FYI For your information

The Story of Fabulous FAKES

Have fun collecting Antique Costume Jewelry

Wear it .. enjoy it .. while it goes up in value

Keep your eyes open at the next church bazaar or yard sale you attend - somebody's aunt or grandmother may have been keeping a precious piece tucked away for years in a dresser / vanity drawer or old jewelry box.

Antique Costume Jewelry, or " FABULOUS FAKES " usually made with rhinestones, colored glass stones, , faux pearls and gold-plated / filled metal or sterling silver began to appear in the U.S. in the early twenties. EACH PIECE IS UNIQUE

A number of European immigrants came to the US in the 20s and 30s and some of them settled in Providence Rhode Island where a small industry developed. Others were based in Chicago and New York.

The popularity of costume or "junk" jewelry grew when Movie stars from Hollywood started wearing the pieces both in films and in real life.

Beauty and originality of design as well as careful hand craftsmanship is typical and marks many of the pieces from the 20's , 30's, 40s and even 50s.

YOU WILL FIND MANY DESIGNS reflecting many changes in fashion.

ART DECO / ART NOVEAU / VICTORIAN / EDWARDIAN period designs are all very popular today.

TODAY ANTIQUE COSTUME JEWELRY is enjoying a huge revival and desirability Signed pieces can fetch thousands of dollars on the market.

Handcrafted GUILLOCHE enamel , sterling silver & gold items from Mexico and Denmark / Norway artists are also very collectible.

Czechoslovakian jewelers / artists were known as the FAKERS of many famous FINE JEWELRY PIECES. They used glass stones which were much lighter than natural stones which gave them the capability to manufacture and create items more detailed & elaborate than with natural stones. Jewelers of the trade would not identify or accept them as " jewelers of the trade " because they worked with FAKE STONES and very little STERLING SILVER or GOLD

TODAY, Czech / Czechoslovakia pieces are highly desired by collectors. Many are unsigned.

All handmade items of the past by GREAT ARTISANS / DESIGNERS / MAKERS include:

BUTTONS , BELT BUCKLES , CUFFLINKS , EARRINGS , PENDANTS / NECKLAES , PARURE SETS (complete sets) , PINS / BROOCHS , VANITY PURSES & COMACTS are all truly handmade items of the past by GREAT ARTISAN / DESIGNERS

I would list many of the famous designers but ON EBAY, it is not allowed since any words in this FYI will also appear in all searches for those items.

Definition of Guilloche enamel:

Guilloche is a style of enameling in which a continuous decoration is engraved by an engine-turned lathe on a metal surface, and then covered with translucent enamel (fused glass) so that the engraving can be seen through the enamel. A Guilloché or engine turned pattern is an ornamental pattern formed of two or more curved bands that interlace to repeat a circular design, most commonly seen on banknotes. These patterns were traditionally used for security printing purposes as a protection against counterfeit and forgery, as well as for decorating valuable objects such as many sterling silver items, compacts, vanity dresser sets / mirrors, flatware and pocket watches. The interlace pattern is called guilloche; the result is guilloché