This is an interesting set from Sarah Coventry, a very popular costume jewelry company I highlighted here last month. This set was sold in 1976 and features a goldtone brooch and matching clip earrings, with large clear center rhinestones. Sarah Coventry produced many parures (a jewelry set with 3 or more matching pieces) from 1949 through 1984, when still owned by its founders.
The "golden age" of costume jewelry ran from the late 1930s to mid 1950s, when new innovations in less expensive materials and design techniques came along. These innovations gave talented designers freedom to work with less precious resources and therefore let their creativity prevail and flourish. Designing costume jewelry was an art form (and still can be) and it was often so well-made and beautiflly designed, that it was mistaken for fine jewelry. Costume jewelry did not really exist prior to the 20th century, but the movement started in Paris at the turn of the century, when fashion designers Gabrille 'Coco' Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli commissioned artists to create handmade jewelry to complement their clothing designs.
Thank you to the following website(s) for the historical content of this blog post:
Guyot Brothers. Retrieved 2/20/2011 from http://www.guyotbrothers.com/jewelry-history/american-costume-jewelry.htm
Ruby Lane. Retrieved 220/2011 from http://www.rubylane.com/item/641330-MJS-RS14/Sarah-Coventry-Starburst-Demi-Parure
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