Field guide to costume jewelry, by maureen brodsky. Shop this large collection of napier jewelry, which includes many vintage pieces. Many popular companies like trifari and napier altered their marks. May 03, 20 this book tells the heretofore untold and phenomenal story of the napier co. Collecting costume jewelry 202 the basics of dating jewelry 1935 1980. Book pieces vintage costume jewelry lillys vintage jewelry. Since the 1920s, trifari has been one of the most respected and admired producers of costume jewelry in the united states. This book tells the heretofore untold and phenomenal story of the napier co. The napier co defining 20th century american costume. It tells the heretofore untold and phenomenal story of the napier co.
Closeout sale the napier co defining 20th century etsy. James napier work for the company from 1914 to his death in 1960. Napier costume jewelry from the 1920s and early 1930s price guide for vintage milk glass value antique and vintage earring styles how to identify and date old brooch styles steiff price guide how to make a stylish necklace with a stone and tassel the spruce crafts. About kates classic costume jewelry our service pledge we respond to all orders within 24 hours. It is the most comprehensive book on vintage costume jewelry. Thanks to the wonderful book by melinda lewis, the napier company defining 20th century costume jewelry, there is an upswing of interest in the pieces from this venerable manufacturer. To see select pieces by the costume jewelry designers listed below, clicking on a name will bring you to a page with images of items i.
What is napier jewelry and why is it still relevant. Highend costume jewelry tends to increase in value over time and has become a collectible. This is an image of a 1920s show display by the napier co. Jewelry company blazes the market with giftware line.
The history of napier costume jewelry from collectors weekly. Rare napier jewelry napier bracelet cumquat costume jewelry set extra large pearl charm statement napier necklace. Find great deals on napier fashion jewelry at kohls today. Costume jewelry was also made popular by various designers in the mid20th century.
Napier charm bracelet vintage 1960s rare designer eugene bertolli gold seashells clam oyster book piece costume jewelry vanityflairvintage 5 out of 5 stars 1,050. This summer, lewis, the cofounder of costume jewelry collectors international, published an authoritative, fullcolor 1,000page book on the companys 125year history, with an identification and price guide built in. Book depository books with free delivery worldwide. This and other interesting information can be found in the napier book. Whitney and rice was founded as a silver manufacturing company. To see select pieces by the costume jewelry designers listed below, clicking on a name will bring you to a page with images of items i have andor had by that designer. Defining 20th century american costume jewelry melinda l. As necklines dipped lower and hair became shorter, the need to wear earrings, bracelets and necklaces every single day became not just a trend, but outfit protocol. Vintage costume jewelry resources and information page. You are viewing a beautiful and scarce vintage signed napier early 1950s festoon bib. Mar 30, 2021 the napier co defining 20th century american costume jewelry. Values shown in this price guide reflect the actual selling price in the venue stated in parenthesis after the value. New book covers the napier legacy in 20th century costume. Check out our costume jewelry book selection for the very best in unique or custom.
Costume jewelry is constantly in the news american first lady michelle obama wore vintage pieces at the inauguration. This page contains links to vintage costume jewelry ads, vintage fashion ads, vintage cosmetic ads, jewelry designer biography history and hallmark pages, jewelry articles, jewelry glossary, collecting costume jewelry, caring for vintage jewelry, about costume jewelry and more. Founded in the 1910s by gustavo trifari, the italianimmigrant son of a napoli goldsmith, the company has designed jewelry thats been worn by countless highprofile clients, from mamie eisenhower to madonna. The definitive history and visual catalog of the napier co.
Did you know that napier not only produced fashion jewelry, but had 14k jewelry in its line. Crown trifari, dior, chanel, miriam haskell, monet, napier, corocraft, coventry, and kim craftsmen. Now the popular brand gets its full due in the napier co defining 20th century american costume jewelry by melinda lewis and henry swen. The napier co defining 20th century american costume jewelry. Gallery of vintage jewelry that have been featured in collecting costume jewelry books. See more ideas about napier jewelry, jewelry, napier. Kramer jewelry creations was founded by louis kramer in new york city in 1943, and the company produced interesting costume jewelry at a variety of price ranges.
It chronicles the history of its management, manufacturing, marketing, and most importantly, the unparalleled beauty of napier fashion jewelry. Small brooches, sometimes with pearls and little diamonds. You may encounter the following gold pieces from napier. Lewis with henry swen, life by design publishing, 20 1011. Bliss company made silverware, as well as gilt and silverplate jewelry, the word napier was not associated with costume jewelry until the 1920s. Prices realized for similar collectible jewelry sold in other venues may be higher or lower depending on market fluctuations and geographical region. Costume jewelry includes a range of decorative items wor. Defining 20th century costume jewelry, by melinda lewis with henry swen. Pamela is an antique expert and the author of three books on the subject. Sarah jessica parker wears vintage costume jewelry all the time, fashion magazines feature.
I guess vintage costume jewelry books are another obsession of mine. Often referred to as kramer of new york, kramer jewelry typically used quite high quality rhinestones regardless of the line, and they used different marks on their jewelry. Vintage costume jewelry identification and value guide. Art partridge pear tree enamel brooch collecting costume jewelry 101 p. Napier faux pearl mop retro necklace book piece gold plated 1987 vintage. Researching costume jewelry history, companies and.
Napier vintage jewelry, napier costume jewelry at antiquing. Though the history of napier goes back to the late 19thcentury, when the e. Duplicates may appear as a result of an item being listed in more than one category in the catalogue. Napier made the majority of its enameled jewelry from the 1960s through the closure of the plant in 1999. Napier vintage jewelry information and company history.
Lewis according to the jacket flap, this definitive reference book contains about 4,000 pictures and over 250,000 words. As illustrated in my ebook, the 100 best vintage shops online, jewelryonly online vintage. Jan 07, 20 the napier brand dominated the costume jewelry genre during the 20th century. See more ideas about napier jewelry, jewelry ads, vintage costumes. Published in january 20, it details the history of the napier company and its beautiful costume jewelry. Napier jewelry comes in a variety of styles, but the pieces are typically large and eyecatching.
We hope you will find the information useful in your quest to either learn about or identify vintage costume jewelry. Napier jewelry guide to value, marks, history worthpoint. Napier is one of the oldest jewelry companies in the united states, however the contemporary jewelry signed napier, probably has very little in common with the jewelry produced by whitney and rice. She is author of the book, the napier co defining 20th century american costume jewelry melinda has also worked with internationally renowned fashion stylists and publishers to provide jewelry for books and printbased advertising in magazines. A must have for students and collectors of napier jewelry in particular and costume jewelry in general. The pulse of todays jewelry art is captured in 400 beautiful color photos demonstrating todays top levels of mastery.
Napier jewelry made 14k gold pieces on a very limited basis during the 1950s and 1960s, according to illusion jewels, a great resource on costume jewelry history and identification. Vintage and contemporary costume jewelry costume jewelry. Vintage costume jewelry is perhaps the easiest way to wear vintage for any modern woman of any background, style or size. The market is ready for a new costume jewelry book, one that shows these dazzling pieces to the best advantage and celebrates them. Costume, collectible jewelry and accessories, books barnes. Jun 06, 20 the napier jewelry book is a visual encyclopedia of napier costume jewelry. A tribute to america costume jewelry 1935 1950 and american costume jewelry. Collectible jewelry costume, collectible jewelry and. May 06, 2020 costume jewelry expert pamela wiggins siegel discusses the napier co. Dating napier costume jewelry from the 1920s and 1930s. Costume jewelry news newspapers books scholar jstor november 2010 learn how and when to remove this template message. Enjoy free shipping and easy returns every day at kohls. In 1925, james napier attended the worlds fair exposition internationale des artes decoratifs et industriels modernes in paris, and brought back with him business ideas, including designs influenced by parisian and european fashion.
Lewis this book has become an essential reference and guide for both collectors and sellers of napier vintage jewelry. Napier is known for sterling pieces of lovely quality, with many having been produced in the 1950s. Vintage napier necklace bracelet set book pieces demi parure etsy. Jun 26, 2014 the napier co defining 20th century american costume jewelry hardcover, by melinda l. Napier, president from 1920 to 1960, refused to use the term costume jewelry to describe his products, and he insisted rhinestones were to be called foilbacked faceted crystal stones. It chronicles the history of its management, manufacturing, marketing, and most importantly, the unparalleled beauty of its jewelry. Napier costume jewelry from the 1920s and early 1930s is extremely hard to find and highly prized by both napier enthusiasts and collectors of art deco jewelry. Napier is known for sterling pieces of lovely quality.
Like ciner costume jewelry, it is often difficult to date napier pieces simply by looking at the mark. Napier became particularly wellknown to the general public in the 1970s due to their longrunning ad campaign, napier is ier napier is. Advertized as a sequel to collecting costume jewelry 101, the book is. This is the definitive history of the napier company a solid and stylish american costume jewelry producer. Successive mergers have occurred over the years, but napier jewelry is still produced. Art coin purse necklace collecting costume jewelry 101 p. Some of the most remembered names in costume jewelry include both the high and low priced brands. My passion is finding vintage costume jewelry, especially designer quality items, such as bogoff, ciner, mazer. Dec 18, 2012 the book is the first in its genre to document decade by decade the history of the napier co. From flasks and cigarette holders to beautiful necklaces and a display case of pendant earrings. Lewis traveled around the country and interviewed over 50 former napier employees from meriden, florida, new york, california, north carolina, and illinois to get an inside.
As mentioned above, napier jewelry is a favorite for jewelry collectors or those with a keen interest in fashion. Are you bold and brassy enough to wear vintage napier jewelry. Jewelry history series original miami beach antique show. It was thanks to 1950s fashion that costume jewelry rose in prominence for the everyday woman to wear. It tells the heretofore untold and phenomenal story of the napier. Cowritten with former napier salesman henry swen, the napier co defining 20th century american costume jewelry also. Selro, regency, and mexican silver, which i can share with you. The napier book is called the most comprehensive resource book on a single vintage jewelry manufacturer. Apr 15, 20 enameled jewelry at first glance was not a substantial part of the napier co. This is especially true for the novice collector or dealer that has not studied.
Napier vintage jewelry information and company history my. This jewelry book tells the heretofore untold and phenomenal story of the napier co. A 3minute introduction to the napier book the napier co. Napier is a designer whose pieces i rarely come across. Dec 08, 2014 memoirs of a fashion jewelry manufacturer by frank r. The napier jewelry book is a visual encyclopedia of napier costume jewelry. Shes written over 400 articles on antique collecting for the spruce. Get your order fast and stress free with free curbside pickup. Created by more than 70 contemporary international jewelry artists, these pieces of bodyadorning sculpturerings, collars, brooches, headpieces, and other adornmentsare varied. The napier co defining 20th century american costume jewelry vintagejewelryco.
983 1611 1480 53 1449 280 633 1423 1309 639 1392 1433 1122 42 1460 745 984 1576 260 915 26