| Vintage jewelry collecting, and especially vintage | | | | rest assured that there are good as well as bed when |
| costume jewelry collecting, has exploded onto the | | | | it comes to this aspect of the jewelry collecting field. |
| market in recent years. Many are signed and many | | | | When utilizing an internet auction, do the research. |
| are unsigned. With this explosion has been an increase | | | | Check out the seller. Make every attempt to verify |
| of fake jewelry to go along with it. Therefore, when it | | | | that you are dealing with a creditable resource and |
| comes to collecting vintage jewelry, be sure you know | | | | dealer. This single most piece of advice is probably the |
| what you are looking for and at. Later on, you will be | | | | most valuable advice any jewelry collector should |
| glad that you did. | | | | heed. |
| But, how do you know if the jewelry is real or fake? | | | | There are many unsigned pieces out there. These are |
| There are a couple of different ways to look at this. | | | | pieces that was, for the biggest part, created for the |
| One would be to deal with a trusted dealer. Possibly | | | | masses and sold wholesale to places like Sears and |
| one that either you, or someone you know, has dealt | | | | J.C. Penny. These are very nice pieces. However, |
| with before. The second, and probably the best way | | | | these pieces need to be extensively researched in |
| to attack this issue would be through research and | | | | order to avoid the pitfalls of purchasing a fake. Some |
| education. There are many books on the market now | | | | of these highly sought after and collectible designers |
| that include many photographs that can be use to | | | | would include Miriam Haskell, Weiss, and Eisenberg. |
| compare other pieces with. This is a highly resourceful | | | | Cleaning is a crucial part of taking care of your |
| resource that would, could, and should be used when | | | | jewelry. But, be aware when it comes to rhinestones. If |
| unsure of the piece. | | | | you immerse it under water, odds are that you will |
| The internet is a vast array of knowledge on this | | | | destroy part of it, without even knowing that you did. |
| subject also. Many collectors create and maintain a | | | | There is a very thin foil lining on the back of most |
| person website describing what they personally collect | | | | rhinestones. Liquids have a tendency to destroy this foil |
| and enjoy. These can assist also. If you are going to | | | | lining. To avoid this, spray your cleaner directly onto a |
| search through some of the internet auction websites, | | | | rag or towel, and wipe the piece gently and throughly. |