The ABCs of Jewelry Attribution and Why
it is Not Always Possible.
We have all been there. You find an especially nice vintage piece and you think it should be signed but it isn't. If you are a dealer this can pose some problems. How to price the item and how to describe the item.
Unfortunately there are no cut and dry answers. Below is a list of ways to try and make an attribution. There is no one way to attribute jewelry and you cannot use just one method.
- Find matching signed pieces. You need to
be sure that the designer did not always sign their pieces. - Find the item in a jewelry book or vintage
jewelry advertisement. - Determination can sometimes be made by the style of the
piece or the construction techniques used or characteristics. A great
example of this is the DeLizza and Elster five link bracelets - and necklaces. Some designers are known to use a certain
type of faux pearl or other material that might give you a clue. - Jewelry of a certain time period may have been patented so it may be
possible to find a patent. The patent will tell you who applied and for
whom. - If you belong to a jewelry forum, ask the group. Many times one or more
of the other members may have seen the piece signed in the past.
Two close cousins are the illegible or mystery marks. Both can be very frustrating. The same rules above apply, but it is possible that the mark in question will remain a mystery. One additional rule is to contact the company you believe produced your piece.
Many designers used the same findings such as earring clips. Miriam Haskell used a clip that I have seen on earrings not made by her company.
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