In honour of the winter blues, and the snow that's falling down tonight, I am happy to bring you this vintage blue snowflake pin I thritfed for two bucks. It is signed Coro. The New York jewellery company, Coro, I know, made various levels of costume jewellery in its 80-year history starting in the early 1900s. There were budget collections for the masses, so to speak, and higher-end collections that are worth more and more collectible today.
Judging by the signature and my still growing knowledge of vintage costume jewellery and the myriad of ways signatures changed in companies of this elk, I'm guessing this pin is anywhere between 1940-50 and not really high-end, but decent enough. The 'stones' (which have this lovely iridescent quality to them) are prong-set and the back is sturdy and there's even a hole to string a necklace through if you want to make it into a pendant.
I know I promised to experiment with ways to use brooches but this pin is too new for me to do anything more than snap a pic of it. I am a bit blue with all this cold and greyness of late, but I have a feeling this pin's sparkly prettiness may help to cheer me a wee bit, even if it's just sitting on my bedside table gleaming at me through the gloom.
I think it's lovely, G-Q! I really love brooches because as you mentioned, one can do a lot with them. I look forward to seeing how you will be wearing yours, it's time to take that lovely piece out in the town I say :) I have three 'new to me' vintage (I think) pins but couldn't find anything on them. They're stamped...Does Artistic or Sarah Coy (I think) ring a bell? As you know, I'm new at this... I really bought them because I thought they were wonderful (and very cheap). I'll feature them with my evening bags at the end of the week. Hope you're having a sunny day!
ReplyDeleteMMmm Artistic doesn't but the latter would be stamped "Sarah Cov", short for Sarah Coventry, a line of jewellery sold mostly at home parties from 1949 - '83 (company resurrected in 2002 for a year). Sometimes it's signed "SC" "Sarah Coventry Canada", "Sarah Cov" or "SAC." Still trying to figure out what the "Canada" is doing stamped on a SC ring I have, as it's my understanding it was all made in the States. Anyway I love SC - it's pretty collectible though not worth heaps. I've found some fab SC cocktail rings from the 1960s for $15 in vintage shops. My Mom still has one that I COVeted (tee hee now I'm being silly) while growing up! Looking forward o seeing your 'new' old bling!
ReplyDeleteYou're right! It does say Canada. Thank you so much for the info, Kelly! I'll post your note along a picture on Friday. Too bad they're not worth much, I was hoping to retire on these three pins :) Have a great day and thanks for the info!
ReplyDeleteVeronica, I'm still learning with the costume jewellery, but my impression is that SC is collectible, but just not highly valued as there is so much of it out there -- for example it's pretty easy to find in vintage and sometimes even thrift shops. But having said that I have seen some rare pieces on Ebay that could command more, so you never know. I think the value also depends on when it was made, and often you can get a sense of that by looking at the signature, which with a lot of vintage costume jewellery lines, tends to change over time.
ReplyDeleteGreat! There's still a chance then!!!! Thanks, Kelly!! I found them at Goodwill but next time I'm at Stella Luna I'll ask about the signature. Love that place! Thank you for your help. Bon jeudi :)!!
ReplyDeleteMmm I thought I responded to this but guess there was a technical problem. You know, I have heard of Stella Luna and read about it, but never been. Is there good vintage bling, and is the owner knowledgeable about vintage costume jewellery?
ReplyDeleteYes, Kelly there is a lovely showcase with costume jewellery, the owner is lovely and ever so knowledgeable. She has lots of good quality clothes, purses, shoes and hats and her store is small but so so charming. Her name is Crispian Underwood, did I mention she's lovely?I really like her. Her winter jackets and capes are (were?) divine. I also think her vintage picks are not only excellent but reasonably priced. If you decide to come to this end of Toronto, please let me know, I'll gladly recommend a few places I think you'll like... including a great café! Happy Tuesday, don't you love snow storm madness? :)
ReplyDeleteMmm we should do a field trip together, Veronica! Would be great to meet you!!
ReplyDeleteI'm in! Let me know when you're ready! :)
ReplyDeleteKelly, I thought of you! http://graciousgood.wordpress.com/ Rhonda is pretty amazing, I think you'd like her blog, tons of costume jewellery and lots and lots of interesting info. She also co-writes the Covet Garden and Blog and that is also a great publication! Hope you'll enjoy them as much as I do!
ReplyDeleteThanks for that Veronica - checked it out and I love her posts! And do you know, small world: I handled the press for last spring's Toronto Vintage Costume Jewellery Club Show & Sale, and she was one of the few, if not the only, blogger I didn't pitch who found out about it and posted info about it on her blog!!
ReplyDeletewell, there you go, so cool! I'm trying to learn from Rhonda and youself, so I read everything you both post. I keep hoping to find something worth mentioning one day. In the meantime I should really show off my three 'new to me' brooches :)! I've been busy talking feathers, wine and lingerie.... oh, la, la :)
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