How do you store your vintage jewelry?

B

belle.studios

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In addition to vintage clothing, I also have a box of vintage jewelry. How do you store your vintage jewelry, both for preservation and inventory / selling purposes?

Thank you!
Belle
 
This question just made me laugh! My jewelry is a mess. Most recently worn is "stored" in a pile on a dresser. Bakelite bangles are all on bracelet racks by color. Although, sometimes just in a pile on the dining room table. I have one of those standing mirrors that open on each side to store jewelry. A brilliant idea, for necklaces that can dangle, and earrings. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out using the opposite side mirror, and not much is in there except pieces I have forgotten I own. Maybe some broken bits, too. Possibly things I might sell? Rings are in a ring dish. There is ring storage in the mirror, but I can't remember to use it. So, dish on the bureau for rings! And I also keep a special antique Uranium glass ring inside an antique art nouveau ring box given to me by @carla rey , in our VFG Secret Santa, this past year. Brooches are mostly in pockets inside the mirror. Hat pins are currently atop the dresser, for further evaluation and decision of keep or sell.

Pieces that might be for sale are in a box in my office. Pieces that are already listed for sale are properly stored in their shipping boxes, in a section of my basement where all listed items are kept. I have several vintage jewelry boxes that I use for display, when I do an in-person sales event. Those are filled with lower price point pieces and chatchkis - I love to be able to give children a small shiny object when they are drawn to my booth. The older boxes are lined in lovely velvet, and those are really nice for storage on a dresser, doubling as a display.

Probably the most important storage tip I can recommend is storing beaded, strung jewelry flat, as to not wear the thread further. I have a huge pile going to my jewelry fixer friend for re-stringing. The necklaces on chains or wires I hang on a necklace display (and within the jewelry cabinet/mirror). If you have a large collection and also need a standing mirror, I really recommend getting one of those thingies. I wish I could remember to use it! I also have a firm belief of out-of-sight, out-of-mind. Which may be the reason I ended up with so much bakelite - when I couldn't see my collection.

Don't store different types of plastic together. I also recommend not wearing different types of plastic at one time. Bakelite is much denser than others, and may cause breaks or cracks (especially in older, more dainty celluloid). The other reason to keep separate, is in the horrible instance that you may introduce a plastic degradation disease to your collection, it can spread to any other plastics. (It smells like vinegar, commonly occurs in old dolls and lucite purses, enhanced by sunlight.)

Pearls should be stored separately, maybe in a little cloth bag. If any metals have verdigris, keep that separate (if you are keeping the piece and not tossing), that can spread. Oxidization can be managed with polishing. Verdigris is not curable. I wouldn't necessarily toss it, depending if the piece is nice, old, sentimental, etc. Just be careful of it not contaminating other metal jewelry. Just like when I bring clothing into my house, either to sell or keep, I have a process for cleaning and storing so I don't cause harm to mine or my partner's collections - jewelry has those needs, too.

I probably answered all of the questions you did not ask, and none that you did. Just some things to think about!
 
I can only speak for my personal jewelry, of which a lot is vintage (but almost no plastic - lots of metal an rhinestones, and a few real silver/gold and precious stones). I have a couple of modern jewelry boxes with lots of different compartments to hold all manner of differnt things in their own compartments. I have a lot of vintage brooches, and was for a long time looking for something that let me have a look quickly when I was thinking about what to wear. In the end I bought a couple of boxes for for watch collectors. The square compartments are large enough for most brooches, or if they're small, two can go into one. As the boxes have lids with clear inserts, I always have a good overview of what I have - or what's where.
 
Thanks all for your help. Lots to ponder. Want something where the pieces are protected, organized (in case I want to sell), and most important where I can see them because they are so pretty...sparklies! :)
 
I store all my vintage costume jewelry out of the air in either a dresser, or a cabinet on trays, or in a bin or in drawers in plastic carts. The pieces are either on trays or in compartmented boxes - and some are in plastic "drawers." I live near the ocean and there is a lot of salt spray in the air, but I think this is good practice unless you are in a climate controlled environment. I keep watches in the boxes they came in (except for a plastic Casio sports watch with a plastic band that is "out" on my dressing table.) I store rings in ring boxes or ring tray boxes - inside the cabinet.

I protect all metal and metal with stones vintage costume jewelry by storing each piece separately in a plastic jewelry bag. I do not usually seal the bags The bags range in size from very small for earrings to large for brooches and large pieces like large brooches, necklaces and bracelets. I have purchased the bags in person and online. They are also available at craft supply stores. I store Bakelite and plastic bangles, uncovered and sorted by color in a cabinet in plastic drawers inside a cabinet. I do wear Bakelite and plastic bangles together and occasionally wear Celluloid bangles with either or both. I store Bakelite and Celluloid brooches on separate trays - each piece in its own bag. I have had some Celluloid degrade over the years.

I store pieces by type and era - i.e. - 1930s and 1940s floral enamel dress clips, fur clips and brooches are in drawers in the same cabinet and all my "pink" 1950s costume jewelry - including parures is stored in one drawer of a plastic cart - and the blue and green pieces in another drawer.

I have been collecting for a LONG time and pretty much remember where everything is. I also have almost everything I purchased since 2003 catalogued or photographed. - and have noted if I sold something. Occasionally I do have to go "on a hunt!"
 
and most important where I can see them because they are so pretty...sparklies!
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Same here - that's why I bought the watch boxes. They can be stacked if you have more than one and the clear inserts let you see what's inside.
 
I put every piece of jewelry in a small zip bag, designed for jewelry. I lost too many rhinestones prior to doing this. Now any loose stones remain in the bag, and I can replace them more easily.

Then I store pieces in plastic shoe bins/boxes, and mark each box "High End", Medium, and Low. The only "name" pieces I keep in their own boxes are Trifari. I sell the Medium and Low end pieces in my B&M, and sell the High End online.
 
I use old silver flatware boxes. These are designed to prevent tarnish and are lined in felt (sometimes the felt is impregnated with anti-tarnish chemical), close tightly and are usually compartmentalized in a helpful way. I also scatter some of those anti-desiccant packets in each drawer. Silver flatware is mostly obsolete, it seems, and much of it has been melted for scrap, leaving these boxes, some of which are very beautiful, available at flea markets and auctions for sometimes a few dollars.
 
A caveat on using the little zip bags. If there is any moisture at all on the jewelry, it will turn green inside the bag. I recently reorganized all of my jewelry--it is 1000s of pieces. I found four pieces that were totally degraded. As best I recall, which is not that great, I believe I bagged those pieces before they were thoroughly dry. Francis, is that why you throw in some dessicant packets?

I wasn't bothered much by the four that were degraded, but if they had been high-end pieces, I surely would have been. Lesson learned.

And a side note about the silverware boxes. I started collecting those boxes about 10 years ago--some of the Art Deco ones are gorgeous. I remove the fittings (those stand-up pieces that separate the types of ware), and rework the insides. It's kind of a mindless creative thing to do, and they sell really well in my B&M. It's a very soothing thing to work on them.

People love boxes!!
 
Distantdetails said:
And a side note about the silverware boxes. I started collecting those boxes about 10 years ago--some of the Art Deco ones are gorgeous. I remove the fittings (those stand-up pieces that separate the types of ware), and rework the insides. It's kind of a mindless creative thing to do, and they sell really well in my B&M. It's a very soothing thing to work on them.

People love boxes!!
Click to expand...

Those sound amazing, I would love to see pics if you have any.
 
The only other thing I would suggest…….. don’t keep all your favourite, sentimental, most expensive to replace jewellery in the same obvious place. My home was broken into a few years ago. They opened my jewellery box, on my bedroom chest of drawers, and took virtually everything, including my late Mother’s wedding and engagement rings, both of which were war time, and not worth a lot to anyone but me. Yes, it was all insured, but you can’t replace the cosy feeling you get when remembering your Mum whilst holding her rings! Don’t store valuables in your freezer either. According to the Policeman who came……(my freezer was left open after they had a look inside). Leaving it open was just mean, but that a lot of people hide their valuables in their freezer!!
 
Distantdetails said:
Francis, is that why you throw in some dessicant packets?
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Supposedly moisture has little to do with silver becoming tarnished, but I use the packets anyway because I often put things in the box after cleaning, and there can be residual moisture that for sure doesn't do anything in there any good. My fear of moisture probably stems from our vintage clothing days, but the packets are very inexpensive and so I use them.
 
I combine two "little" problems I have...too much vintage jewelry, and vintage train cases which take up a decent amount of storage space. I keep the jewelry separated in baggies, or tissue, and store them neatly inside the train cases which also lock. If you want to be more organized, you can have a list of what is stored in each one placed inside.
 
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