9 Things From Your Grandmother’s Jewelry Box That Deserve A Second Look Before Anyone Drops Them At Goodwill

When a loved one’s jewelry box lands in your lap, it is tempting to sort it into two piles: the real gold and everything else. The “everything else” pile often heads straight to a donation bin.

That can be a mistake. Costume jewelry, the sparkly pieces made from plated metal, glass stones and faux pearls, has a serious collector following, and certain makers’ names carry real value.

LoveToKnow’s guide to the most collectible vintage costume jewelry brands walks through nine of them, with their signature looks, how to find their marks, and examples of what pieces have sold for. Condition, completeness and authenticity all affect those prices, so treat the figures below as examples, not promises.

None of these makers is a guarantee. They are simply the names worth knowing before a box of old brooches, bracelets and necklaces is waved off as costume trinkets.

Hattie Carnegie Pieces Have Sold For $200 To Just Under $2,400

LoveToKnow says Hattie Carnegie, an Austrian immigrant to the United States, used Swarovski crystals, gold mesh, florals and animals in her jewelry. Her logo may be her full name, her initials or “Miss Hattie.”

According to the guide, a set of three sea-themed pins sold for $200, and a lion bracelet with earrings sold for just under $2,400.

Coco Chanel Jewelry Often Sells For Several Hundred Dollars

The guide says Coco Chanel’s 1920s statement jewelry helped start the fashion jewelry craze. Look for backward and forward “C” letters with overlapping backs.

Vintage pieces often sell for several hundred dollars, especially necklaces, and LoveToKnow reports that a 1980s brass cuff made by Maison Gripoix sold for just under $5,000.

Coro Duette Pins Have Brought More Than $1,800

Coro was started by Emmanuel Cohn and Carl Rosenberger, and the company went through several name changes, including Corocraft and Vendome. LoveToKnow says most pieces are marked “Coro,” and that Vendome pieces are considered better than the rest.

A late-1930s “Carmen Miranda” duette brooch sold for just over $1,800, according to the guide.

Christian Dior Costume Jewelry Commonly Sells For A Few Hundred Dollars

Look for the designer’s name, often with “for Christian Dior” or “Dior by.” The guide notes Swarovski crystals, especially “aurora borealis” rainbow stones, and says several designers worked in the Dior costume jewelry division.

Vintage pieces commonly sell for a few hundred dollars, per LoveToKnow.

Eisenberg Rhinestone Christmas Tree Pins Usually Sell For $15 To $100

Jonas Eisenberg immigrated to Chicago and started a clothing company that included jewelry. His sons later sold the jewelry separately, according to LoveToKnow.

Generally the prices run $15 to $100, but the guide says an Antiques Roadshow appraisal valued an Ice suite at about $1,300 in 2013, and a Puss in Boots fur clip sold for $1,675. Early pieces are unmarked, while later ones carry the name “Eisenberg” or an “E.”

Hobe Pieces Usually Run Up To A Few Hundred Dollars

Jacques Hobe started the company in Paris, and his son William moved it to America, where it became known for costume pieces worn by Hollywood actresses, LoveToKnow reports.

The guide describes tasseled, beaded and floral designs, with early 1900s marks using very tall “H” and “b” letters.

Miriam Haskell Floral Designs Can Be Worth Hundreds

LoveToKnow says Miriam Haskell was not a designer herself and hired experts to make her pieces. They are known for floral designs with Swarovski crystals, faux beads and nature motifs.

Few pieces carry a mark, and a rare mark features a horseshoe. The guide says pieces can be worth hundreds.

Schiaparelli Surrealist Jewelry Regularly Sells For $40 To $120 Or More

Elsa Schiaparelli started as a fashion designer and also made jewelry, with surrealist designs and the “Shocking Pink” collection. LoveToKnow says early 1900s pieces are unsigned and later ones carry her last name.

On eBay, pieces regularly sell for at least $40, and many land around $80 to $120, with sets selling for more.

Trifari Crown Pins And Jelly Belly Brooches Have Reached $5,000

Designer Alfred Philippe created Trifari’s crown pins and Jelly Belly animal brooches, according to the guide. The original mark was a small crown, which later evolved into the name with a copyright or trademark symbol.

LoveToKnow says rare, well-preserved pieces sell at LiveAuctioneers for $600 to $2,000 or more, eBay pieces range from $50 to several hundred dollars, and a “Fruit Salad” fur clip sold for $5,000.

Turn each piece over and read the back. Many of the marks described above are tiny, and some pieces carry no mark at all, so photograph anything unusual before you decide.

The marks matter because so many collectors begin by flipping a piece over. A tiny crown, an “E” or a name stamped on the back can turn a mystery brooch into something you can research.

Keep matching sets together, and do not scrub away tarnish with harsh cleaners. Sale prices depend on condition, so a piece with missing stones or a broken clasp will usually fetch less than the examples above.

If something looks promising, compare it with recent sold listings rather than asking prices, or ask a jewelry appraiser. Even when a piece turns out to be worth $15, a family keepsake may be worth more than any price tag.

Vinyl and Velvet