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Costume Jewelry Categories

Costume Jewelry

Costume Jewelry Categories


Before the 20th century, women wore jewelry made of precious and semi-precious stones largely to show off the wealth of their husbands. The term “costume jewelry,” born in the 1920s, introduced a significant change in that way of thinking. New non-precious materials became more widely available with industrialization, and women began to wear jewelry as a means of expressing themselves creatively and stylishly.

The concept of fashionable costume jewelry truly took off when Coco Chanel introduced bold “statement” accessories in the late 1920s. The “Golden Age” of costume jewelry took place from the late ‘30s to mid ‘50s. Bakelite, a hard plastic material invented in 1907, became popular in the ‘30s and ‘40s as an inexpensive material for beads and bangles.

In 1941, Pell Jewelry Company was founded, and its costume jewelry products were sold in lower-end department stores like Sears and J.C. Penney. Then, in the late ‘40s, high-end designers like Dior started creating costume jewelry pieces, finally able to creatively steer away from restrictive fine jewelry and appeal to a wider audience with more affordable pieces. In the ‘50s, there was a high demand for “parures,” or sets of at least three matching pieces.


Quick Facts

  • While widely popularized in the 1930s, the concept of costume jewelry has actually been around since the 17th century, when jewelers started making pieces out of inexpensive glass
  • Makes of costume jewelry didn’t intend for pieces to be passed down through the generations – it was considered fashionable for a short time and a woman would by a new piece when she bought a new outfit
  • Kenneth Jay Lane was widely known in the 1960s for creating faux jewelry for Jackie Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, and Audrey Hepburn

Recommended Items at Auction

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Assorted Fashion Jewelry, Miriam Haskell Stick Pin
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Assorted Fashion Jewelry, Miriam Haskell Stick Pin
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Est: $0- $0
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roter Schmuckkoffer mit 4 Schubladen voller Modeschmuck
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Est: €0- €0
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Assorted Costume Jewelry & More
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Est: $0- $0
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gr. Tüte Modeschmuck/Steinketten etc., ca. 1,4 kg
Jul 31, 11:00 AM CEST
gr. Tüte Modeschmuck/Steinketten etc., ca. 1,4 kg
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Est: €0- €0
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Assorted Fashion & Southwest Style Jewelry
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Est: $0- $0
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Lot of 2 Beautiful Pieces of Studded Fashion Jewelry Brooches
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Est: $6- $1,000
$244 Bids
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Large Group Of Costume Jewelry
Jul 17, 10:00 AM EDT
Large Group Of Costume Jewelry
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Est: $10- $10,000
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Assorted Fashion & Minerals Jewelry, Necklaces
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Mixed Lot Of Jewelry And Souvenir Items
Jul 17, 10:00 AM EDT
Mixed Lot Of Jewelry And Souvenir Items
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Assorted Costume Fashion Jewelry
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Assorted Costume Fashion Jewelry
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Est: $0- $0
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Assorted Fashion Jewelry, Necklaces
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Est: $0- $0
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Assorted Fashion & Minerals Jewelry, Amethyst
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Assorted Fashion Jewelry, Brooches
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70+ Ladies fashion gold tone and silver tone rings inc. stones
Jul 21, 6:00 PM EDT
70+ Ladies fashion gold tone and silver tone rings inc. stones
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Est: $0- $0
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Lot of 2 Beautiful Pieces of Studded Fashion Jewelry Brooches
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Est: $6- $1,000
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Assorted Fashion Jewelry, Beaded Jewelry
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Assorted Costume Fashion Jewelry
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Assorted Costume Fashion Jewelry
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Est: $0- $0
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Assorted Fashion Jewelry, Beaded Jewelry
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Assorted Fashion Jewelry, Beaded Jewelry
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Est: $0- $0
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Assorted Fashion & Minerals Jewelry, Bone
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Assorted Fashion & Minerals Jewelry, Bone
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Est: $0- $0
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Assorted Fashion Jewelry, Bracelets
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(8) STERLING FASHION GEMSTONE RINGS
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(8) STERLING FASHION GEMSTONE RINGS
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(6) FASHION 925 RINGS - BLUES & PURPLES
Jul 17, 10:00 AM EDT
(6) FASHION 925 RINGS - BLUES & PURPLES
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Lot of 2 Beautiful Pieces of Studded Fashion Jewelry Brooches
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Lot of 2 Beautiful Pieces of Studded Fashion Jewelry Brooches
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Est: $6- $1,000
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Sellers Who Sell Costume Jewelry


Milestone Auctions

Milestone Auctions

EJ'S Auction & Appraisal

EJ'S Auction & Appraisal

Gulfcoast Coin and Jewelry

Gulfcoast Coin and Jewelry

Vintage Auctions

Vintage Auctions