American Costume Jewelry: Art & Industry, 1935-1950 (2 volumes)

摘要

FROM ITS origins in the late nineteenth century, costume jewelry has evolved over the decades from mass-produced copies of European masterworks to an art form in its own right. Liberated by inexpensive materials, jewelry designers felt free to make pieces of true fancy, invention, and distinction. Costume jewelry was able to reflect trends: most companies offered a spring and fall collection, to correspond to fashion cycles. It was also suited to novelty pieces, such as patriotic pins during wartime, or items copied from or inspired by Gone With the Wind, Snow White, and other popular movies of the era. And the introduction of new metal techniques, synthetic jewels from Europe, and casting advancements, among other technologies, allowed for even more variety and intricacy. In fact, though "costume," these pieces were for the most part not cheap, and often hand finished, not to mention designed by many of the best craftsmen of the time.