Costume jewelry has timeless appeal

When people start looking around at their treasures, preparing to take them to an appraiser, they look for the usual things: art, silver, pottery and some textiles. And fine jewelry, of course.

But for Christi Chapman the best finds might be the last place you expected to look. Chapman thinks the real jewels are in the jumble of beads and brooches in that box full of Grandma’s old costume jewelry.

Chapman is a collector and dealer specializing in 20th-century costume jewelry. Her personal collection is extensive, and she has cases of glittering pieces for sale at Finders Keepers in Browne’s Addition.

“My grandmother got me started,” Chapman says. “I was about 13 years old.”

Chapman wears pieces from her collection whenever she can, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.

“I always get compliments,” she says.

For the past 15 years Chapman has collected and restored vintage costume jewelry, and once a year she participates in the Antique Appraisal Days at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

“I love looking at the pieces that people bring in,” Chapman says. “I’m fascinated by the stories they tell me about who owned the piece and where it might have come from.”

Although most items of vintage costume jewelry don’t have a lot of monetary value, there are notable exceptions. Chapman says she’s seen rare pieces sell for as much as $10,000 online.

“You’ve got to remember that some of these designers were people who worked for places like Cartier,” Chapman says. “Their work was exquisite, and now it is quite collectible.”

Chapman will be back at the MAC this Friday and Saturday, and she’s hoping to see something wonderful.

“My grandmother always told me that if you buy good things, they will last forever,” Chapman says. “And those wonderful pieces of costume jewelry have a timeless appeal.”