Weiss

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Charmed Life on October 13, 2011 at 4:19pm

Keep in mind that Weiss used "jobbers" ... they did not manufacture their own jewelry so the look of Weiss varies greatly from piece to piece and era to era.

 

The rhinestones are all prong set, which means it was more labor cost to produce. The unique colors of the rhinestones and the intricate overlay (kind of an "icing") off flowers is again a detail of higher quality jewelry.

 

Lovely set!

Permalink Reply by Graceful Antiques on October 13, 2011 at 4:52pm

Thank  you. I never knew that about Weiss. Originally a glass and doll dealer but know some about some things. I love to learn about the history and like stated earlier I like what I like and pick up what catches my eye. 

 

Permalink Reply by Jan Story on November 8, 2011 at 7:52pm

One of the jobbers that Weiss used was Delizza & Elster.  I'm no D&E expert but that does have some of the traits - would be worth running by the julianajewelry.net folks.  Sure is gorgeous!

Permalink Reply by Graceful Antiques on November 10, 2011 at 10:57am

Thank you so much. 

 

Permalink Reply by Grapenut Glass & More on November 10, 2011 at 9:08pm

The site is not doing verifications any more, I think. I know there is a back-log of nearly a year's worth in the queue.

I wasn't aware that D&E jobbed for Weiss.  Is this info in a book?

 

Jan Story said:

One of the jobbers that Weiss used was Delizza & Elster.  I'm no D&E expert but that does have some of the traits - would be worth running by the julianajewelry.net folks.  Sure is gorgeous!

Permalink Reply by Jan Story on November 11, 2011 at 8:10am

According to Costume Jewelry 101, D&E "manufactured jewelry for many different makers, including Weiss, Alice Caviness, Celebrity, Capri, Hattie Carnegie, Hobe, Gloria, Tara, Kenneth J. Lane, Kramer, Karu, and Mimi di N, to name just a few."  Sarah Coventry is one of the others (the Blue Lagoon, Touch of Elegance and Americana sets are known D&E). 

Julianajewelry.net is apparently still accepting entries into verification albums - they're simply "not submitting pieces for verification outside of their committee."  I don't know exactly what that means - maybe that Mr. DeLizza isn't doing verifications for them any more. I know his wife had health problems and that's one of the reasons they got so behind. 

There is another D&E verification group, on Yahoo, but you have to be a member to even see their albums, let alone submit anything, and I don't know if they're accepting memberships again.  They weren't several years ago when I tried to get my first "candidate" verified.  A number of other sellers were having the same experience (there was quite a bit of discussion about it on the eBay jewelry message board at the time), and some of them started julianajewelry.net.  If you look at their pages about construction, and view not only their verified but their Not D&E albums, you can learn a lot about what to look for in spotting D&E.  And of course if your piece matches one that's already been verified, then you're good! 

In fact, I need to go back through their verified albums myself.  I have two big pins, somewhat similar to yours, that were sold to me as "unsigned Weiss."  I didn't ask the seller why she thought that; she didn't seem to know much about jewelry and the pieces had belonged to her deceased aunt.  But there's a couple of similar ones verified, and I need to go back and look with the pins in front of me. 

Permalink Reply by Grapenut Glass & More on November 11, 2011 at 8:27am

Thank you, Jan! I checked the album on the .net site; wish they had some examples of D&E for Weiss. Fortunately anything I had that I needed verified was done before whatever has transpired happened; I know some people on the ebay JB have had items there awaiting verification for several months.

 

Funny story; I had a gorgeous smoky grey Weiss brooch that I sold back in '09 I believe; it had the icing and was just a fabulous piece. The buyer sent it back, claiming it was "not up the standard of Weiss in quality" even though the mark was a legitimate one.

 

I refunded, double-triple-checked the mark & relisted. It resold quickly & they buyer was immensely pleased with it. The cynic in me suspected that whatever event the first buyer needed my Weiss to wear to was a success ;)

Permalink Reply by Graceful Antiques on November 11, 2011 at 8:37am

Thank you all for the info. Loved the link and will be drooling for days. 

I am envious at times of specialized dealers and did start as a doll and glass collector but now am a general dealer. Since 1996 officially but a collector forever. I went to one class at a show about jewelry and do know what to look for as far as quality start and am adding books to my endless library. I always love to help others with my knowledge from years of selling and appreciate dealers that will help like these here at the Village. 

I love bling and cannot pass up pieces when I see them as with most vintage and antiques at a sale. 

Impossibly for anyone to humanly know everything about all antiques and vintage. Every day I find not only new items but new categories. I love, love the history and preservation of our past. 

Permalink Reply by Grapenut Glass & More on November 11, 2011 at 8:43am

I am just about on pins & needles as one of my favorite estate dealers is having a sale Saturday; she's mentioned "1950s costume jewelry" as being included. I plan to make this the only time I have ever gone to a sale before it opened to get a good place in line. I have gotten some fabulous deals at her sales, because she's kind of a "jool snob"-as in, "oh, it's only costyoommm jewelry, come look at the gold & diamonds I have over here!"

 

I have made some great sales thanks to the dealers locally who don't take the time to research costume.

Permalink Reply by Jan Story on November 11, 2011 at 10:12am

Grape, numpties like that abound in every field.  We sold a Tootsietoy tractor-trailer once and the buyer returned it saying it was a fake because it "didn't turn" when the attachment between the tractor and trailer was made with flanges that KEPT it from turning.  We researched, tweaked the description a bit, relisted and sold it to another buyer for more money. 

Our local stamp & coin dealer handles estate stuff and sells fine jewelry, but chucks costume into a bin as junk.  DH went into his store one day to buy a loupe and got to talking with the guy; he had a shoebox full of costume jewelry that included a Weiss bracelet, two Hollycraft pieces, some Lisner and several Victorian pieces.  We bought the lot.  (Should go see him again one of these days.) 

 

Permalink Reply by Grapenut Glass & More on November 11, 2011 at 10:15am

That is awesome! I noticed when I went to sell some gold that the coin guy has a big pan full of gold-filled stuff; people bring it in & he pays like .38 a gram for it & saves it up until he has 5 pounds of it to take to his gold buyer. I'd love to dig through it; I may ask him next time I'm in there.

Permalink Reply by CheriShops - Admin on November 11, 2011 at 10:44am

loving this convo.  :-)

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