Vintage Sarah Coventry Jewelry is a must-have for jewelry aficionados who value the charm of vintage items with a rich history. Here is a guide to identifying, valuing, and pricing old Sarah Coventry jewelry. These pieces of jewelry have been around for years and are popular with socialites.
With 65 million pieces of jewelry sold globally and a $24 million year-end profit, The Sarah Coventry Company achieved an incredible milestone in 1964. The business proceeded to enjoy amazing success, selling 35,000 samples on average each day.
Identifying, buying, and caring for your Antique Sarah Coventry jewelry are all covered in this book.
A Snippet of Antique Sarah Coventry Jewelry History
In November 1949, Charles H. Stuart of Emmons Home Fashion launched the Sarah Coventry jewelry line. He gave the company its namesake, Sarah, and Coventry, England, the hometown of his ancestors.
The company’s main office was in New York City, but it also opened offices and increased sales in places including the UK, Australia, and Belgium in Europe.
By organizing home parties and small fashion shows where guests could try on the jewels and select their favorites, Charles used an innovative retail method. This concept enhanced consumer interest in jewelry purchases and gave women who had lost the majority of their jobs to men who had returned from Wartime new career prospects.
To increase involvement, Charles gave the hosts complimentary demo kits, thorough training, and limited copies of the newest jewelry lines. He advertised them on game shows and pageants, where he offered prizes from his collection to the winners.
Miss Universe Crowns: The Sarah Coventry Crown
With 33 years of usage, the Sarah Coventry Crown is the most recognizable of all Miss Universe trophies. Sarah Coventry, a jeweler, created the crown.
Charles’ retail technique had a cascading effect that increased brand awareness, sales, and popularity. The business also produced wristwatches for women between 1970 and 1980, ranging from two-tone watches with wire handles to straightforward gold cast watches with a little diamond marking the 12th.
Due to financial fears, the company was sold to a Chicago organization in 1984. Then in 2003, Sarah Coventry started up again, producing modern updates to its historical designs.
These remade items were offered for sale by Sarah Coventry online, at house parties, and in shops. Around 2008, the brand began its last fall, and the last round of production was stopped.
Jewelry Design by Sarah Coventry: The Method and Inspiration
Sarah Coventry is renowned for producing a wide range of jewelry items, each with a distinctive personality and identity, including brooches, necklaces, bracelets, rings, pendants, and jewelry sets. These works were produced with a wide spectrum of people with various personalities and moods in mind.
However, Sarah Coventry did not create the designs herself. As a result, everyone can afford and relate to the products because the company sourced designs from up-and-coming designers and independent contractors who recognized the brand’s mission and ideals.
Vintage Sarah Coventry Jewelry Design Qualities
By combining straightforward and spectacular designs with Baroque traditions, vintage Sarah Coventry jewelry was created to mimic natural and ethnic shapes. The company’s slogan, “For the woman who dares to be unusual,” underlines the originality of its creations even more.
Instead of the customary little clusters of stones used in costume jewelry at the period, the items were constructed from a variety of materials including metal, artificial and semi-precious jewels, polymers, original cut rhinestones, and glass. In order to match current art standards and appeal to a wider customer base, designers have occasionally included well-known works of art like the Mona Lisa in their templates.
How to Recognize Antique Sarah Coventry Jewelry?
It can be difficult to distinguish old things because Sarah Coventry makes such a variety of jewelry. The prices, meanwhile, can range since they came from various flea markets, online antique shops, and auction websites. Some popular collections include:
- The Jade Garden Collection: This set of $21.00 brooches features gold relief circles encircling a pearl and a genuine green jade stone. It was produced between 1966 and 1969.
- The Folklore Collection, which was offered between 1971 and 1973 for $44.99 and included neck chains and geometric pendants with three turquoise-colored rectangle imitation stones.
- The Crusader Cross Collection: This line of solid cross-shaped pendants and necklaces with translucent purple cabochon stones is priced at $15.50 and was available from 1941 until 1975.
- The Tropicana Collection: a line of $19.20 brooches shaped like tropical fish with three-color reflecting glass stones that alter colors was introduced between 1960 and 1964.
- The Remembering Collection, introduced in 1968, is a line of vintage gold metal pins with turquoise cabochons, white pearls, and teardrop-shaped turquoise plastic stones, each one costing $30.
- The Promise Collection: A range of $14.00 white synthetic pearl and petal-shaped gold relief circle pins that were available between 1968 and 1972.
- The Ember Flower Collection: This 1972 collection of gold-plated metal flowers with tanned Chanton glass stones and emerald-green leaves was sold for $23.99.
- The Black Beauty Collection, a line of $15.00 flower-shaped silver metal pins with black chaton cut rhinestone centers that were introduced in 1967.
- The Imperial Collection, which retailed for $29.51 and was introduced in 1974, is a group of vintage silver metal pins with turquoise teardrop stones, purple stones, and white imitation pearls in an oriental pattern.
Jewelry by Sarah Coventry Marks
Each item in the Sarah Coventry vintage collection has distinctive markings that can be used to determine the production year. Coventry, Sarah Coventry, C., Sarah, and Sarah Cov are the top five trademarks.
How to Estimate the Jewelry Worth of Sarah Coventry?
Although Sarah Coventry no longer makes jewelry, the collection of vintage pieces is excellent quality and hard to come by. Blue Lagoon, strawberry ice, and Golden Avocado are just a few examples of color-based artwork that collectors highly value and seek out.
Asymmetrical mosaic pieces are expensive, uncommon, and valuable because they feature tinted cabochons and solid colors on a gold-toned background. Even days, complete vintage sets are pricey and very impossible to find, making them a collector’s hot item. Every collector’s favorite items in terms of age are those from the 1960s and 1970s because they can sell for a hefty sum of money.
FAQs
How old is the jewelry by Sarah Coventry?
Sarah Coventry was a popular American jewelry brand that was established in 1949 and remained in business until the mid-1980s. Therefore, the jewelry produced by Sarah Coventry can be anywhere from 70 to 30 years old.
However, some pieces may have been produced as limited editions or special collections, which may affect their age and rarity. Overall, the age of the jewelry will depend on when it was produced and when it was last sold or worn.
Where can I sell jewelry made by Sarah Coventry?
You may sell Sarah Coventry jewelry on a number of online stores, including Ruby Lane, Etsy, and eBay. Another option is to attempt selling online at auction sites like Heritage Auctions or Sotheby’s. Also, you can sell your items locally at flea markets, antique stores, and consignment shops.
How can I be sure the jewelry I’m buying from Sarah Coventry is real?
Look for the company’s hallmark or signature on the item to make sure the Sarah Coventry jewelry is genuine. Researching the many hallmarks is essential to determining the piece’s date and authenticity because Sarah Coventry utilized a variety of hallmarks over the years.
To confirm the piece’s authenticity, you can also look up the design, construction, and material choices made at the time it was manufactured.
How should my Sarah Coventry jewelry be maintained?
It is important to keep your Sarah Coventry jewelry out of direct sunlight and in a dry, cold location to preserve its quality. The items should not be exposed to chemicals, such as perfume or water, as these can corrode the metal and stones. Moreover, it’s critical to frequently clean your jewelry using a soft cloth, mild soap, or jewelry cleaner.
Can the jewelry by Sarah Coventry be fixed or refinished?
Absolutely, a skilled jeweler can fix or restore your Sarah Coventry jewelry. Prior to spending money on repairs or restorations, it is crucial to take into account the piece’s value and rarity because doing so can compromise its authenticity and overall worth.
As a result, collectors and jewelry connoisseurs prize the stunning and precious vintage collection of Sarah Coventry jewelry. Understanding the background, styles, and authenticity of Sarah Coventry jewelry will help you appreciate and keep these one-of-a-kind items for future generations.