Vintage jewelry has played many roles throughout history, including warding off evil spirits, symbolizing religion and adornment for the sake of beauty. Today, collectors are attracted to vintage costume jewelry and vintage wedding jewelry for its design, aesthetic value and embodiment of the era in which it was produced.
In nearly every culture, the upper class has always had access to and means to acquire fine jewelry, but the desire to own or wear something pretty wasn't limited to the wealthy. While fine jewelry imitations made from paste or glass can be traced back to the 1700s, costume jewelry as we know it today emerged along with the rise of the middle class and industrialization and didn't reach its peak until the first quarter of the 20th century.
The Victorian Influence on Costume Jewelry
While Victorian costume jewelry doesn't technically quality as vintage costume jewelry, the pieces produced during the reign of Queen Victoria over Great Britain (1837-1901) certainly influenced practice: when Victoria took the thrown, women around the world began to view her as a fashion icon to emulate.
The jewelry Queen Victoria is perhaps most known well know for today is her mourning jewelry, which she began wearing after her husband, Prince Albert died in 1861. Mourning jewelry was, as one would expect, generally black or dark in color and was typically from materials like jet, bog oak, dyed horn and hair.
The use of hair wasn't limited to mourning jewelry however, In an era where many people weren't able to afford to have portraits or photographs, women began the practice of braiding their hair into intricate bracelets, rings or brooches they'd later give to families and friends as keepsakes. Sometimes, the women would use pieces of gold or small stones as accents.
Art Nouveau Jewelry
The Art Nouveau Movement (c. 1890-1920) is often described as a rebellion against the Industrial Revolution's methods of mass production. Often elaborate in style, Art Nouveau jewelry is characterized by asymmetrical lines and the use of sensual and nature-inspired images like leaves, lilies, dragonflies, and female faces and depictions of long, flowing hair.
Art Deco Jewelry
In contrast to the sensual and flowing lines depicted in art nouveau jewelry, art deco jewelry design focused more on angles and geometric patterns. Egyptian and Asian motifs were widely used during this period (c. 1920-1935) and it was also during this time that costume jewelry making began to come into its own.
During the 1930s, the pieces were produced almost with the intention of being disposable; the materials used were cheap. Jewelry was designed to be worn with single outfits or only until the current fashion changed. It was also during the art deco movement that Bakelite jewelry, made from hard plastic, was made popular by fashion designers like Coco Chanel who featured it in her collections.
War-time Costume Jewelry
The start of World War II had a significant impact on the design of costume jewelry, with patriotic symbols began appearing everywhere along with symbols of love, like hearts and lockets. As the times grew more complicated, fashion grew simpler and the jewelry produced during this time was less elaborate than what had been seen before.
Additionally, many traditional materials used in the making of costume jewelry were limited in quantity when they were available at all. Rhinestones, for example, could no longer be imported from Europe and were in short supply and silver replaced metals like copper and brass.
Post World War II to the 1960s
When the war ended, many Americans enjoyed a windfall of disposable income. With darker times behind them, women began adding glamour back into their lives and costume jewelry makers responded by fashioning big, bold pieces with sparkle and shine.
The arrival of the 1960s saw the rise of what's sometimes called the Mod era where traditions gave way to wilder designs that first featured bold floral motifs and later, the peace symbol. Enameled costume jewelry painted in bright colors was popular and acrylic glass was used to produce clunky and chunky pieces.
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