Our program was given by our own member, Tricia Brekenridge. Tricia has been a jewelry collector for over 35 years. She and her husband, George, own the Atlanta Antique Gallery in Chamblee's Antique Row on Broad St. Atlanta Antique Gallery has been voted Best Antique Shop for the last 2 years by the readers of Creative Loafing. Last year they also won Best Jewelry Shop. Costume jewelry was created during times when ordinary people could not afford estate or couture jewelry. Wars and the Depression are examples of those times. Many of the designers from Cartier, DeBeers, etc., left and went to work in the costume jewelry business or started their own costume jewelry companies. Good examples of these are Kramer and Tiffany. The factors that increase the value of costume jewelry are good condition, sound construction, original stones, findings and the box it came in, fine design, excellent workmanship, uniqueness, maker's mark or designer's signature; pairs (such as earrings or cufflinks), or entire suites (known as parures). Factors that decrease value are poor condition, obvious solder or glue repairs, missing or replacement parts or stones, cracked or chipped stones, unwanted decorations (monograms), no maker's marks, poor design, shoddy workmanship, fragility, and if the supply is greater than the demand. Signed pieces always command higher prices partly because most people don't trust their own judgment or that of the dealers. They want to see the signature. Schreiner manufactured the highest quality pieces of jewelry, but left many of them unsigned. Their designs are unmistakable. A non-signed Schreiner piece will cost 75% of the signed.

Some of the most collectible makers signatures are Trifari, Miriam Haskell, Schreiner-New York, Weiss, Kramer of New York, Coro, Corocraft, Chanel, DeMario, Stanley Hagler, Jomaz, Mazer, Regency Originals by Robert and Boucher. Reproductions and reissues or restrikes are something that all glass club members know about. Reproductions kill the marketplace and make collectors and ordinary consumers afraid to make a purchase. Always remember that if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is! A restrike or reissue is a better deal for the new collector. A restrike or reissue has the same mold and materials. Collectors can get a beautiful brooch or earrings in excellent condition. This does, however, decrease the value for other collectors who already own the originals. An example of this is Eisenberg Ice. Original Eisenberg pieces will always be more valuable than the Eisenberg Ice items. Trifari now dates their new pieces. Hollycraft has always dated their items.

If you have ever wondered why the jewelry pieces of the 40's and 50's are so hard to find in excellent condition, I can think of several reasons. Ladies during those times used hair spray, perfume, lotions, and make-up. Most homes, stores, cars, and meeting places such as churches and synagogues were not air-conditioned. The heat in this area alone is brutal during summer months. The jewelry was never meant to last more than one season. Fifty or sixty years later, many fine examples of this "throw-away" jewelry still exist. When dressing, put your jewelry on last - after lotion, perfume and hair spray. Never handle jewelry when your hands are sticky. Pearls are especially sensitive to skin oils, hair spray, perfume and lotions. They can alter the color and luster of your pearls. Store your pearls in a soft cloth bag after wiping them with another soft cloth before putting them away. When cleaning rhinestones, do so with a soft brush like a blush brush or soft toothbrush. Do NOT use water on rhinestones or the metal. Rubbing alcohol with a cotton swab followed by blowing dry with your hair blower on the cool setting. The hot setting can melt that 50-year-old glue. Never let any moisture get under the foil-backed stones. It will turn the stones black. Any cleaner can also corrode the base metals. Do not use Simichrome, Maasmetal cleaner/polisher, or silver polish cloths on silver plate. They will remove the plating. Sometimes the older jewelry will develop a case of the 'greenies'. This can be removed by using ketchup -leave it on for a few minutes and then wipe it off, clean with rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs then the cool hair blower. Sometimes, when the 'greenies' are gone, there might be a black spot left. Corrosion is oxidation because the metal has combined with oxygen to form a new compound. Removing it can also remove the plating. If the piece does not have stones, it can be washed in warm soapy water and wiped dry with a soft cloth. Repairing or replacing stones should be done by experienced persons. Kathy Li is one of the dealers at Atlanta Antique Gallery and does exceptional costume jewelry repairs.

Bakelite jewelry was preceded by celluloid. Bakelite was followed by Lucite. Yes, Bakelite is just plastic, just like Rookwood is just pottery, Lalique is just glass, Stickley is just oak, and Kensington is just aluminum. Leo Bakeland discovered Bakelite in 1907 while trying to produce synthetic shellac. It is the first thermosetting plastic - a synthetic that will not melt once it has been set. It was first used for electric insulation. Bakelite has a wood filler which causes it to be more dense than its other plastic cousins. Bakelite is not colorfast; it changes color with the light and atmosphere. Bakelite could be molded, hand-carved and jig sawed. The patent for Bakelite expired in 1927. Many other companies wanted to produce this plastic. The Catalin Corporation was one of the successful competitors. How can you tell if it is Bakelite or not? You can do the hot needle test if you own the item. A hot needle will NOT penetrate Bakelite. Bakelite is relatively heavy. There will be no seams or mold marks because it is made from cast molds. If you drop a piece, it makes a clanking sound. The carbolic acid smell will be apparent when you do a warm rub test. You can use Simichrome on a soft cloth and rub the item. The pink Simichrome changes the cloth you use to yellow not unlike nicotine stains. Patinas are the natural surface changes caused by exposure to light and air over time. Bakelite has been known to NOT change over time and exposure. Bakelite and Catalin used the same formula with the exception of the wood filler in Bakelite. Bakelite was thought to be all the dark colors while Catalin was usually bright. Non-wood filled Catalin has variegated and striated colors, similar to marble. "Applejuice" or "Prystal", is one variety of clean material which was a mellow amber. (If it is still clear, it is NOT Bakelite). Bakelite was also reverse carved. The "Applejuice" Bakelite was carved on the back side and usually painted. End of the Day, just like in glass making, the leftover colors at the end of the day are poured and swirled in its mold to create its highly effective beauty. "Stardust" has flecks of gold inside. There is an Old Wives Tale about the government shutting down the production of Bakelite because of the formaldehyde and worker's lungs. Actually, after WWII there was an economic resurgence. Ladies put away cheap plastic jewelry and costume jewelry, along with all the other items that reminded them of the Depression and the war. Bakelite was inexpensive; however, handmade and impractical in the post-war time period when production lines were the wave of the future. Bakelite blanks were warehoused, discovered and retrieved over the years. Many new artists are making new Bakelite jewelry from old found Bakelite pieces, creating new pieces, not reproductions of old designs with fabulous results. Bakelite was created until the end of the 1940's. Currently, the Chinese have developed a plastic that dealers refer to as "Fakelite". "Fakelite" is poorly designed, very, very heavy and does not pass any test! Both Bakelite and Catalin can be polished with Simichrome.