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Expert in vintage costume jewelry from the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s & 1950s

Camphor glass earrings with diamante and onyx
Front view of camphor glass Art Deco style earrings
Close-up view of camphor glass with embellishment
View of earring backs, showing construction

Camphor Glass Earrings with Diamanté & Onyx

$295.00

MAKER: Unsigned

SIZE: 2 1/2" (including ear wire) x 7/8" (at widest)

CONDITION: Excellent

DATE: 1980s?

MARKS: None

REFERENCE:

These camphor glass earrings were made in the Art Deco style and were very difficult to photograph in the hanging position. The camphor glass is more opaque than the first picture suggests; the second is a more accurate depiction. The pendants are embellished with diamanté triangles and rectangular onyx-glass stones. The ear wires with lever-backs for pierced ears are original to the earrings and unmarked. I have seen similar earrings in Ginger Moro’s book (European Designer Jewelry, p. 49) described as being made from vintage components. From my perspective, the date of their manufacture doesn’t detract from the elegance and glamour these earrings provide the wearer. Scroll down to see the same design in lapis. Both pairs were in my personal collection.

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Camphor Glass Earrings with Diamanté & Onyx

$295.00 USD
Why Buy Vintage Costume Jewelry?

One reason is that it’s environmentally friendly. Resale fashion and vintage jewelry has become a preferred sustainable and affordable shopping choice by today’s discerning fashion and eco-conscious consumer.

Another major reason is the quality. Although vintage costume jewelry was made for all levels of the marketplace – from dime stores to high-end fashion boutiques and jewelry stores – you will find only the best pieces here. They were well-designed and carefully made to last. The manufacturers represented here used only the finest materials – glass stones and beads from Bohemia, Austria, and France, and faux pearls from France and Japan. Settings were primarily sterling silver, gold-filled, or base metals heavily plated with gold, silver, or rhodium. Stones were hand-set, and pieces were hand-finished.

The northeastern part of the U.S. was the center of the industry, with the largest companies located in Providence, Rhode Island by the end of World War II. During the Depression, the quality of costume pieces climbed to new levels when many jewelers and craftsmen had to switch to this segment of the industry. In addition, it attracted many skilled workers who fled the political situation in Europe for the U.S. For these reasons, designs and manufacturing techniques rivaled those employed in the making of fine jewelry.

A third reason to buy costume jewelry is its uniqueness. Having survived for so many decades in such wonderful condition and having been selected for their aesthetic quality, the pieces you’ll find here are unlikely to be found elsewhere.

True vs Fake - how to shop vintage costume jewelry with confidence

Barbara Schwartz, a noted costume jewelry historian, is the author of "True vs Fake" , an in-depth blog series providing examples of how vintage costume jewelry can be accurately attributed. She also shares tips on how to avoid being duped into buying misidentified vintage costume jewelry.