Why collect antique and vintage costume jewellery?
It is a very personal decision. People collect for the look of a piece of jewellery; because it is from a certain era or because it has been designed by a specific designer. Here we have written a short description for each era on the style of jewellery with a bit of history. Victorian Era (1837 – 1901) With Queen Victoria reign came the industrial revolution and new cheaper designs in jewellery. Paste – glass mixed with white lead oxide and potash. Long lasting and a substitute for diamonds Fake pearl beads were created by coating balls of glass with a mixture of fish scales and varnish Cut steel was used first in Birmingham to create marcasite jewellery (poor man’s diamonds) Romantic jewellery came in when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert. Mizpah or sentimental brooches with their symbolic messages became fashionable Many different materials were used to make jewellery including hair, tortoiseshell and jet Scottish jewellery especially made of silver, granite and agate, became po
