Vintage Jewelry: Just A Little Bit of Sparkle

I love that these vintage choker necklaces from the 1950s have just a hint of sparkle with tiny rhinestones or painted enamel. They're the perfect accompaniment to a cute vintage day dress or even to dress up a plain white tee and jeans.


View more @ Adorevintage: Vintage Costume Jewelry

Person to Know: Miriam Haskell

American jewelry designer who created beautiful costume jewelry pieces from the 1920s through the 1950s. Miriam Haskell jewelry is highly sought after by collectors and vintage aficionados alike.



Celebrities such as Lucille Ball, Joan Crawford, and the Duchess of Windsor have all worn her jewelry. In the 1950s, her brother suggested she start regularly signing her jewelry pieces. Prior to that, most of Miriam Haskell's designs are unsigned, therefore even harder to identify!


During the second world war, she had her designs crafted from natural materials and plastics and designed patriotic jewelry pieces. However, after World War II, Miriam's health took a toll leading to the loss of her company to her brothers in the 1950s.


I have to note that Miriam wasn't the actual designer for her jewelry designs, maybe in the beginning, but that credit should really belong to the jewelry designer she hired named Frank Hess (who designed pieces up until the 1960s).

/// MORE READS
For more on Miriam Haskell please read An Interview With Miriam Haskell Costume Jewelry Colelctor & Author Sheila Pamfiloff.

For authenticating & dating vintage Miriam Haskell Jewelry, please read Authenticating Miriam Haskell Jewelry.

Image Credits: Morning Glory Antiques

The Finishing Touches: Sneak Peek At New Vintage Accessories & Costume Jewelry

This week at Adorevintage we're bringing you lots of pretty little extras to top off your ensembles. Be sure to check out { the shop } to see more images and to call first dibs!

Preview of the Vintage Shop Updates: Pretty Little Frocks & Pretty Little Baubles

Lovely vintage we're listing throughout the week! Click on the thumbnails to view the product images and more details! There are so many more pretty vintage wares that will be photographed this week, so be sure to visit the shop to see more previews!

BTW, have you noticed my newest doll? (And by doll, I mean dress form) She is a Vintage Wolf Dress Form, a vintage size 10 but has the measurements of a modern day size 2/4. An early birthday gift to yours truly from my honey bunches of oats. I spent nearly 3 months hunting for just the right one and we finally found her waiting patiently in an antique shop (next to a Victorian dress form!) I named her Beatrice. My other dress form, a modern day size 0/00, is named Eloise. Just some Adore Vintage FYI. *hehe*

Vintage du Jour: Antique Jade and Filigree Drop Earrings

Romantic antique drop earrings, appears to be Victorian. I love the jade color of these earrings!

Where to buy: Red Lilly Vintage
Price: $34.00

Pretty Little Sneak Peek at "DAUPHINE DARLING" jewelry line!

Inspired by fashion and art of the 18th century and the Victorian era, "Dauphine Darling" is a new jewelry line that will soon be available at { AdoreVintage }. The jewelry line consists of all new pieces but will always have that romantic old world aesthetic.

{ click to visit Dauphine Darling at AdoreVintage }

Stock will be very limited in quantity as { AdoreVintage } will only be carrying 1-3 pieces of each style. All the prices will be budget friendly ranging from $16-$64 (earrings to more elaborate necklaces). I hope you liked the preview images and just as excited as I am for the new jewelry line!

Celebrities Wearing Vintage Diamonds & Jewelry at the 2010 Oscars

I don't think I spotted any vintage gowns at the Oscars this year, but there were plenty of vintage diamonds on the red carpet.


1.} British actress Carey Mulligan, the Best Actress nominee wore a stunning pair of 19th century cascading diamond earrings from Fred Leighton.
2.} Presenter Elizabeth Banks also wore a vintage Fred Leighton - an understated diamond headband.
3.} Julianne Moore wore 2 diamond and platinum Bulgari (circa 1930) - from their historical archives collection.


4.} Vera Farmiga wore a pair of 1920s diamond clip earrings vintage Fred Leighton and a 1960's diamond cluster cocktail ring.
5.} Sarah Jessica Parker wore 19th century diamond cluster earrings.
6.} Maggie Gyllenhaal's bracelet is a Fred Leighton 1940's diamond cluster statement bracelet.


7.} Charlize Theron wearing a vintage marquise diamond wave bracelet by Harry Winston.
8.} Jennifer Lopez wore vintage Cartier diamond clip earrings circa 1934.
9.} Meryl Streep wore a magnificent Fred Leighton Art Deco diamond and oynx bracelet teamed with a silver purse.

Sources: Diamonds Take Center Stage as The Academy Awards Ushers in the Next Generation of Hollywood Royalty.

Image credits: Picapp.com & Wireimage.com

New in the Shop: Bohemian Inspired Jewelry

{ click image to shop }
1970s multi strand pendant necklaces, a Gossip Girl inspired bejeweled bib necklace, hippie rainbow beaded necklace, and my absolute personal favorite, a gold mesh snake arm cuff/bracelet inspired by Rachel Zoe.

Where to Buy: Adorevintage.com
Price Range: $12 - $49.99

Vintage Clothing + Jewelry Shop Updates

This week I've been adding a bunch of vintage costume jewelry, vintage dresses, tops, and outerwear. After nearly a month being on a semi-hiatus because of the move, I've been working double time on getting new vintage goodies up in the shop! I hope you adore everything as much as I do!



Shopping Sources: 1. jungle cover dress , 2. elinor bangle, 3. tiny morsel necklace, 4. megara necklace, 5. animal procession dress, 6. sugar glaze ring, 7. isabella ring, 8. jovial watcher brooch, 9. sonya garland blouse

+++ The 'Jungle Cover Dress', 'Animal Procession Dress', and 'Megara Necklace' are coming soon! (They'll be available in the shop later this week!)

What is vintage costume jewelry?

In the simplest definition, vintage costume jewelry is jewelry not made from precious metals or stones but resembles high end jewelry designs.

To me, vintage costume jewelry are just as beautiful as their more expensive siblings. I personally prefer to wear costume jewelry over the real stuff. Giant cocktail rings, bead cluster earrings, enamel painted brooches...YES PLEASE!

Popular 'Vintage Costume Jewelry' labels/designers:
Coro, Avon, Trifari, Monet, Napier, Miriam Haskell, Lisner, Le Bernard, Kenneth J. Lane, Kramer, and Schiaperelli.

I have carried these designers at Adore Vintage at one point or another along with many unsigned pieces and lesser known designers.




Sources: 1.] Vintage costume jewelry from Adore Vintage

Dating Vintage Jewelry

Here are a few quick tips for dating vintage jewelry that I've found out about and thought I would share for those of you who collect or sell vintage jewelry.

VINTAGE ADS
You can look for vintage advertisements in magazines and also catalogs to get a feel for the age of the piece and also to familiarize yourself with what was in style during that time period.

Snake Bracelets - LIFE magazine 1964

CORO Faux Pearls - Mademoiselle 1964
CORO Nature + Insects - 1950
COPYRIGHTS
The copyright symbol on a piece of jewelry indicates a date of 1956 or later. In 1956 it became much more cost effective to register a design Copyright which led designers to abandoned the expensive patent registration process. From Penelope's Pearls