Topic: Jewellery: Glass, paste, diamante, marcasite

[RoynMargaret]

Hi all

I have just started a new line of research into costume jewellery that contains glass, paste, diamante and marcasite "stones"

So far I have found just a few very basic articles and references to the specifics of glass - lost among innumerable references to items for sale.

I already know enough about the foil-backed Georgian and early Victorian jewellery for my purposes. I do know about the Ysart/Caithness canes and the current Murano glass jewellery, but want to know more about "fake" gemstones, especially 1890 - 1990. How and where they are/were made, manufacturers, dates, styles, anything in fact that will help my knowledge and understanding. What makes it good, bad, collectable, valuable, etc?

Can anyone point me in the right direction please - perhaps even some designer's names to chase up on eBay?

Here's a f'rinstance, probably from the 60s/70s, clip fixing

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y274/CornucopiaA_C/IMG_0046.jpg

and, stylistically different but from the same period, again with brass clip fixing, and a fantastic tortoisehell glass.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y274/CornucopiaA_C/IMG_0012-1.jpg
Thank you

Roy

[Frank]

A major centre for a long time has been Czechoslovakia. Check on eBay for vintage buttons and beads and you will find some vintage ones on cards with the trade names and sometimes manufacturer.

Costume jewellery histories would be another source of information.

The other big area of beads is those made for trading, again lots or resources on the web... look for money histories.

Let us know what you find, my knowledge in this area is only peripheral.

[Pip]

Hi RoynMargaret (I have an Uncle Roy and Aunty Margaret btw!) anyway, in answer to your question - a couple of good names to look for (just off the top of my head) with regards to vintage costume jewellery is Trifari and, in particular, their Jelly Belly designs - the jelly belly being a large round piece of coloured glass usually representing the body of an animal or insect on a brooch.  Most Trifari is pretty collectable but the jelly bellies in particular and also Miriam Haskell (think I've spelt that right).  I researched vintage costume jewellery in some depth a few years ago when I was getting a collection of vintage butterfly brooches together for my daughter (who at the time was a baby) - I amassed some lovely items for her but since I've started dealing in vintage/retro glass and ceramics I seem to have completely forgotten everything I learned about costume jewellery! LOL (probably my age!).  I've got a folder full of notes and books somewhere I'll take a look at later and post some more designers & manufacturer's names on here.

[RoynMargaret]

This is superficial but it's a start

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-History-of-Costume-Jewelry&id=67972

[RoynMargaret]

This one's much better. I will be there for some time

http://www.illusionjewels.com/costumejewelrymarks.html

[chopin-liszt]

Miracle is another name to conjure with, apparently. I don't think it's as good as Trifari, though. Dior did costume jewellery, but I think the bottom line in costume stuff is having a name on it at all.

I've got a beautiful Trifari butterfly, but the stones on it are clear cut glass, even the marcasite-sized ones.

Judith Miller has produced a book on costume jewellery, just recently. I believe it is somehing that is on the "up", as far as collectability is concerned.

I'm particularly fond of turn of the last century foil beads, my favourites being Venetian fire opal. These are hand made beads, the body is a random mix of amber, opalescent and clear glass, containing crinkled gold foil. I don't know much about them though. There are "Bohemian" foil beads as well.

[RoynMargaret]

the stones on it are clear cut glass, even the marcasite-sized ones.

I did not know marcasite referred to size, I thought it a particular type of glass gemstone, usually mounted in silver.

Can you please elaborate on size?

[Pat]

I think Sue meant the small glass stones about the same size as marcasite stones.

[chopin-liszt]

:oops:

Yes, I did, sorry for confusing. The body and the tips of the wings are pave-set little glass stones of the same size as the usual size of the pave-set marcasites. There are also big glass stones on the gold-coloured textured wings.
I don't think I've ever seen big marcasites :?

[Lustrousstone]

I've got my dictionary out again - did I hear a groan

Marcasite is 1. a metallic pale yellow mineral consisting of iron pyrites in a crystalline form used for jewellery
2. a cut and polished form of steel or any white metal used for making jewellery

So no glass there!