Little is known about jewelry signed Madeleine other than that some of the pieces, including this set, were manufactured by DeLizza and Elster. 

Vendôme necklaces often showcase wonderful, interesting beads like the "cluster" beads in the above example.  Each cluster is comprised of glass disks (pointed and faceted on both sides) gathered together into one ornamental shape.  Smaller disks adorn the top and bottom of each cluster.

Vendôme fancy bead necklaces, especially single strand necklaces, are amazingly affordable and, in my opinion, a wonderful addition for any collection.  Expect the cost to increase for each additional strand.  The most sought after sets include four or five strand necklaces. 

Beautiful "Made in Austria" sets like the one shown here are often inexpensive, which never ceases to surprise me due to the fabulous quality.  This set features golden navette shaped rhinestones set in black lacy metal. 

Jewelry signed "Made in Western Germany" is plentiful and does not usually command top dollar in the collectible marketplace, so I look for Western Germany sets with unusual design elements and/or great stones.  This set meets both of those criteria.  Notice the hammered metal leaves and how they seem to grip or encase the lovely deep purple stones.  The textured metal is amazingly light-weight, making this set easy to wear, and the rhinestones are top-notch.

The price was right (under $30.00) for this sparkling Weiss bracelet with a wonderful, belt buckle style rhinestone clasp.  In my experience, Weiss jewelry is lovely and usually properly sized for an average person.  I find I wear my Weiss pieces often. 

Please look carefully at the Rebajes signature.  Most collectors refer to this jewelry as Rebajes (which I believe to be correct); however, I have seen Rebajes copper jewelry listed as "Rebaj" or "Rebaje".  Sometimes the "S" is called a "fish mark."  When searching for this jewelry online, I try all of the combinations.

Copper jewelry is "hot" this year so the prices are rising.  The signatures to look for are Rebajes, Renoir, and Matisse.  See below for a lovely Renoir set I plan to wear this fall because it matches beautifully with the fall fashions and colors.

Interestingly only the Renoir double leaf necklace is signed.  The other pieces are obviously a match, but are unmarked.  When trying to add to signed copper sets, it is a good idea to search through unmarked copper listings.  Apparently some designer pieces are unmarked.

This unusual tree pin is signed Freirich.  I wonder if it is a Christmas pin?  In any case, the design is wonderful!

Beautifully molded leaves, complete with veins, are held in place with decorative prongs.  I do not own another piece of jewelry with this style of molded leaf.  The leaves appear to be resin but also could be molded glass.  Prong set garnet color rhinestones, like yummy berries, surround the leaves.  Finally a filigree gold tone ball is attached to the trunk. 

This wonderful tree is very, very flat and light weight.  The mark indicates it was made after 1964 when Freirich jewelry was first marked.

These wonderful Accessocraft earrings caught my eye at a local flea market.  I love the intricate open-work design and the especially beautiful glass stones.  Beautiful, signed earrings like these are still available at flea markets for very affordable prices.  I can't resist buying them and hoping one day to find more matching pieces.

This wonderful Coro pin is signed "Coro" without the copyright symbol suggesting it dates to before 1955.  The design patent chart on page 69 of Collecting Costume Jewelry 202 lists 1948 Coro design patent numbers for many household items including a lantern, candelabra, coffee pot, scissors, and a spinning wheel. 

Due to Elsa Schiaparelli's huge contributions to the fashion world, signed Schiaparelli jewelry is highly collectible, even simple confetti Lucite earrings like the pretty pair shown above.  These earrings are in wonderful condition and very well-made for Lucite jewelry.  Note the open back design to help the golden confetti shine through the plastic and the decorative prongs used to hold the Lucite buttons in place.   

Little is known about the maker of Gale jewelry.  Most of the examples found today feature clear prong-set stones, so I was delighted to find this colorful set at a flea market.  I love the unusual combination of summery white stones with dangling amber (usually a fall color) faceted crystal beads.  Playful and fun, this set is perfect for summer into fall fashions.      

I purchase Gale jewelry based on the appeal of the design.  Of course, I only consider good to excellent condition examples.  Gale jewelry is usually affordable and, as can be seen by this set, sometimes lovely.

This fabulous brooch is unmarked; however, a brooch with the same design is shown in the 2004 - 2007 Discovering D & E aka Juliana Group figural folder. 

I do purchase unmarked jewelry if the price is right, the style is fabulous, and the piece has another "plus" features.  In this case, knowing this is a D & E design is a "plus" feature.  Other "plus" features might include unmarked jewelry that matched vintage advertising, jewelry in original marked boxes, jewelry featured in books, jewelry with rare stones, or jewelry with original hang tags.

This wonderful "winking" Warner cat pin is amazingly cute and well-made.  The stones are fabulous as is the cute design.  However, even though in my opinion this cat pin is far superior to the Dodds cat pins, this Warner design does not sell for even half as much as the Dodds.  I do not understand this trend.  If anyone can explain it to me, please contact me.  I'd love to know.

This wonderful signed Trifari leaf pin features the same cut and color of stones as the 1948 red, white, and blue Trifari set shown above.  (The set is dated to 1948 because the design is similar to a 1948 patent.)  Even though the design of the leaf is not an exact match to the design of the 1948 set, I believe it dates to the same era. 

By studying the Trifari patents when researching Collecting Costume Jewelry 202 I came to understand that Trifari often repeated a style element or color scheme in the jewelry produced in one year.  For example, it is possible Trifari sold several different styles of earrings that all coordinated with the necklace and bracelet.  Of course, I can not be certain that this leaf pin was originally produced at the same time as this set, but in my opinion, I think it is likely.  In any event, the leaf pin looks wonderful with the other Trifari red, white and blue pieces - don't you agree?

Yes, I do sometimes purchase unmarked jewelry like this unusual expansion choker necklace.  It is rare to find one of these necklaces in such pristine condition.  The necklace is a long version of the common expansion bracelets except there is a push-in clasp.  It is amazingly comfortable to wear and looks wonderful with jeans and a blazer!

Many different examples of Florenza jewelry are featured in Collecting Costume Jewelry 101.  I am a fan of Florenza jewelry.  In my opinion, the jewelry is well-crafted with interesting designs and often features fabulous stones.  I am continuing to collect Florenza jewelry and was delighted to find this pristine set on a recent antiquing vacation in Virginia.  Currently the most collectible Florenza (the sets that command top dollar) are Florenza designs featuring saphiret glass stones.

Due to the Elsa Schiaparelli's prominence in fashion design, signed Schiaparelli jewelry is highly collectible even though it is believed that Schiaparelli herself did not design the jewelry.  It was originally sold in boutiques for above average prices.  Some Schiaparelli jewelry is very high-quality but many vintage examples are more average, with only the Schiaparelli name to push the piece into the high-end collectible market.  If the above brooch, even though it is very lovely, were signed Weiss or Coro, I would not have purchased it for my collection.  However, the Schiaparelli signature, in this case, makes all of the difference.    

Isn't this a fun set?  Imagine, this great red hat set was produced long before the Red Hat Society jewelry became popular.  Jewelry like this set, in my opinion, is an extremely affordable and fun way to collect vintage costume jewelry.  Of course, a lower end set like this one must be in MINT condition.  It is wonderful, but not worth investing time or money in repairs.

I do not know why, but for some mysterious reason these Dodds cat pins are selling for $40.00 -  $100.00 on eBay.  The high value is likely an aberration that will correct itself; however, a savvy collector who wants to make some "collecting" dollars may be able to find one of these cat pins for a low price and resell the pin on eBay for a nice profit. 

This cute cat pin can be found in many different color combinations.  Look for mint condition examples.  It is adorable, but it is NOT rare! 

This interesting Les Bernard necklace is not only a new addition to my collection, it is also a new addition to my wardrobe.  Les Bernard jewelry (1963 - 1996) is a newer collectible and very affordable.  It is impossible to predict if Les Bernard jewelry will one day be a favorite of collectors so I only buy newer collectible pieces in excellent condition that I personally like and plan to wear. 

It is difficult to capture in a photograph the wonderful free form black glass stones.  Each is cut like a fine piece of marble with a flat polished top and irregularly shaped edges.  The stones are separated by textured gold-tone spacers.  Each clip earring is beautifully set in a free-form textured metal base which mirror the free-form shape of the stones.  Only the earrings are marked LES BERNARD which highlights the importance of keeping sets together.

The wonderful design of this set and the gold wash over sterling silver clasp give this set a plus quality.  In my opinion, it is a keeper.

Almost without exception, Ciner jewelry is beautifully made.  From 1931 until the present day Ciner jewelry has produced high-quality, well-crafted costume jewelry.  This lovely emerald rhinestone bracelet is an excellent example of Ciner's superior quality.

Often, even the smallest gemstones in fine jewelry are  set in open backed settings to maximize the sparkle of the expensive stones.  Ciner imitates this technique by placing high-quality emerald rhinestones, surrounded by clear rhinestones, in the same open-backed style settings used by fine jewelry.

In my opinion, good condition Ciner jewelry of this quality is always a worthwhile investment. 

I recommend only purchasing the best Selro/Selini designs.  This glorious set is absolutely top-drawer.  The green triangular stones are masquerading as glass but in reality they are made of Lucite.  They are faceted like glass and reflect light like glass, but are not glass!

Jewelry marked Selro and jewelry marked Selini were made by the same company.  Sometimes, like the above set, both signatures are found together. 

Even though it is unmarked, I could not resist this cute cat pin.  The stones are wonderful, the design is adorable, and the pin is well-made.  This wonderful cat pin (in two different color variations) appears in the Figurals 2004 - 2007 confirmed files of the Discovering D&E Juliana Jewelry group.   (Visit the Discovering D&E Juliana Jewelry group and learn about becoming a member at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/discoveringjulianajewelry   )

I love to buy "book" pieces.  I enjoy holding and admiring examples of jewelry authors found worthy of including in books.  This beautiful set (in a different color) is featured in Memoirs of a Fashion Jewelry Manufacturer by Mr. Frank DeLizza.  Please go to the Discovering D & E Juliana Jewelry group site (the link is provided above) for information on ordering this wonderful book.

I love these Weiss flower pins.  If the price is right, I can't resist adding a new variation to my collection of Weiss jewelry.  I am often asked if I actually wear my jewelry.  The answer is "sometimes."  Much of the jewelry is too fragile or too valuable to risk wearing it everyday.  However, I do wear my Weiss pieces, including the long-stemmed flower pins.  In my opinion, Weiss jewelry is usually solid (without being too heavy), lovely (without being too fragile), and replaceable (without being hugely expensive).

Weiss produced many styles of long-stemmed flower pins in the early 1960's.  See an advertisement for these long-stemmed beauties on page 470 of Collecting Costume Jewelry 202.  Notice the three little green rhinestones at the end of the twisted wire stem.  These add a plus quality to this vibrantly colored bloom.  

Note:  Some "new" Weiss jewelry is currently being manufactured in Rhodes Island.  The Second Edition of Collecting Costume Jewelry 101, due to be released in the fall, offers some tips on identifying these "new" Weiss pieces.  For example, the "new" Weiss have pasted-in rather than prong set stones. 

Alice Caviness jewelry exhibits a wide range of styles including delicate sterling silver jewelry, fun figural pieces (sometimes with exceptionally fine enameling), and over-the-top rhinestone jewelry. 

My favorite Alice Caviness pieces are the spectacular rhinestone designs like the rare red and pink rhinestone set shown above.  The elaborate design includes red and pink navette shaped stones, gold tone flowers, an unusual square rivoli center stone, and a pleasing shape resembling four royal crowns forming a Maltese cross.

NOTE:  Some Alice Caviness jewelry was manufactured by DeLizza and Elster including this spectacular set..  (Photos of this set were submitted to the Discovering D & E aka Juliana Group for review.  The group determined that this great set was manufactured by DeLizza and Elster.) 

See Collecting Costume Jewelry 101 Second Edition (Due to be released in Fall 2007) for another amazing Alice Caviness rhinestone set.

This wonderful Boucher set is signed Boucher with inventory number 9799P dating this piece to the 1960's or early 1970's.  Notice the wonderful tall or high domed turquoise cabochon stones.  (See Stones for more details on these great stones.)

This beautiful Kramer set features wonderful, two color rhinestones mixed with sapphire blue stones and aurora borealis rhinestones.  Notice the wonderful mix of rhinestone shapes:  rectangular, round, tear drop, navette, and oval.  Some of the settings are open in the back and some are closed.  The lovely stones give this Kramer set a plus quality.  (See Stones for more details on these lovely stones.)

The most collectible Haskell jewelry usually features tapestry beading.  (See pages 337 – 345 of Collection Costume Jewelry 202 for examples of tapestry bead work.)  Even though this beautiful Haskell necklace does not have any tapestry bead work, it still made my heart go “ping” trigging my jewelry “buy it” instinct.  For the following reasons, this great piece is part of my personal collection:

• First, the necklace is an authentic Haskell piece.  The hook is the correct Haskell shape (notice the thick, distinctive hook shape) and is decorated with a typical Haskell flower. 

• In addition, the piece is properly signed “Haskell” on the hook and again on the double sided hang-tag. 

• An essential quality to any serious jewelry collector is the condition of the piece.  This beauty is in excellent, near mint condition.

• I’m sure all new collectors hear the advice “Buy what you like.”  Even though this advice is trite, I also believe it is true.  I like the festoon style of this necklace and the fall colors.  It is something I can see myself wearing under a suit jacket or over a soft turtleneck. 

• Finally, the price was fair.  (Sorry, the actual price paid is my little secret.)

This spectacular set caught my attention for the following reasons: 

• I love the interesting asymmetrical design.  Notice that the necklace decoration is set off to the side.  The fluid green beads do not hang in the center like an ordinary pendant.

• Always essential, the condition of this set is MINT.  I don’t think it has ever been worn, which is a shame.  The color and style beautifully frame the face.

• Of course, the DeMario signature is authentic and present.

• The price I paid for this set was slightly above the average range for DeMario, but in my view the set has a plus quality and was worth the investment.

See additions examples of DeMario jewelry in both Collecting Costume Jewelry 101 and Collecting Costume Jewelry 202.

The grand size and titanic sparkle of this brooch caught my eye as soon as I entered the antique store.  I must admit I was amazed to see the Castlecliff signature on this piece.  Although known for eye-catching, large jewelry, this level of glitz is atypical for Castlecliff.  The asking price for this piece was high, so I nearly left it behind.  However, the dealer was willing to negotiate so I added this Castlecliff masterpiece to my collection. 

Note:  The photograph does not capture the clear sparkle of the center stone.  It is not the least bit cloudy as the picture suggests.

See pages 285 - 287 of Collecting Costume Jewelry 202 for more information about Castlecliff jewelry.