The art of costume jewelry is explored in hundreds of color photos and personal glimpses of the elite core of artists responsible for them. The costume jewelry industry in the United States is celebrated, included the expertise in design and manufacturing of such masters as Chanel, Dior, Joseff, Haskell, Boucher, Lane, Trifari, and many more. This newly revised edition features 14 new photos and pricing information for today's market.

Out of print for a while, this classic reference work on antique ironware is available once again. Antique collectors, iron buffs, and industrial historians will welcome the opportunity to browse through its pages, which contain hundreds of photographs of fascinating items. Architectural hardware, lighting devices, and irons, tools, toys, weathervanes, fences and gates, and kitchen utensils are all presented, with examples taken from rarely-viewed private collections as well as major museums. Concise descriptions of each item pictured augment text that includes a great deal of historical and manufacturing information. You'll find details on the iron works at Saugus, Massachusetts; Batsto, New Jersey; Hopewell, Pennsylvania; and more. There's a discussion of the regional products of the South, Midwest, and Northeast of the United States, along with plenty of information on influences from England and Europe.

Over 450 color photographs display thousands of signed and unsigned jewelry pieces arranged by color and designs. This book brings fact and practical advice to the joy of owning beautiful rhinestone jewelry. The repairing suggestions result from the author's experience caring for their own collections so that you, too, can learn to carefully clean, repair and store your jewelry. Current market values are with the captions.

"It imparts the type of educational information that all stages of jewelry collectors, as well as jewelry enthusiasts from students to dealers, will go back to again and again." - Beth Bernstein, Instore Mag "The Modern Guide to Antique Jewellery will make a collector of you yet" -Annie Davidson, JCK "...filled with fun factual titbits that are presented in a witty, conversational style, with lively narratives exploring each piece's history." - Solitaire International "The ultimate go-to guide." - Retail Jeweller World The ultimate go-to guide, The Modern Guide to Antique Jewellery takes the reader on a tour through time, venturing from the 1700s all the way through to the early 20th century. From how to look chic while wearing jewellery that outdates you by 100 years, to how to spot and score the best pieces, this book is a must-read for all enthusiasts and collectors who have an affinity for the jewels of the past. Fun factual tidbits are presented in a witty, conversational style, and lively narratives explore each piece's history. Part travelogue, featuring the most influential shops in New York, LA, London, Paris and Amsterdam; part educational guide, with anecdotes from dealers and experts; and part celebration of historical jewellery, this book is an invaluable and accessible reference. Topics covered include (but are not limited to): how to identify the most popular gemstones, materials, styles and collectible pieces in the market today, and how to select antique jewellery to complement your lifestyle. The Modern Guide to Antique Jewellery will reveal what to look for and where to locate rare finds, as well as how the experts score the pieces that decorate the fingers, ears, necks and wrists of the collector.

Costume jewelry is increasingly sought-out and appreciated by a growing number of collectors. Pieces made by important designers from the sixties, seventies and eighties are the most highly prized, with . today's teenagers wearing vintage Hippie and Mod jewelry and prices are escalating. Over 600 color photographs and 60 advertising pieces are presented to display the variety in these popular adornments. Fashion and political trends are explained to show that they were reflected in the jewelry designs. Value ranges are included.

Jewels of the Nile celebrates the very first time that the Worcester Art Museum's internationally important collection of Egyptian jewelry - which has undergone conservation and cleaning - has been shown together. This strikingly illustrated book introduces the reader to the collection of an early 20th century Boston couple with a passion for ancient Egypt. The collectors, Laura and Kingsmill Marrs, were guided in their acquisitions by Howard Carter, the archaeologist who would later achieve world-wide recognition for his discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun (1922). Under his guidance, the Marrs's purchased an outstanding selection of scarabs, amulets, jewellery and cosmetic-related articles, including rare blue-toned stone vessels. They also acquired a group of Carter's watercolor renditions of important Egyptian sites and royal figures. These artifacts, as well as objects from Worcester's stellar collection of Egyptian antiquities, are included in the publication.

Open this book to find 3,200 glittering jewelry items distributed by Avon Products, Inc. from 1965 to 2006. It is an almost complete record of the company's production. Read the authority's guide to identifying each design by its official name and date of release, based on the original company brochures, along with current market values. Then go to your jewelry box and see your collection in a different light; now you, too, can become an authority. Learn how the Avon company evolved since 1886. The jewelry line began in 1965 and grew, through original designs and direct marketing home parties, into a giant with about 250 new designs each year. Avon packaging is also an important part of the jewelry's success, and here you will see all the variations that are so desirable among collectors today. Some of the original box styles may even inspire designers today to "think outside the box." This comprehensive new book will become the standard reference for Avon jewelry because it is handsome, complete, and wholly accurate. What more could a jewelry lover want?

Between the years 1630-1668, the French gem merchant, Jean Baptiste Tavernier made six voyages to Persia and India. His true exploits by land and sea go far beyond the ink and paper exploits of fictional adventurers. Tavernier met and did business with some of the world's most powerful princes and romanced some of the most beautiful women. Sometime during his later voyages, Tavernier acquired a magnificent 116 carat blue diamond. Upon his return to France, he sold the diamond to Louis XIV, for the equivalent of 147 kilos of pure gold. The Sun King made him Baron of Aubonne. The remains of Tavernier's blue gem is known today as the Hope Diamond, but for the first 200 years of its history it was called simply The French Blue.

Jewels and Jewellery surveys splendid early medieval pieces and superb examples of Renaissance, Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and 21st-century jewellery. Exquisitely detailed photography reveals both rare and precious stones as well as the elaborate techniques of the jeweller's craft such as chasing, enamelling and cameo. Claire Phillips considers the history of Western jewellery in three parts, first exploring the materials used by jewellers, then turning to the development of styles in jewellery from the Middle Ages to today, before exploring the ways in which jewellery has been hallmarked, distributed and worn over recent centuries. The book concludes with a glossary, bibliography and list of key designers. Showcasing pieces by Cartier, Tiffany and Liberty, this beautiful volume is the ultimate guide to the history of Western jewellery.

This is the most ambitious book ever published on the ruby, the king of gems. From Emperors and Empresses, Kings and Queens, Maharanis to Hollywood royalty, a stunning array of style icons are shown wearing their favourite ruby jewelry, alongside classic images of rubies from art, advertising and fashion. The book also showcases sixty of the world's most significant and renowned pieces of ruby jewelry, including many previously unseen designs from royal and private collections. Historic creations are represented alongside pieces from major modern jewelry houses, among them Cartier, Boucheron, Van Cleef & Arpels, Chaumet, Harry Winston and Graff. Additionally, Ruby offers practical guidance on what to look for in a quality ruby.

From medieval pilgrim badges and Renaissance hat decorations to jewelled brooches and twentieth-century political pins, brooches and badges are often more than practical or decorative dress fasteners; they are expressions of identity. Focusing on the V&A(1)s world-famous collection, Brooches & Badges explores the evolution of these intricate and versatile works of art, and the way in which changes in dress have dictated their use.

The Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge, holds stunning examples of jewellery and metalwork from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This exceptional period of design covers the neo-Gothic and historicist designs of the mid- to late nineteenth century, the groundbreaking work of British Arts & Crafts designers, sinuous curves influenced by the European Art Nouveau movement and the structural modernity of the 1930s. The collection contains jewellery by some of the finest historicist designers, including the Castellani and Giuliano families and John Brogden, as well as a spectacular decanter by William Burges. There are important pieces of jewellery and silver by the most famous of Arts & Crafts designers, including C.R. Ashbee, Henry Wilson, Gilbert Marks and John Paul Cooper. Unique pieces designed by the artist Charles Ricketts hold a special place in the history of queer art in Britain, having been designed for his friends Katherine Bradley and Edith Cooper, a couple known collectively as Michael Field. Modernist silver is represented by leaders of the field Omar Ramsden and H.G. Murphy. This beautifully illustrated volume reproduces 70 of the Museum's most important pieces from this period, many previously unpublished, with comparative illustrations of some of the original designs. Importantly, the book is arranged chronologically by designer and includes biographies, a description of their work and how it changed over time, as well as commentary about the specific works in the Museum's collection. The resulting book therefore brings together for the first time the Fitzwilliam's exceptionally fine holdings of jewellery and metalwork from this highly popular and fruitful period of design.

With a new section of makers marks and new photographs, here is the powerful story of the silver renaissance in Mexico from the 1920s to the present. The wealth of color photos showcases the incomparable beauty of jewelry, tableware, and art works in silver. Extensive research sheds new light on the life and art of William Spratling, Margot van Voorhies, Fred Davis, and Hubert Harmon, and on the artisans who worked for them, making this book the definitive study of Mexican silver jewelry and decorative objects.

The essential guide to mounting and setting stones for all levels. Design & Make: Mounting and Setting Stones is a clear and practical introduction to mount construction and the processes of stone setting. Suitable for both the student and the practising jeweller wanting to learn new skills, this book explains how different stones and cuts relate to their mounts. Easy-to-follow, illustrated explanations describe each setting style, including tension, claw, gypsy, pave and rub-over styles, with step-by-step instructions on how to fix the stone in place. With beautiful examples of work from professional jewellers, a detailed look at mount construction and a useful section on specialist tools and techniques, this guide reveals the skills and methods required for successful mounting and setting.

Newly published in a fifth edition, this definitive guide takes the mystery out of appreciating, buying and selling gemstones. It covers everything from the romance and history of more than 1,800 gemstones to their geographic locations; scientific, physical and colour properties; and the way they are formed, structured and mined. The book also fully covers the optical features of gems - light and colour, luminescence, refraction and inclusions - and key information about the densities and chemical elements of each stone, with fascinating details on different cuts, polishing, gems, hardness, cleavage, classification, trade names, rarity and more. There are also many charts and diagrams as well as magnificent colour photographs of the stones with data about them on the facing page. If you want only one book on gemstones in your library, this would be the one!

Founded in 1780 in Paris, Chaumet quickly made history by becoming the official jeweller to Empress Josephine, soon turning the house into the most sought-after jeweller in Europe with a loyal and prestigious clientele, from empresses and queens to Maharajas. Tiaras, as social symbols and fashion accessories, are Chaumet's speciality and were particularly sought after throughout the centuries - from historical pieces created for royalty to strikingly modern Art Deco pieces crafted for wealthy 1920s flappers. Rarely seen and exhibited, the tiaras illustrated in this book are presented thematically ('Nature', 'Skies', 'Graphic Lines' and 'Power') and are introduced by two short essays: V&A jewelry curator Clare Phillips examines the history of tiaras through the centuries, while fashion expert Natasha Fraser focuses on their role in the history of fashion. Presented in a luxurious, slipcased package, Chaumet: Tiaras is a unique tribute to that most elite of jewels. It will be a must-have reference for lovers of luxury and high jewelry.

Newly updated and expanded,
COLORED GEMSTONES gives you all the
information you need to buy, collect, sell
or simply enjoy sapphires, emeralds, rubies and
other colored gemstones with confidence and knowledge.

With more varieties than ever before to choose from, including altogether new gems, revolutionary new cuts and new ways to buy gems such as Internet auctions and TV shopping there has never been a more exciting time to buy or collect colored gemstones. But there are also new high-tech treatments and sophisticated frauds to look out for. Lack of information, error or misrepresentation can make the thrill of buying a gem or piece of jewelry confusing, intimidating, overwhelming and "costly." Buyers need a source of expert guidance.

This practical, comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide provides all the information you need in order to know "what to look for, " and "what to look out for," including: What qualifies as a gemstone ? How to evaluate color and its impact on price. Deciding between a "natural" gem and an "enhanced" gem and new glass-gemstone "compositions." Colored gemstone synthesis and treatment. What to ask when buying the stone. What to get "in writing." How to get what you want within your budget. Price guides for popular gems, opals and synthetic stones. Important information about buying on the Internet. ... and much more

"Written by an insider, " this easy-to-read guide is the unofficial colored gemstone bible "for anyone who wants to get the most for their money"and enjoy what they have purchased.

Contains the full texts of Cardinal Francesco Gonzaga's will and the post-mortem inventory of his possessions (1483), together with related correspondence. This book analyzes these texts and provides background information about the man himself and his collections.