Vintage value

By Meredith Hines-Dochterman/The Gazette

You know that box of old costume jewelry? The one your grandmother gave you that you never got around to tossing?

Don't. You just might have a small fortune in that box.

“When people tell me, ‘Oh, this is just Grandma's jewelry,' they really don't know the value of what they have,” says Wanda Roth of Fairfield.

She wants to be the one to tell you.

Roth is an expert in vintage costume jewelry. She has spent more than 30 years studying jewelry so she can help others understand why it has become a popular, and profitable, investment.

Jewelry created in the early 1900s was made with craftsmanship that isn't around today, Roth says. These pieces may have been made with “pot metal” - the scrap metal a jeweler had at the end of the day, melted down to make cheaper jewelry - but they were still made with precious metals that have since increased in value.

Add the fact that the pieces weren't mass-produced - each piece is hand-soldered and hand-wired - and you have a unique piece of jewelry.

“You cannot replace costume jewelry,” Roth says. “The workmanship is unique to that time, to that design by the artist.”

Still not sure? Ask Roth about the pair of rhinestone earrings she once saw at a garage sale. The owner has a 50-cent price tag on them. Roth tried to talk her into increasing the price, but she wasn't interested.

“I actually annoyed her,” Roth recalls with a laugh. “She said, ‘Look, do you want them or not?'”

Roth bought them and listed them on eBay. They sold for nearly $300.

Roth will be at Positively Plus, 1005 Third Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, at 1 p.m. Saturday to lead a presentation on vintage costume jewelry. She will bring pieces from her own collection to share, plus have some for sale.

She also will set up appointments for future appraisals. Her goal, she says, is to educate people about what they have, but also show them how to care for their collection. For example, metal and plastic jewelry should be stored separately because the metal could damage the plastic.

Yes, even plastic costume jewelry can be worth a substantial amount if it's the right piece and has been cared for over the years.

Some of Roth's favorite designers are Miriam Haskill and Trifari. Her preferred period is Egyptian revival.

“Europeans and Americans took a great interest in Egyptian design after the discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1920,” Roth says.

This lead to jewelry that featured Pharaoh's heads, Queen Nefertiti, snakes, hieroglyphic writing and pyramids.

Jewelry from this era was made in precious metals like gold, platinum and silver, but also white metal, pewter and glass. Roth says jewelers created bib necklaces in intricate designs that can only be described as fine art.

Roth has shared her knowledge with audiences throughout the state and was a guest speaker at the 2011 Mother's Day Tea at Terrace Hill in Des Moines.

“I am on a mission,” Roth says. “Most people don't realize the value in vintage costume jewelry. I want to help.”

If you go

• What: Costume jewelry presentation with Wanda Roth
• When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday with a presentation at 1 p.m.
• Where: Positively Plus, 1005 Third Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids
• More information: Roth is available for private appraisals. To set up an appointment, call (641) 472-9587 or email rosalie@iowatelecom.net.