We all know there’s a wealth of information for jewelry researchers online. We can read about our favorite designers, look up marks, ogle vintage ads from magazines, and participate in online groups to learn from others who are also passionate about vintage jewelry. Even so, there’s a benefit to building a reference library on jewelry that you can page through as well. There are countless lessons jewelry historians have shared in books that you just won’t find anywhere online.
There’s another good reason to watch for certain books about jewelry at estate sales: some of them are very valuable. Yes, several of the best out-of-print book titles are in high demand in the online marketplace, so even if you don’t want to keep them for your own reference, you might add them to your inventory for a decent flip.
Here are five books I’d recommend watching out for to add to your library or for resale.
100 Years of Passion for Grosse and Bijoux Christian Dior: Henkel & Grosse Jewellery by Vivienne Becker
As an avid fan of Christian Dior jewelry, this book went on my must-have list immediately when it was published in 2010. It’s a good book by a respected author. But other than reading through it once and referring back to it several times since then while researching some of my Dior acquisitions, honestly, it really didn’t occupy my thoughts much as it sat in a stack in my living room.
As discoveries often happen—by chance—someone in an online jewelry group mentioned that it was now selling for hundreds of dollars, if you can even find one. I immediately went to investigate, and sure enough, it’s not only a scarce title now but one worth a pretty penny.
Collecting Costume Jewelry 303: The Flip Side by Julia C. Carroll
When I found out this book was selling for around $100 now, that discovery surprised me more than any other title on this list. It’s the third in a series of books designed for beginning collectors, and it shows something many readers continually ask book authors to include: back views of the jewelry. This makes sense in a series of books teaching basics, since we quickly learn that viewing the back can be just as important for assessing quality, craftsmanship, and which company made a piece as viewing it from the front. However, the 101 and 202 books that came before it haven’t gone up in value; that had me surmising this one would sell in the same $20-40 range used. Not so, and now I’ve added this to my must-buy list if I happen to run across another one.
And here’s a huge tip for you: this book (the whole series, as a matter of fact, along with many other titles from Collector Books) is available for perusal online in the WorthPoint Library. If you’re not using that valuable part of your WorthPoint subscription, there’s a wealth of jewelry knowledge waiting just a click away.
Costume Jewelry for Haute Couture by Florence Muller
For me, this book has become a favored reference for learning about true high-end jewelry produced for couture houses, including Chanel, Christian Dior, Schiaparelli, Yves St. Laurent, and many others that aren’t as well-known but are very good to add to your European costume jewelry knowledge base. In fact, I recently mentioned it in my article on runway jewelry for that reason.
The problem is that these books, published in 2007, are now hard to come by and usually sell for hundreds when they come on the market. Whether you buy it for resale or for yourself, it’s one to definitely watch for at estate sales.
Juliana Jewelry Reference by Ann Mitchell Pitman
If you’re one of the many people who like to buy books directly from the author, Ann Pitman is offering hardcover reprints online right now for $99 each, and e-books are even more affordable. Her book has been in high demand since it was first published in 2009, as it shows many unmarked pieces confirmed to be Juliana jewelry made by DeLizza & Elster.
That said, original copies of this book can still sell for at least $200 on the rare occasion that they’re offered for sale, and you’ll sometimes see them listed for much more in the online marketplace. So, even with the reprints available, I’d still recommend buying the original version published by Collector Books if you happen to run across it at a price within reason.
If you’re going to keep it, I will say one drawback is that it doesn’t have an index. Never fear, though, I created one for myself and posted it on the Costume Jewelry Collectors Int’l website so my jewelry friends can print it out, too.
Memoirs of a Fashion Jewelry Manufacturer by Frank R. DeLizza
This is the most obscure book on this list since, as far as I know, it was only marketed by the author directly to collectors. That’s how I got my signed copy. After sharing his recollections with many of us who got to know him at jewelry collecting events, DeLizza decided to self-publish some of those memories in 2007. Quite a few people didn’t get a chance to order one from him, so now they’re looking for a copy of their own to read.
You might find one of the other books on this list at the estate sale of a more casual jewelry buyer, but this one will likely be part of a truly avid collector’s stash. It’s not a book chock-full of jewelry photos but rather a deep dive into the timeframe that DeLizza & Elster was in business.
I’m holding on to my copies of all these books, but it’s good to know that I could sell them for a good sum if I ever decide to. There are quite a few other costume jewelry-related books that make up a well-rounded library, and I’ll fill you in on those when I cover the books I wouldn’t want to live without.
Pamela Siegel is a freelance writer and author who has been educating collectors for more than two decades. In addition to three books on topics relating to antiques and collectibles, she frequently shares her expertise through online writing and articles for print-based publications. Pamela is also the co-founder of Costume Jewelry Collectors Int’l (CJCI) and the proprietor of Chic Antiques by Pamela.
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