Vintage jewelry hardware refers to the various types of clasps, pins, earring backs, rings, and other elements used to create jewelry. NOTE: This is the final article in my four-part series on how to identify and date vintage jewelry. As time went on, the pins became shorter. Although mostly seen on older brooches, some inexpensive brooches are made with C-clasps even today. The trombone clasp, patented in Europe in , was named after the musical instrument as it had a tube with a round top. You would pull the top out to release the pin. These were used in the latter half of the 19th century into the s, mostly by European jewelers. Improvements and modifications made throughout the 20th century. It eventually evolved into the modern locking clasps in use today. Safety pin clasps were also popular and were used from the late s until the early s, and are still used on some hand made pieces today.

All About Jewelry Clasps

Hattie carnegie: cvfrtgh; leave a older brooch clasps have foldover clasps. There are still providing accurate way to other. Date as i wondered how old your jewelry.

The types of clasps used on necklaces, pins and bracelets can indicate certain time periods — as can the posts on earrings. Bracelets and necklaces might be.

Around the s, a new detachable clasp was introduced — the bolt ring. Designed to wear with collars or a single strand of chain, the bolt ring is a round ring. The hinge then snaps back and the collar is joined. The bolt ring then developed into a spring ring clasp. This is a round ring which contains a tiny spring operated by a small lever or knob. You draw back the lever, opening the ring, insert the end of the collar and often a locket, then release the small lever. The spring mechanism keeps the clasp closed.

Over the next few decades, the small lever or knob turned into a larger thumb knob, easier to push open and shut. It began, too to be joined to one end of the collar, rather than being detachable. The final detachable clasp that was common throughout the Victorian period was the padlock clasp. This clasp opens with a side latch and allowed owners to attach different clasps to the same necklace to give a different effect. Thank you kindly for the information, much appreciated.

The Jewellery Muse

This lava stone cameo depicts Cupid in a Neo-Classical design set in a silver mounting. She ascended to the throne of the United Kingdom in and died in Those sixty-four years witnessed enormous changes in industry, society, fashion, and, of course, jewelry. For example, it started with horse-drawn carriages and candlelight and ended with automobiles and electricity.

I’m trying to date a sterling silver chain and pendant (probably paste) and it looks Victorian/Edwardian, but has a spring ring clasp, and I see spring rings (without the thumb knob) on Victorian jewelrydo more Auto-suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible matches as you type.

We do not sell antique jewelry, which is defined as at least years old. Many of the styles you’ve probably heard about — Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco, Art Nouveau and Retro — originated during the early s and are considered antique. In turn, these early eras inspired the design of vintage costume jewelry from the ss. Keep your eyes out for flora, fauna, enamel, kitschy motifs, figurals, and rhinestones. Primarily American made, most of the pieces were originally produced in the Northeastern United States.

Vintage costume jewelry was made using a mixed base metal, and then triple-plated with either gold or silver. The result?

Dating Necklaces: clasps and fasteners -Part II

How did you like this resource? Your feedback helps us provide resources that matter to you most. Charts and Reference. See a variety of clasp styles, with usage suggestions and other information. Add-a-Bead Clasps are designed for use with chain although they can be used with cord.

If however the jewellery is unmarked then there are other ways to determine age. Looking at the clasp can often give a very good indication of.

One of the best ways to avoid reproductions and fakes is to know and understand how originals are made. Reproductions are rarely made the same as originals due to changes in materials, labor costs and modern production techniques. When looking at brooches, you can get a good idea of the age of the piece by studying the catches, hinges and pins Fig. For the purposes of our discussion we are going to use the words “brooch” to mean the decorative, ornamental piece. The word “pin” will refer to the pointed piece of metal that pierces the clothing.

The “hinge” is the assembly that allows the pin to pivot. The “catch” is the piece or mechanism that holds the fastener at the pointed end opposite the hinge. Pins, hinges, catches and other non-decorative pieces such as jump rings, latches, etc.

5 Easy Clues for Dating Antique or Vintage Jewelry

Thanks for the helpful info on clasps. I’ll keep it in mind when I look at jewelry. Jewelry will bring you the boundless joy and pleasure.

Jewel Of The Seas. Pin-Hinge-Catch – Identifying and Dating an Antique or Vintage Jewelry Clasp or Different types of necklace and bracelet clasps. At Alora.

This article will offer some tips on how to analyze and date antique jewelry. Zoe, CC-BY Jewelry mirrors time, culture, and societal values. It reflects the taste and attitude of every period in history. Luckily, there are definitely clues that can be used in deciphering how old your jewelry is. The older and more rare the piece of jewelry, the more valuable it will be. There are many more clues than just five, but these are quick and easy ways to help determine the age of your jewelry.

The invention of different earring findings will help date your jewelry. Jewelry findings are ready made pieces that jewelers use such as clasps, pin stems, hinges, etc. Fittings refer to the parts that can be custom-made for a piece. This drawing shows the styles when they were introduced into the market. Some of these styles are still made today.

Thread stud earrings from are thicker in diameter and the nut is much heavier than those that are made today.

Dating jewelry clasps

Log in or Sign up. Antiques Board. Oh wise and wonderful knowledgeable ones- Where do you all find your dating info when you are looking at vintage jewellery clasps and pins etc?. I googled quite a lot and somehow managed to come up with some seriously dodgy sites!.

A Visual Dictionary of Jewelry Clasps CLASP: A small device, typically metal, The patented Miriam Haskell clasp is a type of spring ring clasp Smaller lobster claws, with round levers date to the s and the larger ones.

You sure can tell a lot about a necklace by its clasp. I also love box clasps. Well written, thank you! Today’s post will continue our series devoted to various aspects to consider when putting together a vintage jewelry collection. In the last chapter we talked about the creative use of metal settings. Today we will discuss the various types of clasps used on vintage necklaces and bracelets.

It is hard to specifically date a piece of jewelry by the clasp alone, unless it is marked in some with with a designer hallmark. The reason for this is that most of the clasps used on vintage jewelry are also used on modern pieces. Condition of the metal and other design techniques in the piece should be used in conjunction with a clasp to try and narrow down the date. Vintage jewelry necklaces were made with many styles of clasps. Most notable were spring ring, hook clasp, box clasp, fold over clasp, and fish hook clasp.

Others used, but not as commonly, were barrel clasp and toggle clasps. Lobster claw clasps were a later invention, so they are not found on vintage pieces, unless the clasp has been changed at some point.

curated vintage jewelry

Perhaps you once loved those filigree earrings, that diamond watch, the sparkling ring, or your fancy dangling bracelet. Vintage jewelry you never wear is a wonderful opportunity for making some cash — but you might wonder how to identify vintage jewelry and determine its worth. There are several vintage jewelry identifiers you can use to figure out whether what you own is, in fact, vintage jewelry.

This type of and remained fashionable even until fastenings clasps of the 18th jewelry dating open and close jewellery clasp several times, like lubricating a.

Whether updating a collection, searching for information about a family heirloom, or assisting a colleague or customer, dating a piece of vintage costume jewelry can present a challenge. Less familiar primary sources such as patents and copyrights, books about specific companies, and period advertisements also provide a wealth of information to assist with dating.

For this article, examples from the mid-twentieth century will be provided, though the techniques and tools described here could be used for dating jewelry from other periods. Beginning in the s up to the mid-to-late s, Trifari and Coro patented hundreds of costume jewelry designs. After Trifari won a court case in for copyright infringement, patenting these types of designs was widely discontinued and replaced by the less-expensive process of design copyrighting.

It is obvious that Trifari and Coro patent information can be used to date pieces of their manufacture.

310Antiques Cameo jewelry