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Expert in vintage costume jewelry from the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s & 1950s

Emerald & diamante 1940s McClelland Barclay brooch
Circular vintage emerald & diamante brooch
Close-up view of stone settings
Brooch back
Designer's mark

Emerald & Diamanté Circle Brooch

$295.00

MAKER: Rice-Weiner

SIZE: 2" diameter

CONDITION: Excellent

DATE: c.1941 (per Brunialti)

MARKS: "McClelland Barclay"

REFERENCE: See Brunialti, p.44, for "Moderne" collection

This vintage emerald brooch, signed by McClelland Barclay, has two layers. On the bottom is a curved, rhodium-plated base with a pin and roll-over safety clasp. The top layer has faceted, emerald-cut emerald-glass stones, emerald-glass baguettes, and diamanté accents, all set in a spiraling rhodium-plated frame. As with all creations with this maker's mark, this 1940s piece is well-constructed with a hefty weight. I’ve shown this jewel positioned in different ways, so you can choose which you prefer.

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Emerald & Diamanté Circle Brooch

$295.00 USD
Why Buy Vintage Costume Jewelry?

One reason is that it’s environmentally friendly. Resale fashion and vintage jewelry has become a preferred sustainable and affordable shopping choice by today’s discerning fashion and eco-conscious consumer.

Another major reason is the quality. Although vintage costume jewelry was made for all levels of the marketplace – from dime stores to high-end fashion boutiques and jewelry stores – you will find only the best pieces here. They were well-designed and carefully made to last. The manufacturers represented here used only the finest materials – glass stones and beads from Bohemia, Austria, and France, and faux pearls from France and Japan. Settings were primarily sterling silver, gold-filled, or base metals heavily plated with gold, silver, or rhodium. Stones were hand-set, and pieces were hand-finished.

The northeastern part of the U.S. was the center of the industry, with the largest companies located in Providence, Rhode Island by the end of World War II. During the Depression, the quality of costume pieces climbed to new levels when many jewelers and craftsmen had to switch to this segment of the industry. In addition, it attracted many skilled workers who fled the political situation in Europe for the U.S. For these reasons, designs and manufacturing techniques rivaled those employed in the making of fine jewelry.

A third reason to buy costume jewelry is its uniqueness. Having survived for so many decades in such wonderful condition and having been selected for their aesthetic quality, the pieces you’ll find here are unlikely to be found elsewhere.

True vs Fake - how to shop vintage costume jewelry with confidence

Barbara Schwartz, a noted costume jewelry historian, is the author of "True vs Fake" , an in-depth blog series providing examples of how vintage costume jewelry can be accurately attributed. She also shares tips on how to avoid being duped into buying misidentified vintage costume jewelry.