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

Vintage Bakelite jewelry – bracelet with diamanté
Close-up view of diamante & Bakelite links
Back of black Bakelite & diamante flexible bracelet
Maker's mark: patent number
"Patented" mark
Bracelet top, showing construction

Black Bakelite & Diamanté Flexible Bracelet by Schreiber & Hiller

$295.00

MAKER: Schreiber & Hiller

SIZE: 7 3/8" (inside circumference) x 3/8"

CONDITION: Very good (see description)

DATE: 1930s

MARKS: "DRGM 1138525" & "PATENTED"

REFERENCE: German utility patent # 1138525 issued to Schreiber & Hiller in 1930

Vintage Bakelite jewelry as beautiful as this German flexible bracelet from the 1930s is hard to find. It has vertical links of diamanté alternating with black Bakelite. The stones in this piece are relatively large – only four to each flat-top link. This Art Deco bracelet closes with a concealed clasp. Because one of the markings is “Patented” (an English word stamped by a German maker), I think this bracelet was intended for export. A sophisticated, yet easy-to-wear piece.

FREE SHIPPING to the United States and Canada

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Black Bakelite & Diamanté Flexible Bracelet by Schreiber & Hiller

$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.