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Categories
VICTORIAN & GEORGIAN JEWELRY
  Georgian Jewelry
  Portrait jewelry
  Victorian agate jewelry
  Victorian hair jewelry
  Victorian jet jewelry
  Victorian jet vulcanite earrings
  Victorian jewelry
  Victorian silver jewelry
  Victorian vulcanite jewelry

EDWARDIAN to Czech JEWELRY
  Czech & Lavilieres
  Edwardian & Filigree

FINE & BRIDGE JEWELRY
  Cameos
  Fine jewelry
  Lockets
  Lorgnettes & Chatelaines
  Paste Jewelry
  Rings, Fine
  Rings, bridge & costume
  Silver Jewelry

BAKELITE
  Bakelite bangles
  Bakelite, Shultz
  Bakelite, Shultz pins etc
  Bakelite, contemporary
  Bakelite, pins etc

COSTUME JEWELRY
  Bakelite, pins etc
  Boucher
  Bracelets, signed
  Bracelets, unsigned
  Brooches, signed
  Brooches, unsigned
  Carnegie
  Christmas jewelry
  Ciner
  Clips, signed
  Clips, unsigned
  Copper Jewelry
  Coro
  DeMario, Eugene
  DeRosa
  Earrings, signed
  Earrings, unsigned
  Eisenberg
  Gourdji
  Hobe
  McClelland Barclay
  Miriam Haskell
  Necklaces, signed
  Necklaces, unsigned
  Plastic jewelry
  Regency
  Rosenstein
  Schiaparelli
  Schreiner
  Sets & parures
  Signed, misc
  Swarovski
  Swoboda
  Trifari
  Vendome
  Vrba
  Weiss
  Wood jewelry

ANTIQUES/COLLECTIBLES
  Accessories
  Boxes, Jewelry & Other
  Desk Accessories
  Porcelain & Glass
  Purses
  Sewing items
  Sterling objects
Jewel Chat Values  
We work constantly to offer extensive jewelry research, pictures and information in our references, " Jewel Chat " and " Morning Glory Collects ".
We do not, however, offer valuation or appraisal services or answer individual questions regarding jewelry or antiques. Appraisers can be found on the LINKS page.


You may have some jewelry about which you would like more information. There are generally two areas of interest... market value and jewelry history. Whether you are researching or selling, these ideas may be of use to you.

 
SELLING
Since I receive lots of questions about selling to a dealer, let me offer a few tips.

 Even though we buy jewelry almost every day, we do not buy everything we are offered... no one could. We buy based on what is popular, desirable and what we think will do well with our customers. And we pay well for what we do buy.

1. Be thorough. I am sure you would like the best possible price, so take care to clearly state what it is you have for sale... name, size, color (since computer monitors can differ), and condition are a minimum.

2. Do your homework. Most dealers not keen on guessing games and "what will you offer" is only a thinly veiled request for a free appraisal. Have an idea how much you would like for what you are selling. There are rich sources of information on the internet, so there's little excuse these days NOT to know how much you want. If you are reluctant to do your homework then the price you realize if you DO happen to sell something will often be too low. Check the information below for ideas on how to do your research.

I might add here that if someone asks too little for a piece, I will offer and pay more. I always want them to leave the transaction happy and feeling fairly treated. My goal is to be the one they come to the next time they find something wonderful, too. That is exactly how I get such wonderful things.

3.  Be reasonable. For most antiques businesses, expenses eat up at least 25-30% of the retail price. That means if we sell a $100.00 piece, 25-30% of that will cover charge card fees, rent, supplies, web site costs, insurance, payroll, etc. So if we paid $50.00 for that piece that leaves $15.00 or $25.00 profit for us, or less. These are just example figures, but you get the drift. Running a business does cost money, as well as time and expertise.

There is LOTS of jewelry around now and many pieces that we used to think were rare have become more plentiful. There is more "just average" jewelry looking for a buyer than ever before, and there are things that have no value at all. Because buyers have a large quantity to choose from, they are very selective, so I must be too. That is not to say there are not some wonderful pieces out there, too... there are and we buy many lovely pieces through this web site every day!

   What a dealer will pay can vary widely. It will depend on what they specialize in, how knowledgeable they are, what they are expert in and sell best. It can also depend on how fair and honest a dealer is. Sell to someone with an excellent reputation, and someone who specializes in what you have for sale. There is no set formula of how much a dealer will pay for anything, but in general do not expect to get more than 1/3 to 1/2 of a reasonable retail price. There will always be exceptions, and rare or special things can bring more (especially from ME!). But a dealer is not going to pay you $20.00 for a pair of earrings they can sell at $25.00.... there is just too little profit to be worth the work and expense.

4.  Understand that unless they know you, not many dealers are willing to send large amounts of money before seeing the goods in person. Unlike individual sellers, dealers have a presence either on line or in a bricks-and-mortar shop to show their credentials. As experts, dealers may find repairs or damage that would not be obvious to a seller. That means you must feel very safe with the person to whom you are sending your jewelry. You should also have a clear advance agreement of what the payment policy will be. In the event that I am buying on approval, I guarantee a seller that they will hear from me via email the day their package arrives and that I will either send my payment the next day or politely decline the jewelry if there is a problem, state what that problem is, and mail it back the next day. Asking for that kind of agreement from a buyer is perfectly reasonable.

Hope this is useful! Below are thoughts as to how to determine what you have and it's value.

 


 

 
JEWELRY VALUE

Like any antique or collectible, the value of costume jewelry is determined by several factors: condition, rarity, artistic merit, selling venue, geographic area, and current trends. Costume jewelry has little inherent value because it is not usually made of precious metals or gems. It's value is not measured in a standardized way by stone size or metal karat, but rather by comparison to other sales in the market. 

It is possible to comparison shop at antique malls, shows and on the internet. Using the search engines, eBay or links pages to find jewelry web sites and browse the on-line auctions for what has SOLD can add to your understanding of what is selling well and at what price. It is amazing how much great information is on line now! It is not definitive because there can be a wide variance between asking and selling prices, but can give you general ideas about value. In addition, these Jewel Chat articles about QUALITY and DECADES will help you assess your jewelry and it's age. In the world of costume jewelry, remember that condition counts heavily. Damaged finish, missing or dull stones and broken parts drastically affect value. We rarely purchase pieces needing major restoration as we want to give our customers the very best most original pieces possible. Jewelry that is damaged or repaired has much less value than jewelry in original condition.

There are many jewelry books with price guides, and they are fun to read and learn from. Be wary of using book values only, though, as books can be misleading. Some book values are set by the owner/collector of the jewelry rather than by actual sales and therefore can be inaccurate. Also, note the year in which the book was published, as desirability can change rapidly with the fluctuations of supply and demand, and with what's hot and what's not at any given time. They can help you with identification and jewelry history.

In the end, however, if you are selling, your jewelry is worth only what someone is willing to pay you for it, regardless of what "The Book" says, what an insurance appraisal says, or what was on "The Antiques Road Show".

 

 

 
SELLING VENUES


After doing the research to price your jewelry you may choose to sell it yourself. If you wish to sell at retail prices you must establish a clientele, a website, rent a mall space, or sell in an on-line auction. All of these have costs and work associated with them. Some people will enjoy the challenge and learning experience of doing that. I do! But it is work.

If you would like to sell to a dealer, select one who specializes in jewelry and who has a good reputation for fair dealing. Most dealers do not like to play a guessing game, so have an idea how much you want for your jewelry. A dealer must buy at a percentage of the price for which he/she expects to sell the jewelry.  Every dealer's percentage and the items they want to buy will vary depending on what they sell best, what they are known for, and what they have buyers for at any given time. 

As a dealer, I am often asked how I get so many wonderful pieces of jewelry. The answer is that I pay a fair price for worthwhile pieces, and deal honestly with sellers. Jewelry comes and goes, but a good reputation is irreplaceable. If you would like to see the kind of jewelry, purses and accessories I have bought in the past, you can browse Morning Glory Collects. But do know that what we are buying changes all the time according to what is selling well.

If you would like to sell, I am always delighted to see pictures and a price list, and you can
E-mail me HERE. I am always interested in great jewelry, and am capable of buying anything from an individual piece to an entire estate.

 

 

 
JEWELRY HISTORY

 If you want to know more about the history of jewelry there are literally hundreds of resources on the subject. JEWEL CHAT  is a wonderful reference where there is information available about many makers and styles of jewelry, and I add articles to it on a regular basis. I offer JEWEL CHAT  free of charge because I love to share information about vintage jewelry, and in that way I can share with many people all at once.

Dates, marks and manufacturers can also be found on this REFERENCE PAGE, jewelry dating information can be found on JEWELRY BY THE  DECADES. These will help you access the many resources on this web site.  Many books about jewelry are also available, and browsing an on-line book store like Amazon.com will give you an idea of what has been published in your area of interest.

There is no short-cut to learning about antiques, jewelry or otherwise. It took me years to learn about what I do for a living. It takes time and effort to learn about any area of collecting but it is joyously rewarding.

 

 
 

 

HOWEVER....

It is no longer possible to respond to individual questions regarding your own jewelry history, identification or value, or to offer written or verbal appraisals or opinions. The demand for this kind of information is absolutely too overwhelming for one dealer to fill. 

I love jewelry, but appraising and selling are two entirely different businesses, and I choose selling as my business.

So take advantage of the information above, do your homework and be enriched by the experience for yourself.
And if do you become ready to sell, please let me know. I am interested in buying wonderful and unusual vintage and antique jewelry.

WE ARE INTERESTED IN BUYING JEWELRY & ANTIQUES
To see what we have purchased in the past you can see Morning Glory Collects but what we buy changes often with the current trends.

If you would like to sell, whether a single piece or an entire estate, I am delighted to see pictures and a price list, and you can E-mail me HERE.

Thank you for shopping at Morning Glory Antiques!
 

 


 

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