Jewels of Fantasy: Costume Jewelry of the 20th Century
At first glance this massive book seems to be about precious jewelry, not costume jewelry, so beautifully are the over 600 pieces photographed, laid out, and documented. Lengthy signed essays by international experts, including Vivienne Becker ( Art Nouveau Jewelry , 1985), trace the development of costume jewelry as it mirrors artistic styles of this century and introduces trends of its own. From demonstrations of the sinuous grace of turn-of-thecentury Art Nouveau evolving into Art Deco geometrics, through the glamour and glitter of the 1940s and 1950s, to today's freedom from set forms and materials, emphasis is on European and American necklaces and brooches. A production history, lists of manufacturers and identifying marks, guides to techniques and materials, and a glossary round out a volume that belongs in every serious jewelry or fashion history collection. In view of a growing interest in the study of costume jewelry, other libraries that cannot afford this title should at least own Jane Mulvagh's charming Costume Jewelry in Vogue (1988).- Therese Duzinkiewicz Baker, Western Kentucky Univ. Libs., Bowling GreenCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.