jewelry Reference: DeLizza & Elster Identification & Price Guide by Ann Mitchell Pitman in the Worthpoint Library for oodles of info. The Art of Juliana Jewelry by Katerina Musetti and Juliana Jewelry–The Last Generation by Paula Knutson and Karla Wacker are books that are still in print, and you can add them to your jewelry library as well. Wacker also developed a searchable database online called Is it Juliana Jewelry? that is worth bookmarking.
Schreiner is another company that is easier than ever to learn about regarding unmarked jewelry. Schreiner: Masters of Twentieth-Century Costume Jewelry by Carole Tanenbaum and Eve Townsend is a must-have library resource, but you can also learn about unmarked Schreiner brooches through one of my articles: “Identifying Unmarked Costume Jewelry: Schreiner Brooches.” There’s also a Schreiner jewelry database at Schreinery.com with detailed photos from dozens of collectors that can be very useful for research.
Know When It’s Impossible to Attribute
Many different costume jewelry makers (called jobbers in the industry) manufactured wares for various brands. For example, Weiss purchased jewelry from these companies, and so did many other jewelry marketers and department stores. Therefore, it’s very difficult to call something unmarked Weiss (even though people do it all the time). Kramer is another company that’s hard to attribute when it comes to unmarked designs.
Be very careful to rush to a conclusion when researching unmarked jewelry, and keep in mind that the research of other sellers should be verified when poaching details from online listings. With some care, study, and a commitment to represent items as accurately as possible, you can make more money while building a reputation as a trustworthy seller.
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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