Selling Art Deco Jewelry in Orange County | Vintage 1920s & 1930s Jewelry

Selling Art Deco Jewelry in Orange County | Vintage 1920s & 1930s Jewelry

Art Deco jewelry is one of the most recognizable styles found in older family jewelry collections. Bold geometric shapes, sparkling stones, contrasting colors, long necklaces, decorative brooches, bracelets, rings, and dramatic earrings helped define jewelry fashion during the 1920s and 1930s.

Today, original Art Deco jewelry can still turn up in inherited jewelry boxes, dresser drawers, old cases, estate collections, and collections that have been passed through several generations.

At SoCal Private Jewelry Buyer in Seal Beach, we purchase vintage jewelry, vintage costume jewelry, estate jewelry, inherited jewelry, signed designer pieces, sterling silver jewelry, and larger mixed collections. Art Deco and Art Deco-era jewelry is one of the many older styles that may be of interest.

If you have inherited jewelry and are not sure whether something is Art Deco, you do not need to identify every piece before contacting us. Older collections are often best reviewed together.

What Is Art Deco Jewelry?

Art Deco became an important international design movement during the 1920s and continued strongly into the 1930s. The style appeared in architecture, furniture, automobiles, fashion, decorative objects, advertising, and jewelry.

Art Deco design often moved away from the softer flowing lines seen in earlier periods. Instead, designers embraced symmetry, straight lines, sharp angles, repeated patterns, stepped forms, circles, triangles, fans, sunbursts, and other strong geometric shapes.

Jewelry from this period could be elegant and refined or extremely dramatic.

Some pieces were made with precious metals and gemstones, while others were produced as fashionable costume jewelry using rhinestones, glass, enamel, plated metals, and other decorative materials.

This is important because an interesting Art Deco piece does not necessarily have to look like traditional fine jewelry. Vintage costume jewelry from the period can also attract collector interest because of its design, construction, maker, rarity, and overall appearance.

What Does Art Deco Jewelry Look Like?

There is no single Art Deco jewelry design. However, certain characteristics frequently appear in pieces associated with the period.

You may notice:

• Geometric patterns
• Strong symmetry
• Long straight lines
• Triangles and stepped shapes
• Fan and sunburst designs
• Black and white color combinations
• Clear rhinestones or glass stones
• Bright contrasting colors
• Enamel decoration
• Long pendant necklaces
• Decorative bracelet panels
• Geometric brooches
• Dress clips
• Long earrings
• Bold cocktail-style rings

Not every piece displaying these characteristics was necessarily made during the original Art Deco period. Art Deco designs became popular again during later decades, and many modern pieces continue to use Deco-inspired patterns.

That is why the overall construction, materials, hardware, markings, condition, and family history of a piece can also be useful when trying to understand an older collection.

Art Deco Costume Jewelry Can Be Worth a Second Look

One of the biggest mistakes people make when sorting inherited jewelry is assuming that costume jewelry should automatically be donated or placed into an estate sale.

Older costume jewelry can be very different from inexpensive modern fashion jewelry.

Art Deco-era costume pieces may use detailed metalwork, hand-set rhinestones, molded glass, enamel, unusual clasps, decorative settings, and construction methods that are not commonly seen in newer jewelry.

Some pieces were made by recognized manufacturers or designers. Others may be unsigned but still have an unusual appearance or strong period design.

At SoCal Private Jewelry Buyer's What We Buy page, you can see more of the categories we currently purchase, including vintage jewelry, vintage costume jewelry, inherited jewelry, designer jewelry, watches, sterling silver, and mixed jewelry collections.

Art Deco Brooches and Dress Clips

Brooches were extremely popular during the early twentieth century, and many inherited collections contain several different examples.

Art Deco brooches may have rectangular, circular, triangular, or elongated forms. Some feature rows of clear stones, while others use colorful glass, enamel, or contrasting materials.

Dress clips are another interesting category from this general period. Unlike a traditional brooch with a pin stem, a dress clip uses a spring-style clip mechanism and could be attached to a dress, neckline, scarf, hat, or other fashion item.

Families sometimes mistake dress clips for broken brooches because the hardware looks unfamiliar. If you find an unusual piece of jewelry with a strong clip on the back, keep it with the collection rather than discarding it.

Long Art Deco Necklaces and Pendants

The fashions of the 1920s created an ideal setting for long necklaces. Beaded necklaces, sautoir-style necklaces, long chains, pendants, tassels, glass beads, and decorative drops were worn with the straight silhouettes associated with the era.

These necklaces can sometimes be found tangled inside old jewelry boxes or stored separately because of their length.

Do not assume an old necklace has little interest because it is made from glass beads or a material you do not recognize. Some vintage jewelry is collected because of its maker, construction, color, design, or connection to a particular period rather than simply its metal content.

Art Deco Bracelets and Rings

Bracelets from the Art Deco period can range from narrow geometric designs to wide statement pieces. Some use repeating rhinestone patterns, enamel, filigree, geometric links, or decorative panels.

Older rings may also display the strong geometry associated with the period. Square settings, rectangular arrangements, contrasting stones, elongated designs, and detailed metalwork are common themes.

Vintage jewelry styles have been copied many times, so appearance alone does not prove that a ring or bracelet dates to the 1920s or 1930s. Still, older examples are worth keeping with the rest of an inherited collection until they can be looked at more closely.

Check Art Deco Jewelry for Marks and Signatures

When sorting older jewelry, gently look at the back of brooches, inside bracelets and rings, near necklace clasps, and on the backs of earrings.

You may find initials, company names, symbols, numbers, metal marks, country names, or small logos.

These markings can sometimes provide useful clues about a piece. However, unsigned jewelry should not automatically be dismissed. Many interesting vintage pieces were not clearly marked, while marks on others may have become difficult to see with age.

For additional information, visit our guide explaining what marks and signatures on vintage jewelry may mean.

Do Not Heavily Clean Vintage Art Deco Jewelry

If Art Deco jewelry has been sitting in a box for decades, it may look dark, dusty, or dull. That does not mean it should be polished before selling it.

Older costume jewelry can contain delicate plating, foil-backed stones, enamel, old adhesives, glass, and other materials that may react poorly to water or modern jewelry cleaners.

Aggressive cleaning may loosen stones, remove finishes, scratch surfaces, or change the appearance of an older piece.

It is generally better to leave inherited vintage jewelry in its existing condition and keep matching pieces together.

Look for Matching Art Deco Jewelry Sets

Before separating a large inherited collection, look for pieces that appear to match.

A necklace may have matching earrings. A brooch may have a coordinating bracelet. A dress clip may originally have been part of a pair.

Matching vintage jewelry groups are sometimes called sets or parures. Keeping related pieces together can be helpful, particularly when they share the same design, stones, markings, or original box.

If you find original packaging, receipts, handwritten notes, photographs, or other information with the jewelry, keep those items as well.

Inherited Art Deco Jewelry in Orange County

Many of the people we work with did not personally collect the jewelry they are selling. They may be helping an older parent downsize, sorting through a grandparent's belongings, handling an estate, or simply dealing with boxes of jewelry that have remained in the family for many years.

It is common for these collections to contain several generations of jewelry mixed together. A single box might include jewelry from the 1920s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and later periods.

You do not need to separate the Art Deco pieces from everything else before making an appointment.

In fact, we are particularly interested in larger mixed collections containing vintage jewelry, estate jewelry, costume jewelry, signed pieces, bracelets, necklaces, brooches, earrings, rings, watches, and other older jewelry.

Consider Vintage Jewelry Before an Estate Sale

If you are preparing a family home for an estate sale, take time to separate jewelry before the general sale begins.

Art Deco jewelry and other vintage pieces can be small and easy to overlook when an entire household is being organized. Brooches, clips, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets can become separated from matching pieces or mixed into large boxes of inexpensive accessories.

Our guide about what to do with inherited jewelry before an estate sale provides additional information for families sorting older collections.

Selling Art Deco Jewelry to a Private Jewelry Buyer

SoCal Private Jewelry Buyer purchases vintage and estate jewelry through private appointments at our Seal Beach office near Leisure World.

We are interested in Art Deco jewelry as well as vintage costume jewelry, signed designer pieces, sterling silver jewelry, inherited collections, bracelets, brooches, necklaces, earrings, rings, watches, and other older jewelry.

For larger qualifying collections, mobile appointments may also be available in Orange County and surrounding communities.

If you have inherited Art Deco jewelry or a mixed collection and are unsure exactly what is inside, that is fine. Gather the pieces together, avoid aggressive cleaning, keep matching items and original boxes together, and contact us to discuss the collection.

SoCal Private Jewelry Buyer
3200 Old Ranch Pkwy #300
Seal Beach, CA 90740
Call or Text: 949-882-8985
Private appointments available.