Shopping and Fashion

“Mid Century Plastic Jewelry” is a soft cover book published by Schiffer in 2005. The author, Susan Maxine Klein, and photographer, Jori Klein, have done a remarkable job of packing the book with details of the evolution of plastic costume jewelry from its beginnings in the early 20th century to the present time. They also discuss manufacturers, early plastic mediums, styles, colors, and include a price guide. One of the best features of the book is the hundreds of stunning color photographs of gorgeous colorful jewelry that are included.

On the dust jacket inside front cover there is a brief biography of Susan Maxine Klein which reads: “Susan Maxine Klein started in the antiques business working for Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago. She spent five years as Senior Manger of Client Auctions for Sotheby’s, Chicago. For three seasons she worked as a production assistant on the HGTV television program “The Appraisal Fair”.

From her extensive knowledge and experience she has pulled together this comprehensive guide that is a “must have” jewelry reference for costume jewelry collectors. Reading through the table of contents gives an overview of the wealth of information contained in the pages that follow.

Part one examines how costume jewelry, particularly plastic jewelry, originated and the manufacturing and distribution process. The focus is on the Rhode Island costume jewelry industry, which was the hub of 20th century growth. Parts two through four introduce the top manufacturers, Coro, Trifari, Lisner, Kramer, and others, with a focus on the colors and styles they created. There are lots of fabulous photos grouped by color, which magnifies the bold and flashy spectacle of Susan’s collection. Then Part five discusses the care, condition, and repair of plastic jewelry.