Miller's Costume Jewelry
*Starred Review* It’s not often that a top expert in general antiques and collectibles turns her attention to a specific genre. Then again, this expert, Judith Miller, editor of the ubiquitous Miller’s Collectibles Price Guide (plus dozens more), is a true aficionado of the art of costume jewelry. She shows her passion in this thoroughly documented and lavishly illustrated volume. Nearly 100 past and future designers are showcased here, prefaced with an overview of various decades’ trends. Major creators, from Trifari to Haskell, receive at least a handful of pages each, with a few paragraphs about style and origins, close-up color photographs of representative pieces, and sidebars on critical features (for instance, rhinestones, vermeil , and setting). Classic designers—Napier and Rebajes, for instance—are spotlighted in a half page or so, while “like” collections (Austrian and double clips) are grouped and described. As for current prices? Miller occasionally references one or two—yet caveat emptor while simultaneously remembering Kenneth Jay Lane’s dictate: “Wearing costume jewelry is like wearing glass slippers. You can feel like you’re going to the ball, even if you’re not.” --Barbara Jacobs