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Email me at sparklz2@Sparklz.com
VF&CJ, a Club, debuted its first publication in the winter of 1991. The publication encourages input and cooperation of all its members, and has specialized in articles taken from personal interviews with CJ designers. Back issues of the newsletter are available; and a handy annual member listing is published during the winter months. In addition to the newsletter, the Club hosts biennial conferences in Providence, RI. These conferences are supported actively by the Providence jewelry manufacturing community. The Club sponsors and supports the establishment of regional groups/clubs which are independent but affiliated with VF&CJ, and declared October as "Costume Jewelry Month", with mini-conventions throughout the country. This year the mini-conventions included locations in CA, IL, TX, MA, PA, IA and CT. The Jewelcollect list received some of its original members from the VF&CJ membership, and, in turn, attracted more members to VF&CJ by promoting it in its forum . The cooperation between the two media has always been, and still is, strong and mutually supportive."
PATENT NUMBERS, HALLMARKS
Martha Exline, of the website "METIQUE", has patent information, including U S Patent numbers, US Design Patent Numbers, Direct Link to Patent Searches, Canadian Patents, and British Hallmarks. When you go there you will be leaving this website, SPARKLES Vintage Costume Jewelry .... be sure to come back again soon.
COSTUME JEWELRY COMPANIES AND DESIGNERS,
THEIR NAMES, THEIR MARKS & DATES
An online list of Companies & Designers containing information collected by Jewelcollect members Pat Seal and Dottie Stringfield. You will find information about jewelry companies and designers, by name, dates of operation when available and more. This can be very helpful in dating a vintage piece of jewelry or in identification of a piece of jewelry. When you go there you will be leaving this website, SPARKLES Vintate Costume Jewelry ...be sure to come back again soon.
Ornamental Jewelry and Accessories, presented by Jarrett's Jade Jewelry & Small Antiques, a compendium of information and terminology related to the ornamentation, design, manufacture and history of jewelry, fashion, perfumes, textiles and more. This list is particularly valuable in determining the maker from initials or letter designnations on the jewelry or accessory. Lots of basic information with rewarding, unexpected nuggets of expanded information. Spend some time and browse it.
SOURCE FOR RHINESTONES & RHINESTONE REPAIR
Matthew Ribarich, MRstones4u@aol.com, has an online catalog of available loose rhinestones. He has many rhinestones not shown in his catalog, and also does rhinestone matching and replacement.
Don't know how to start a basic rhinestone inventory? Sparklz makes suggestions
.. click on the link at the bottom of this page.
INFO on SIAM NIELLO JEWELRY
Charles Dittel's website Sterling Siam Nielloware jewelry and has excellent information about it, as well a selection for sale.
BOOKS - ORDER FROM THE AUTHORS
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DO YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JEWELRY? SPARKLES BOOK PICK EUROPEAN DESIGNER JEWELRY by Ginger Moro explores 20th century costume, fashion, and artists' jewelry in 13 countries of Europe and Scandinavia in over 300 pages and 700 photos (mostly color.) Includes art history, designer anecdotes, hallmarks and maker's marks, and a value guide. From Lalique to Chanel and Schiaparelli, Theodor Fahrner to Coppola & Toppo, and Countess Zoltowska, Bakelite to Venetian beads, Hungarian enamels to Czech glass, silver by Georg Jensen, David-Andersen and Bjorn Weckstrom, it's all in there! And if you're not familiar with some of those names, you will be when you've finished the book. These are all collectable pieces of exciting design. Inscribed copy at JC discount $70 plus $5 shipping. Please send $75 to: Ginger Moro, P.O. Box 64376, Los Angeles, CA 90064, and include your particular area of interest, please, for the inscription. |
DO YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JEWELRY?
SPARKLES BOOK PICK
What's It Made Of? A Jewelry Materials Identification Guide by S. Shatz. Learn how to identify the interesting and varied materials used in Victorian and other jewelry. Order directly from the author. Send $15.25 , includes shipping to: Arnold Shatz, 10931 Hunting Horn Drive, Santa Ana, CA 92705-2499
SPARKLES BOOK PICK
DO YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHRISTMAS JEWELRY?
Mary Morrison's 1998 book, CHRISTMAS JEWELRY, is an excellent reference and price guide. It showcases Christmas trees, wreaths, ornaments, Santas and other decorations, signed and unsigned. Over350 full color photographs display over 900 different examples -- some common, but some so rare they are in only a few collections.Order a signed copy from Mary
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DO YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JEWELRY? SPARKLES BOOK PICK Warman's Jewelry 2nd edition by Christie Romero, a detailed reference and price guide to late 18th, 19th and 20th century fine and costume jewelry, with over 600 all-new black and white and 32 color photographs. Appendices include marks on metals, makers' marks, hallmark identification guidelines, and glossary. Order signed, discounted copies directly from the author, P. O. Box 424, Anaheim, CA 92815. $20 plus $3.20 shipping (CA residents add $1.50 tax). Or visit Christie's website, Center for Jewelry Studies to order. While you are there check into information about & locations of her Antique and Period Jewelry Seminars ; everyone who has attended reports that they are fabulously informative .. chock full of information, "hands on", and fun. |
STORING COSTUME JEWELRY
Where and how you store your costume jewelry will depend to a great extend upon the amount of space, kind of space, and the ways in which you derive pleasure from your collection. Here are some facts, factors, and suggestions (all derived from many members of he Jewelcollect list), that may help you make a decision about storage/display and at the same time, help you avoid deterioration and damage.
Keep in mind that much of the current collectable costume jewelry was neither designed nor manufactured with the idea in mind of it becoming "vintage". It was, for the most part, meant as a temporary substitute for the real thing and probably has a place in the early beginnings of our so-called "disposable" mode of living. We are indeed fortunate that much of the early costume jewelry was designed and manufactured by people whose previous experience WAS in the fine jewelry industy, so that much of it was well-made, in similar ways to fine jewelry manufacture. We are also fortunate that there continues to be certain manufacturers and designers with a tradition of finely made costume jewelry.
Storage factors that will/may damage your precious costume jewelry:
1. Avoid storage in OAK as it apparently releases fumes which will damage costume jewelry (and other common storage items). Perhaps it therefore follows that some highly processed woods common in inexpensive furniture may also be releasing chemicals that would be harmful. A safe bet would be wood/paper containers/drawers used for storage of art. Metal and plastic would also seem to be fairly safe bets.
2. Avoid storage in CARDBOARD BOXES. This includes the cute little jewelry boxes that the jewelry arrives in. This paper has been treated with sulphur, which definitely contributes to faster tarnishing of gold/silver; so who knows what it is doing to costume jewelry finishes and glues. The exception to storing in cardboard is, of course, if the items have been sealed in plastic bags. It probably is not wise to wrap stored jewelry (in or out of the plastic bag) in tissue paper or kleenix as these are paper products and probably have been treated with undesirable chemicals.
3. Avoid storage in a DAMP ATMOSPHERE. It is widely believed that fluids and dampness definitely contribute to the deterioration of rhinestones and especially accelerate that deterioration of older rhinestone or rhinestones that are not made to top standards.If you want to know more about fluids and rhinestones, or about the cleaning & care of rhinestones, go to Sparkles website "Cleaning & Repair" section.
4. Avoid storage in a DUSTY ENVIRONMENT. Dust itself is abrasive, and when you clean that dust from the piece of jewelry, the surfaces are being slightly abraded.
5. Do not store ANYTHING with CELLULOID. Celluloid gives off fumes that will damage costume jewelry and also other plastics. It may be best if celluloid is stored unsealed so that the fumes are dissipated as they occurs.
6. If you hang necklaces (or other "strung" things) for your convenience in selecting and wearing, you may want to be sure that the "hook" is more like a fat peg than a thin metal rod in order to spread the stress on the bead cord. Rotating the item on the peg may be helpful, too.
Suitable containers for storage:
Metal map/artist drawers. Plastic boxes, Cloth of the softest kind, plastic bags, display units of mostly glass/plastic.
Some interesting ideas for display or accessibility:
Lining up bracelets on a bar - similar to a towel bar - one end must be detachable.
Displaying in picture frame boxes.
Pins and brooches pinned to pillows, drapes, etc.
Azilllion SPARKLZ website features a large catalog of over 600 pieces of jewelry, including Victorian, Deco, Nouveau, rhinestones, Signature pieces, Plastics, Silver & Copper, Cufflinks, Christmas and much more as linked in the index below. You are welcome to shop, search for price comparisons, browse for pleasure, or visit additional information pages, seen directly below.
CLEANING & REPAIR
TIPS- Please Don't Wash The Rhinestones!
Cleaning rhinestones, removing rhinestones, setting rhinestones, glues,
expert repairs, polishing cloths & compounds, rhinestone sources, about
loupes.
ABOUT BUILDING A RHINESTONE INVENTORY
How to start building an inventory of loose rhinestons for doing replacement.
ABOUT GOLD/GOLD VALUES
Thoughts and facts about gold, buying/selling, antique values. Including
spot gold formulas
ABOUT GOLD CARE
Watch out for the hot tub & the swimming pool!. Avoiding
damage & loss to your fine gold & diamond jewelry.
ABOUT IVORY
Kinds of ivory, including elephant, mammoth and more. Examples
& links. Ivory substitutes. Some guides to separation
from other materials.
ABOUT CAMEOS
Definition of Cameo, Intaglio, Reverse Intaglio. Common &
unusual materials used in cameos and how to identify them. Factors
which affect pricing of cameos.
ABOUT RE-PLATING,
REPAIR VS CAMOUFLAGE
Definition of Repair, Camouflage, Normal Wear, Marriages, Collage,
and a Guide to a Rating system for Costume Jewelry.
RESOURCES & MISC.
Costume Jewelry Newsletters, Cufflink Newsletter. Costume Jewelry
Book Reviews. Patent Numbers. Storage Tips.
GO TO: SPARKLES HOME PAGE
GO TO: || Creatures - Figurals, Faces, Butterflies, etc. || Newest Additions Section ||
|| Plastics - Bakelite, Celluloid & More ||
|| Silver & Copper Section || Signature -Designer Section ||
|| Unsigned/Signed Section - Biggest Section of Treasures || Victorian , Art Deco, Nouveau Section ||
|| Fine Estate Jewelry - Gold & Precious Stones ||
|| Beads - Glass, Turquoise & More || Buckles & Sweater Guards ||
|| Christmas Jewelry || Cufflinks , Tie Clips ||
|| Ivory & Bone ||Watch Fobs, Chatelettes, Fraternal Organizations || Patriotic - Sweetheart, Military, Flags, Eagles ||
|| Earrings Section -- Find a complement to your favorite jewels ||
|| Backlot Bargain Bazaar - Reduced jewelry, strange jewelry, slightly worn jewelry, & more ||
E-mail Janet: sparklz2@Sparklz.com,
Toll Free Telephone 1-877-380-4726 or on my Cell phone 520-907-2839.
Janet
W.
Gaynor, P. O. Box 35038, Tucson, AZ 85740-5297 Website est. February 1997