Costume Jewelry

by Judith H. Miller

Book Overview

Co-written by antiques expert, Judith Miller and costume jewelry specialist, John Wainwright, DK Collector's Guides: Costume Jewelry traces the history of costume jewelry from ancient times to the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0789496429
• ISBN13: 9780789496423
• Release Date: October 2003
• Publisher: DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley)
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 2.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 9.0" x 11.2"

Customer Reviews

Great Book, Lots of Information!

I really like this book because the is alot if information on alot of different makers. The pictures are clear.There are alot of designers I have never heard of so this is great for me. I'm far from an expert and not a beginner so this book is good for me! Buy it!

Great Book for Beginners and Experienced Collectors

This book was one of my first books on costume jewelry, and it is so easy to learn from. I know, because I have an online vintage jewelry site, "Enchantment Vintage Costume Jewelry" and I still reference this book frequently. The best thing about this book, besides the clear & colorful eye candy, is that it gives a rundown on different jewelry eras--from Victorian through 1980s glitz! There are aslo sections on a great many of the most collectible designers and the characteristics of their jewelry. It also includes a section on unsigned jewelry, which is good because most costume jewelry was unsigned. One of the most helpful aspects is that the jewelry is dated, so that the reader can learn to start assigning dates to the different styles of jewelry. You can't go wrong with this one. I also recommend "How to Be a Jewelry Detective," by Jeanenne Bell.

Visually stunning, always fascinating

"Costume Jewelry," a DK Collector's Guide, is by Judith Miller with John Wainwright, and features photography by Graham Rae. The back cover notes that over 1,500 collectible pieces are pictured and profiled in this book. This book is stunningly beautiful--it's full of detailed, full-color photographs that are accompanied by a well-written and informative text. Many different types of jewelry are depicted in these 256 pages--earrings, necklaces, bracelets, cufflinks, pins, etc.The book is full of fascinating and useful features: profiles of major designers (Chanel, Christian Dior, Hattie Carnegie, etc.), a glossary, a section depicting designers' stamps and copyright marks, reproductions of vintage magazine advertisements, and more. The international directory of dealers, auction houses, and museums includes addresses, phone numbers, Web sites, fax numbers, and/or e-mail addresses. There are sections highlighting interesting trends: suffragette jewelry, cut steel jewelry, etc.The book is full of intriguing sidebars about many different topics: the manufacture of faux pearls, the Surrealist influence on designer Elsa Schiaparelli, etc. There are also a number of spreads on "Hot Collecting Fields," such as Austrian crystal fruit pins and Bakelite jewelry; I was especially impressed by the 4-page spread on Scottish agate jewelry.The book really covers a broad range of costume jewelry. Many different styles are depicted. The jewelry covered also represents a large range of materials--Berlin ironwork, Whitby jet, rhinestones, aluminum, poured glass, Lucite, rhodoid, copper, wood, faux coral, and more. I also like the fact that a broad price range is covered. There are many pieces that are under $50, as well as many that are over $1,000. But in the end it's the beautiful pictures that really blew me away--some pieces are elegant, some whimsical, many bursting with color and life. It's like a huge museum in a book, with an expert tour guide (the text) to accompany you.

Eye Candy

I love this book, it has some of the best photographs of jewelry to come out in years. If I could look at only one vintage costume jewelry book for an entire year, THIS would be it. There are tons of photographs of jewelry across the price spectrum, and at least a little bit of information about a lot of designers and companies. There are a few errors, such as some of the Bakelite she has pictured is actually Lucite or plastic, and some of the plastic and Lucite she has pictured is Bakelite. And while some of the pricing is exactly in line with what you would expect to fairly pay, some of the values are outrageous. But in a book this big, it can't all be perfect. This is the best book for new collectors, as it hits all the "big" names, doesn't gloss over the "little" names, and covers so much. It is also a great book for long time collectors. I have collected vintage costume jewelry for over 15 years, and I have over 50 cj books in my reference library; believe me when I say this book is wonderful eye candy.

DK does it again!

This lavishly illustrated book is an excellent example of why many librarians love Dorling Kindersley books. Each photographed piece has a brief description, date range and likely value range. The colors are vibrant and every facet sparkles. The background on jewelry designers and index are also welcome additions.