Collecting Costume Jewelry 101 and 202 Julia C. Carroll vintage Trifari Coro Boucher Eisenberg Florenza

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I'm busy making changes to this site for 2009, so most of the pages are under construction at this time.

My name is Julia C. Carroll (Julie to my friends) and I am the author of three books about collecting costume jewelry: Collecting Costume Jewelry 101: The Basics of Starting, Building & Upgrading Second Edition, Collecting Costume Jewelry 202: The Basics of Dating Jewelry 1935 – 1980 and Collecting Costume Jewelry 303: The Flip Side, Exploring Costume Jewelry from the Back, due to be released in the Fall of 2009.

Collecting Costume Jewelry 303: The Flip Side, Exploring Costume Jewelry from the Back

Have you ever wondered why collectors flip-over a piece of costume jewelry to examine the back? “Collecting Costume Jewelry 303: the flip side” answers this question. Included in this volume are over 1200 photographs of collectible costume jewelry designs for 97 companies. Detailed, close-view photographs of hardware traits, construction elements, interesting stones, and signatures are provided for each piece. An entire chapter is dedicated to stones providing the reader with basic information on stone shapes, nomenclature, and composition followed by an informative stone glossary. Interesting illustrations from a vintage hardware catalog help collectors learn the industry names for jewelry findings.

Plump with information, this volume also includes amazing interviews with the families of Sandor Goldberger, and Yoneguma & Kiyoka Takahashi accompanied by rare examples of jewelry from their private collections. Finally, for fun, this captivating book explores the subject of craft jewelry in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Then, like today, jewelry making was a hot hobby. Amazingly these craft pieces find their way into antique stores across the country. Colorful examples of craft jewelry, coupled with illustrations from hobby magazines, help collectors to distinguish these recreational pieces from higher-quality collectible costume jewelry designs.

More than a picture book, “Collecting Costume Jewelry 303: the flip side” is perfect for collectors interested in sharpening and expanding their knowledge about collectible costume jewelry.

Preorders for Collecting Costume Jewelry 303 can be placed at the Collector Books website www.collectorbooks.com

Second Edition

Collecting Costume Jewelry 101: The Basics of Starting, Building & Upgrading

While maintaining the easy-to-use format as the popular first edition, this second edition (sporting a hot new cover) is fully updated. This new edition is much the same book, providing beginning collectors with friendly advice on how to begin a collection and how to recognize good quality costume jewelry. Background information for almost 130 different makers, including my recommendations on which pieces from each designer are the most collectible, are provided. In addition, this new edition is enhanced with the following updates:

Over 200 new full-color photos have been added to this edition, bringing the total to around 900.
The background information for all 130 makers is updated.
A new section on miscellaneous makers is featured.
Additional, up-to-date information about selling jewelry on eBay is provided.
The popular Marked by Style chapter features unmarked pieces that can be attributed to a maker due to the design or style of the piece. This chapter has been revised including additional examples of DeLizza and Elster (Juliana) jewelry. DeLizza and Elster style jewelry is a HOT, HOT, HOT on the collectible market right now.

Once again, tips on how to upgrade a collection by selling to dealers and trading with friends; tips on how to catalog a collection; and tips on repairing, storing, and cleaning jewelry are included. An index of patent design numbers rounds out the book.

Collecting Costume Jewelry 202: The Basics of Dating Jewelry, 1935 - 1980

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive from beginning and intermediate collectors is “How old is this piece?” Collecting Costume Jewelry 202: The Basics of Dating Jewelry, 1935 – 1980 is intended to help collectors answer this question. This text explores, with clear instructions and colorful illustrations, the following six methods for dating costume jewelry:

Method one: Dating jewelry from the maker’s signature.
Method two: Dating jewelry using patent information.
Method three: Dating jewelry by reviewing vintage advertisements.
Method four: Dating jewelry by the style or design of the piece.
Method five: Dating jewelry using books and the internet.
Method six: Dating jewelry by provenance.

I love research, so this book is packed full of information.”

This is a huge, 495 page reference, with over 600 photographs, 550 illustrations, 160 vintage advertisements, and charts listing over 4,000 patents numbers. Every little tidbit of information I could locate is carefully recorded in the captions, including a range of years when each piece was likely produced. More complex than my first book, this sequel is appropriate for intermediate and high end collectors.

Contact Me

The Carrolls, always happy to be together.

NOTE/DISCLAIMER: Permission is required to use any of the information or photographs from this site. Accuracy is my goal; however, mistakes do happen. My recommendations are just that, my personal opinions. I can take no responsibility for losses incurred by collectors following my advice. Copyright 2007, 2008, 2009.