Are You In Love With Antique Jewelry Boxes?

One item that is sure to find a high spot on the list of any antique collector is antique jewelry boxes. The class and aura represented by such boxes is simply irresistible. Perhaps this is the reason as to why so many collectors go ga-ga over antique jewelry boxes, in addition to being ever-ready to lighten their pockets to get one.

Jewelry box making has traditionally been the domain of skilled craftsmen and artisans. The history of jewelry boxes dates back centuries with some evidence available for their presence during the time of first human civilization namely the Babylonian or Mesopotamian civilization (around 5000 years ago). Needless to say, these boxes were created by hand, one piece at a time, which called for extreme attention and care during their construction. Additionally, the designs on metallic exteriors were also hand crafted which further enhanced their appearance and hence value. Due to this, jewelry boxes could only be afforded by the social elite such as kings and queens, Egyptian pharaohs, wealthy merchants etc

With the onset of the second industrial revolution (After the Invention of AC motor by Nikola Tesla), came the era of mass production. Hence, now for the first time in history, it was possible to produce items in bulk while lowering the overall production cost. Further, this reduction in production cost also resulted in reduced prices of final products thereby increasing consumption. With such production and consumption advantages, bulk jewelry box manufacturing gained momentum. This shifted the perception of jewelry boxes to an affordable commodity rather than an item of elite luxury and as expected, found a new market in American middle class.

In case you’re considering buying an antique jewelry box, then it would make sense to acquaint yourself with history of the same. This will put you in a good position to gauge as to whether you’re getting the real deal or not?

At the head of the twentieth century, jewelry boxes were available in all different shapes and sizes. The common metal used for constructing a jewelry box was Antimonial lead. The electroplating was usually done with copper while gold or silver was used for final finishing. Several other finishing touches were also utilized under different set of conditions such as French Bronze, Parisian Silver, Pompeian or Roman Gold. Such different finishing experiments were conducted by several manufacturers, so as to increase size of the market and in the hopes of gaining a simultaneous foothold.

One interesting result of this experimentation was the introduction of ivory finishes around 1911. This was usually accomplished by first painting with white enamel followed by treatment with various oxides. This resulted in several types of Ivory such as Oriental ivory, Tinted Ivory, Old Ivory and old Antique ivory. Enamel finishing also increased durability of a jewelry box and hence you might find one of these, in good condition, even today.

In case you’re interested in finding antique jewelry box with a particular decorative style, then your best bet would be to look for something manufactured between 1900 and 1925. This was the time when international trade and travel was creating cross currents in decorative styles all over the world. A renewed interest in colonial days was experienced in America and was well reflected in jewelry boxes of the day. Several other decorative styles, such as Art Nouveau from France, Victorian Period from England, other classical styles etc, also gained a foothold in international markets.

Contrary to popular belief, all antique jewelry boxes are not astronomically expensive and it’s definitely possible to find a few with affordable prices, if you know where to hunt. Flea markets are perhaps the most underutilized places in such endeavors. In case you’ve never been there then you’ll be amazed at the kind of things you might come across. Many shop owners are also open to bartering and hence, you might consider taking something “antique” with you, in case an opportunity for barter arises.

Related Antique Jewelry Boxes Products:

Gifts for Girls Wooden Antique Jewelry Box (wc466)

* Antique Jewelry Box in Mango wood handcarving
* Antique Jewelry Box Outer Size: L- 8 inches,W- 5 inches,H- 2 inches
* Wooden Box Outer Size: L-6.75 inches,W- 3.75 inches,H- 1.5 inches
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* Shipped in 24 hours through courier from Gurgaon in India These wooden jewelry boxes are made by the very same craftsmen who are acclaimed for making intricate design …Read More>>>

Price: $ 72.77

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Antique Jewelry Box Handmade in Wood (wc446a)

* Antique Jewelry Box in Mango wood handcarving.
* Antique Jewelry Box Outer Size: L- 8 inches,W- 5 inches,H- 2.50 inches
* Wooden Box Inner Size: L – 6.75 inches, W – 3.75 inches, D – 1.5 inches
* Protecting and preserving jewelry indian way
* Created by wood block makers of saree prints
* Shipped in 24 hours through courier from Gurgaon in India.These wooden jewelry boxes are made by the very same craftsmen who are acclaimed for making intricate design …Read More>>>

Price: $ 77.68