Thrifting costume jewelry

[Heather]

I really like to collect costume jewelry. Coro, Trifari,Weiss, etc. I find the majority of my treasures on eBay and etsy. I also love thrifting at the goodwill and a private charity shop. I got to thinking that I never seem to find collector's pieces at theses places. They have stuff in glass cabinets but for some reason I never look at that stuff (maybe it's an inbred fear of the department store sales people vulture). Is that where they keep that stuff?

 

[Bluebird Marsha]

Heather,
In short, based on my observations... yes, that is where they keep the stuff you're looking for. BUT, while it does tend to be pricier than the run-of-the-mill costume stuff, that doesn't mean that the prices are prohibitive. I've found Coro (under glass) for between $20.00 to $100.00. The higher price is usually for a set (necklace, bracelet, earrings) , so I wouldn't call it expensive. By and large, most dealers are well aware of the desirability of the "name" pieces. The antique/vintage stores I frequent usually show me new "stuff" as it comes in. They know the names as well as we do. . To find steals, you have to hit yard and estate sales where costume jewelry doesn't register with the sellers as important.

Don't let the "under glass" scare you off. If you're shopping in Manhattan, that might indicate a very high price, but usually it just represents the pieces as being "slightly" more desirable than the rest of the riff-raff.

 

[Miss Sis]

I've recently found lots of good stuff at charity shops (thrift stores) in the glass cabinets at the counter and find the prices are barely more than if they are out in the shop.

I bought a pair of Kigu marquisite earrings (British makers of powder compacts) from the 50s for £1. They were just in amongst the ordinary earrings but even brooches etc under glass were only about £2. It's always worth a look and an ask, in my opinion.

 

[Lily Powers]

If you haven't already, try and broaden your Etsy search and omit the name of the designer and search instead for something generic like, "dress clips," for instance. You might get a ton of matches, but you can narrow it down a bit as you go along. I find that some sellers don't know, or it's not important to them to list the maker, but as a fan of certain makers, you might be able to spot a design of theirs or see their name in an enlarged photo of the piece. Also try mispelling the name - sometimes that brings up a goody or two. Another tip - wealthy enclaves of "old money" have some great consignment shops. The senior folks are downsizing and moving along pieces they no longer wear or like.

It's been my frustrating experience with our local Goodwill, that the better pieces are picked over by the more savvy employees. One of our Goodwill stores has a special room for "better" costume jewelry and I saw a box of beauties on the counter. I reached over to inspect it, and a crotchety cow behind the counter told me in no uncertain terms that it was being held for someone. Sure enough, it was being held for her coworker, who was equally as crotchety.