Friday 19 March 2010

Dating Sarah Coventry Jewellery - Part 1


There are many ways to date vintage jewellery. One of the best ways is by reference through brochures, trade magazines or other paperwork produced by the jewellery company.

Last week I obtained a brochure produced by Sarah Coventry in Spring 1976. This magazine is from the US and the hostess lived in Iowa. I wanted to share the information and over the next few months will be producing the 63 pages for anyone to reference and any additional information. Starting with the first 4 pages. If you search "Sarah Coventry" in this blog. It should bring up all the blogs with the different brochure pages.



When I was about 13 or 14 I remember my mother attending a jewellery party hosted by my grandmother. I was not allowed to go. But afterward I had the pleasure of looking through a brochure and picking out a bird brooch. My mom brought the brooch for me and a birthstone ring. I still have the ring but the brooch sadly has disappeared in time.
When my grandmother passed away, I was given many pieces of her jewellery. I wore a beautiful brooch throughout my teenage years that was produced by Sarah Coventry.

C H Stuart Co was founded in 1952 in Newark, New York, they sold many different products including cosmetics, china, boats as well as jewellery. Sarah Coventry and Emmons jewellery had been started in 1949 and the companies tended to sell the same jewellery using the same numbers, tags, brochures and catalogues.

Home parties or fashion shows was the way the jewellery was mostly sold with some in department stores in the late 80s and 90s. From the US in the sixties the company expanded and started to have parties in Scotland, England, Canada, Belgium and Australia.  The peak was in the eighties when the company then declined. It had a brief revival in the nineties and 2000s but their website has now disappeared. Unsure of the state of the company now   

The hostesses were rewarded for holding the parties. In 1976 you would receive $1 credit for each guest up to 9 who buy the jewellery and £2 credit for each additional guest who makes a purchase. Also for holding a party $2 credit and if you had another party within 3 weeks another $3 credit. The credit allowed you to have free jewellery.

Page 4 showing the following jewellery:
Tassel Magic Earrings in a gold tone 7629
Tassel magic necklace/bracelet  in a gold tone 8629
Versatile jewellery was produced by Sarah Coventry. Here the necklace had a removable chain length that could be converted into a bracelet 

Page 5  (January 1976)

Exquisite Lady necklace 36" in simulated pears 8612a
Patricia necklace 36" pearl and gold metal chain 8118b
Exquisite Lady Earrings for pierced ears, small faux pearl 7614c
Patricia Earrings for pierced ears, small pearl bead and gold metal chain dangle 7118d
Exquisite Lady Earrings Clip style, faux pearl in a gold coloured clip finding 7612e


Page 6 (Spring 1976)

Golden Petal pendant 20" gold tone pendant and chain 8400a
Golden Petal earrings clip 7400b
Delightful bracelet, curved links in gold tone 9986c
Volcano pendant 24" dark blue/black stone pendant and gold tone chain 8191d


Page 7

Tempo bracelet faux pearls and oval links in a gold tone 9291a
Snowdrop necklace 18" faux pearl teardrop bead enclosed in a gold tone frame 8359b
Moon Beam pendant 16 - 18" adjustable pendant and gold tone chain. Pearl cabochon set into a pointed diamond shaped gold tone frame 8594c
Sabrina necklace 19" and 34" chains. small pearl bead and ornate gold tone stamping pendant on a chain with alternate links of gold tone stamping and three pearl beads.8292d
Sabrina earrings for pierced ears matching pearl and gold tone 7294e  

Click on the photographs to enlarge further

Sarah Coventry brooch
Sarah Coventry vintage jewelry


Have just brought my March jewellery book about Jacob Bengel and Art Deco vintage jewellery. Will write a review shortly. That is if I can find it - one of my family has moved it from the middle of the ironing board some where safe....

10 comments:

  1. Hi Sue

    Thanks for popping over to my blog - hope you enjoy your half-century birthday as much as I enjoyed my 'free bus pass' birthday!!

    In the 70s I worked for a jewellery party plan company called Celia Ann (based in Northamptonshire). It was run in a similar way to Sarah Coventry and all the jewellery was either gold or silver.

    Shall browse through some more of your posts and will pop back again!

    Sue

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  2. Thank you for looking at my blog.

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  3. hello,
    What is the difference between sarah coventry and sarah coventry canada? which is more valuable per say?

    Thank you

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  4. Sarah Coventry signed jewellery may be an earlier date, because the company started in the US first. In the seventies they moved to producing jewellery for the UK and Canadian market, so if it is marked such then it is after that time. Price depends on rarity, age or if someone wants that piece of jewellery badly (maybe to complete a set?) If selling on an auction site, the price is arbitrary as you can get people bidding against each other sometimes inflating the price.
    You also have to remember that a piece signed Sarah Coventry and one with Canada on may be the same age.
    So price is set by a seller and by a buyer - its just what people are willing to pay at the end of the day.

    Sue

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  5. I love the danggling earrings.. wonderful!

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  6. I've just inherited a few vintage rings, one of which is an in-line style with five blue coloured stones set in silver with SARAH COV engraved inside band. Does anyone know where I can find out more about this ring. Thanks.

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  7. The only thing I can think of with blue stones is "moon river" I've got one

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  8. To all the mindless idiots that keep leaving stupid comments to try and improve your rank. Don't bother. they go straight into oblivion!!

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  9. This is a blog post about Sarah Coventry jewelry. But I am still getting idiots that think that I will publish rubbish that advertise keeping young and beautiful. Dream on you what you end up with is not beauty its horrible. Beauty comes from within and growing old gracefully is just right.:))

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  10. Hi, I've recently inherited a beautiful piece called Silvery Petals 8179 I was wondering if anyone could offer some any information about it please. Thank you.

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About Me

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Solihull, West Midlands, United Kingdom
I preserve the past. Researching family and local history. Finding about mine and other people's ancestors, is just one of my passions. I also love vintage costume jewellery made here in the UK. I write about my finds and like to research.