Fab Finds at Flea Markets

Antiquing is a fun hobby, that can be quite addictive and profitable when buying for resale. One of my favorite things to collect is quality vintage jewelry. I love the glamor look of the 40's and 50's, when women wore beautiful clothing and gowns. Costume jewelry sparkled like real diamonds, and was skillfully made by costume jewelry artisans of the time. Most women could easily wear a beautiful piece of costume jewelry--such as an elaborate brooch--to accentuate a plain tailored suit or hat, adding instant glamor.

When antiquing for vintage jewelry, look for pieces that were well made, with pronged rhinestone settings, not glued settings. Look for quality cut rhinestones, that have a good sparkle to them. Try to avoid scratched jewelry, or pieces with missing rhinestones, unless the jewelry is from a noted artisan. Look for jewelry artist names on the back of the piece you find. Some jewelry makers can often fix a vintage piece of jewelry that may be missing a stone. Always buy vintage costume jewelry when priced right, even if the piece is not mint. Vintage costume jewelry to look for while antiquing is Weiss, Coro, Lisner, Napier, Boucher, Monet, Hattie Carnegie, Hobe', Bogoff, Trifari, and more.