This item is typically worth $10 – $4,000, depending on reference, condition, originality, and provenance.
Market values current as of July 2026Vintage costume jewelry refers to fashion jewelry made roughly from the 1920s through the 1970s using non-precious materials — base metals, glass rhinestones, faux pearls, enamel, and early plastics like Bakelite — rather than gold, platinum, or genuine gemstones. Originally mass-produced as affordable adornment, it was designed to be decorative and disposable, which is exactly why surviving pieces in good condition, and signed examples from respected houses, have become genuinely collectible.
The value spread is enormous and heavily skewed toward the low end. Most unsigned or common signed pieces trade for roughly $10 to $75. Value climbs sharply for signed designer work: pieces marked Trifari, Miriam Haskell, Eisenberg, Weiss, or Coro commonly bring $50 to $800, and the rarest examples — Schiaparelli parures, poured-glass Haskell, Alfred Philippe-era Crown Trifari, and carved Bakelite — can command several thousand dollars each.
Most vintage costume jewelry sells for about $10 to $75, but signed designer pieces from makers like Trifari, Miriam Haskell, Eisenberg, Weiss, and Coro typically bring $50 to $800, and the rarest examples — Schiaparelli, poured-glass Haskell, Crown Trifari, or carved Bakelite — can reach $2,000 to $4,000 or more at auction.
Most collectible costume jewelry makers
Figures below are drawn from collector guides and auction data and reflect strong-condition examples; actual prices vary with condition and completeness.
| Item | Typical value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Trifari (Crown / Alfred Philippe era) | $50–$4,200 | Consistently valuable; a poured-glass bracelet sold for $4,200 in 2023. Jelly-belly and enamel figurals prized. |
| Miriam Haskell | $100–$2,400 | Hand-wired baroque pearl and poured-glass designs; a beaded set fetched $2,400 in 2023. |
| Elsa Schiaparelli | $99–$4,750 | "Shocking" surrealist and aurora borealis pieces are top-tier. Aggregated dealer listing data. |
| Eisenberg / Eisenberg Original | $40–$600 | Large high-quality Austrian rhinestones and sterling settings. |
| Coro / Coro Duette | $35–$550+ | Convertible Duette clip-brooches are the collectible line. Aggregated estimates. |
| Weiss | $25–$300 | Plentiful and beginner-friendly; the smoky "black diamond" series commands more. |
| Juliana (DeLizza & Elster) | $75–$500+ | Unsigned 1950s–70s line identified by open-back settings and figure-eight construction. |
| Bakelite (carved / figural) | $50–$4,000 | Plain bangles modest; deeply carved and figural pieces reach $450–$4,000+. |
What it actually sells for
Value is driven first by signature and maker. A recognized mark — Trifari, Haskell, Eisenberg, Schiaparelli — typically multiplies a piece's worth over an identical unsigned example. Beyond the name, buyers pay for craftsmanship (hand-wired settings, poured or art glass, prong-set foil-backed rhinestones over glued stones), era and style (Art Deco and mid-century figurals are strong), rarity, and complete parures rather than single pieces. Condition is decisive: missing or replaced stones, worn plating, and lost enamel sharply reduce value.
Bakelite is effectively its own market, prized as a material regardless of maker; carved, laminated, and figural Bakelite far outpaces plain examples, and rising prices have spawned reproduction "fakelite," making authenticity testing essential. Market direction has been steady-to-rising for the top tier, while the broad low end remains flat and oversupplied. In short, the market rewards signed, well-made, complete, and clean pieces, and largely ignores the rest.
Notable and record results include:
- Lot of 11 assorted Trifari pieces, estimated at just $50–$150 — $6,500 hammer + premium (LiveAuctioneers, March 2022)
- Poured-glass Crown Trifari bracelet with crystal stones — $4,200 (LiveAuctioneers result cited by FinanceBuzz/AOL, 2023)
- Miriam Haskell beaded necklace with matching earrings — $2,400 (LiveAuctioneers result, 2023)
Where and how to sell vintage costume jewelry
Signed designer and rare Bakelite pieces achieve the best prices at specialist auctions or with dealers who know the makers — compare auction house fees and browse fine jewelry specialists. Common pieces sell fine on general marketplaces. Before selling, get a free AI valuation so you don't undersell a signed piece, or read our complete jewelry valuation guide.
Trusted resources
- LiveAuctioneers — Trifari Auction Price Results
- LiveAuctioneers — Miriam Haskell Auction Price Results
- LiveAuctioneers — Bakelite Auction Price Results
- Decolish — The Bakelite Test: How to Identify Early Plastics
- Costume Jewelry Collectors Int'l — Identifying DeLizza & Elster (Juliana)
What Drives the Value
- Designer signature / maker's mark (signed almost always beats unsigned)
- Craftsmanship: hand-wiring, poured or art glass, prong-set foil-back stones vs. glued
- Condition: missing/replaced stones, worn plating, cracks, enamel loss
- Rarity and desirability of the specific design or line
- Era and style (Art Deco, mid-century figurals, jelly bellies command premiums)
- Complete matching sets (parures) vs. single pieces
- Original packaging, hang tags, and unworn condition
Identification Checklist
- Check the back of the piece — clasp, brooch back, or inside of a bangle — for a maker's mark
- Trifari dating: "KTF" = 1920s–early 30s; crown-over-T introduced 1937; © added mid-1950s
- A © symbol beside a mark generally indicates post-1955 manufacture across the industry
- Study clasp and fittings: C-clasps, early box clasps, and fur-/dress-clip hardware help date a piece
- Juliana (D&E) is unsigned — identify by open-back settings and figure-eight metal "puddling"
- Bakelite: test in a hidden spot with hot water or friction to release a phenol/formaldehyde odor
How to Spot a Fake
- Simichrome polish test: a swab on real Bakelite turns from pink to yellow (some black/red pieces test false-negative)
- Formula 409 test: a swab develops yellow residue on genuine Bakelite regardless of color — test a hidden area
- Hot-water / friction smell test: authentic Bakelite gives a distinctive phenolic odor that "fakelite" often fails
- Beware fake or added maker's marks; verify against known typefaces before paying a designer premium