Page 36 - May 2020

ANTIQUES PEEK by Jessica Kosinski
ANTIQUES PEEK

Signed Here

hen you think of something that than jewelry from unknown or lesser-
is signed, an ink signature might known sources.
Wimmediately come to mind. For
example, it is common for authors to sign Top Makers Known for Signed Jewelry
their books, or for celebrities to sign various When talking about signed jewelry,
pieces of memorabilia related to whatever Cartier may be one of the first names that
they are famous for. The world of signed comes to mind. After all, Cartier, which
jewelry is quite different because the word started in the 1800s, has produced some of
“signed” does not refer to anything having the most desirable pieces of jewelry ever
to do with ink. Instead, a piece of “signed” made. For example, some of the pieces in its
jewelry is simply one that has some sort Tutti Frutti line are worth millions of
of engraving on it indicating the origin of dollars. However, Cartier is also a good exam-
the piece. ple of having a signed piece that may not
According to Christie’s, jewelery makers have as much value as you think because the
began signing their work during the Arts & company produced so much jewelry. Some
Crafts and Art Nouveau periods, from Signed Cartier bracelet and the Cartier mark on a ring Cartier lines were produced in large
about 1860 onwards. René Lalique was one amounts or have less desirable styles. Even
of the first and always signed his work. The practice was popularized in so, the Cartier signature certainly adds value to any piece.
the 20th century, when all the top jewelers and many small ateliers Bulgari is another huge name in signed jewelry. The company was
began applying their signatures to their jewelery. founded in 1888 by Sotirios Voulgaris in Rome. The Voulgaris family
Let’s take a peek at signed jewelry in general, as well as at some of was quite large, and most of them were silversmiths. That led to the
the most popular makers of signed pieces. production of some lovely items, including jewelry. Today, Bulgari
jewelry is highly sought after. It is important to note the company logo
Where Jewelry is Usually Signed “BVLGARI” with a “V” has been used by the Bulgari company since
Jewelry that has an engraving indicating its origin may not be 1934. That can help you date
initially obvious. The maker’s mark is sometimes subtle. It is often certain Bulgari pieces. Bulgari
incorporated in a way that will not take away from the appearance of jewelry is also often marked
the jewelry. For that reason, a signed piece might have tiny engravings in a blatantly obvious way,
you can barely see. though not always.
They may require a Tiffany is another famous
magnifying glass (or company known for making
jewelers loupe) to signed jewelry. Tiffany
really view them products are frequently
in detail. Usually, copied, and the true Tiffany
such markings are signature has changed quite a
hidden well on the bit over the years. Those
backs or undersides issues make signed Tiffany
of jewelry. For pieces both desirable yet
example, on a ring, immediately suspect. If Bulgari Circle Bracelet
you might find such you want to purchase one,
a marking on the you have to make absolutely sure you authenticate it properly.
inside portion of the
Cartier Tutti Futti currently selling on 1stdibs band that touches Interpreting the Information on Signed Jewelry
for $190 thousand.
your finger when Jewelry that is signed can also include additional
the ring is on. information. For example, “TIFFANY & CO.” is a common way
Having the mark in that position does not take away from the Tiffany signed its pieces. However, a piece with that signature should
appearance of the ring. However, some marks are more prominent include additional information, like “18KT,” “14KT,” “925” or
“Sterling” that will indicate the
than others.
type and quality of the metal
Is All Signed Jewelry Appealing or Valuable? used in the design. If you know
One of the obvious reasons signed jewelry is appealing how to interpret all of the
is it allows you to determine the origin of the piece. You information on a signed piece of
can often determine not only that but discover the jewelry, you can often learn
window of time during which the piece was produced. many useful bits of information
Even with having all those details on the piece, not all besides just who made it. For
signed jewelry is appealing or valuable; nor is all of it instance, changes made to a
antique or collectible. Changing trends affect the values of maker’s signature sometimes
certain pieces, and jewelry by particularly well-known indicates a passing of the torch,
companies or designers can definitely be more desirable Know your signatures to date your piece such as when one family

Jessica Kosinski has been a freelance writer specializing in writing short articles for 15 years. She is also an avid collector of both antique books and Star Wars memorabilia. Although she is not in the
antiques industry professionally, she has learned a lot about antiques over the years by periodically helping out at her mom’s antiques shop in Greenville, NH. She currently balances maintaining the
antiques shop’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/MallofNE, and working on various freelance writing assignments. She can be reached at dementorskiss77@yahoo.com.
34 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles