Brookfield/Elm Grove Monthly

Freeman Brookfield & Elm Grove • Page 3B MARCH 2016 Bring in this ad and receive 10% OFF YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE Consignment Hours: Mon. 10am-6pm; Wed. thru Sat. 10am-2pm Store Hours: Mon. thru Fri. 10am-7pm; Sat. 10am-5pm Expires 3-31-16 EliteRepeatClothing.com GIF T CARDS AVAILABLE PLEASE CALL AHEAD FOR CONSIGNMENT CLOTHING / PURSES / SHOES / JEWELRY Ruby Isle Shopping Center 2205 N. Calhoun Rd., Brookfield 262-789-9359 247356010 Looking for this season's hottest trend? We've got that. Fresh looks for spring are here! Check out the MBA Spring Tour for fresh ideas to make your dream home a reality. This year's tour will feature: New Homes • Condos • Lots • Developments. The MBA Spring Tour guide has all the details inside the April edition. Brookfield & Elm Grove T H I S M O N T H Weekends: April 16 thru May 1, 2016 get inspired Q. I have had so much fun collecting costume jewelry for many years and here is a sampling of my collection. How does one determine value in today's society? — S.G., Oconomowoc A. The topic of vintage costume jewelry is infused with misunder- standing, sentimental value, replicas and copies. Mom's and Grandma's jewelry boxes often held more than just jewelry. The contents were very personal, representing a lifetime of memories. A 19th-century platinum diamond ring could be tangled among resin chains and baby's first tooth. Nothing was ever worthless or thrown away — even if one earring was lost the mate was kept. Writing a column on costume jewelry could create both intrigue and confusion about inherited items. Additionally, it is extremely difficult to pho- tograph and there are lit- erally thousands of pieces coming on the market. For costume jewelry to be valued at more than a few dollars, certain criteria must be met. Collectors are looking for items marked with a maker's stamp, label or some form of identification deter- mining manufacturer, designer, silversmith or jewelry store, etc. Pieces have to be in mint condi- tion with no pitting, breaking, color-fading, missing, replaced or loose components. Cloudy rhinestones or a bent prong are among the most common minor damages that deplete value. The information here is only minimal and there are countless other jewel- ers and manufacturers that are very collectible. BARBARA EASH Antiques Appraised Costume jewelry shines brightly on resale markets Miriam Haskell pearl necklace: At age 25 Miriam Haskell moved from Indiana to New York City and created a sensational line of fabulous, high-quality fake jewelry. Plated metals were used instead of silver or gold and silver-screen stars loved to flaunt them (while keeping their genuine jewels locked away). It wasn't until the 1940s when Miriam began to mark her jewelry pieces with an oval or horseshoe-shaped plate embossed with her name. One design feature she was famous for was the use of imita- tion baroque pearls, (a bumpy, irregularly shaped pearl). Your triple- strand choker has Lucite spacer disks called "rondels" that imitat- ed cut-crystal and gave added dazzle. Value: $250 Mexican tourist bracelets: When collecting sterling silver jewelry, look for a sterling mark and designer stamp. Avoid pieces that are light-weight — they are constructed of inferior metal. Seek out well-crafted cuttings, strong buckle hinges and if the piece con- tains stones, they must be high-quality with no imperfections. Your two hollow strap-bracelets, repetitive, link-stamped design have moderate quality, scratched surfaces and are quite common. Current low demand and stalled sales are making prices drop. Value per bracelet: $125. Georg Jensen (1866-1935) dove pin (pictured with bracelets): Trained as a sculptor, Jensen opened a workshop in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1904. He used his name as the maker's mark for decades — making it difficult to date many pieces. Famous for sterling silver jewelry, he often used raised designs of flowers, leaves and birds. In his extraordinary pieces he incorporat- ed semiprecious stones that sell especially well. This hollow Georg Jensen dove brooch has been very popular, with many currently in the market. Minimal value is $100. Submit an item for consideration Do you have an item or collec- tion of items that could be shared in a future newspaper column? Let Barbara Eash hear about it! To have your item or collec- tion considered send the follow- ing information: up to three, sharp, well-lit photos of front & back of the item(s), measure- ments as well as any history or hearsay, length of ownership and your full name, address and daytime phone number. Mail: Waukesha Antique Shop, ATTN: Barbara Eash, 1427 E. Racine, Ave. Unit E-2, Wauke- sha, WI 53186 or email: beap- praisals@gmail.com. If your item(s) are considered for a future column, we will contact you. No photos can be returned and no purchase of items will occur. (Barbara Eash is a member of the Certified Appraisers Guild of America, specializing in appraisals of antiques and col- lectibles and has extensive experi- ence writing and speaking about antiques.) H. Pomerantz bird pin: This tropical bird pin has one red-eye rhine- stone, white rhinestone embellishments and is made of silver-tone pot metal. Close to 5 inches long, the teardrop belly remains crystal clear on this 1930s beauty. The letter "H" was dropped in his later designs. Another costume jewelry pro- ducer, Trifari Jewelers, made Jelly Belly jewelry that was extremely popular and many looka- likes and imitators hit the marketplace. Note that a reissue in 1996 of a Trifari Jelly Belly Fish brooch is making it rounds today. Your H. Pomerantz New York bird pin has a value of $165. Hattie Carnegie tassel brooch: Costume jewelry often came from jewelers who worked directly with high-couture designers to accessorize their clothing line. This designer piece from Hattie Carnegie is called a Trembling Brooch. The small, 3-inch bouquet has metal tassels mounted on tiny springs that tremble with any movement. Not only did it wiggle, it flickered under any light. Note the closure pin reaches across the entire back of the brooch, providing stability when worn. Value: $165. The FREEMAN Waukesha County's Daily Newspaper Learn from Lauren about our changing schools. To subscribe, call 262-542-2500 or go online at: gmtoday.com/subscribe Education Reporter Lauren Anderson Education Reporter Lauren Anderson

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