Friday, August 15, 2008

CORO 1960s Sapphire Flower Brooch - NO SALE

This beautiful piece of costume jewelry is a CORO vintage Sapphire Flower brooch with enameled leaves and petals. It was made by this jewelry company in the mid 1960s and features a blue crystal at the tip of the stamina inside the flower blossom. I liked the design a little too immediately, and I confess now to buying the piece on aesthetics (but for a very low price...). It does however bear the mark of CORO on the rear and is therefore a signed piece which was my only mandate.

However, it did not sell on eBay, where it was listed in a seven day auction with very reasonable shipping fees priced at $9.99 as minimum bid.

The back story here is that I paid that Russian lady, Stanya, only $8.00 for the piece at The Sunday Market four days before... I know her husband through a swimming pools installation company, long story, but yes I was hoping to 'flip this brooch' using the buy local / sell global principles, but it didn't work.

Social marketing? I was also hoping that through social marketing on the internet I could generate some interest in the artifact. I knew I was destined to write more on the subject - one more interesting blog post, or article about the experience of actually selling something for a profit on eBay... but it didn't happen this time.

AMOUNT INVESTED $8.00 + $2.00 eBay fees = $10
AMOUNT RECOVERED = $0


Dotty Stringfield gave me more insight on the subject of which costume jewelry designers are the most sought after on eBay. CORO is too common (and nobody wears brooches anymore) so my first attempt was literally doomed to failure before it began... why didn't anyone tell me what I already knew? I blame it all on Stanya.

Now this from Dotty Stringfield's costume jewelry research site:

Dumpdiggers,

Really good pieces from the following are always hot: Haskell (there is a lot of fake Haskell on ebay), Sherman, Har, Schiapparelli, Mazer, Trifari, Schreiner, Boucher, Pennino, Chanel, Eisenberg. Figural pieces are also popular -- people dancing, etc.

Most of the costume jewelry companies made a wide range of jewelry, from the ordinary and forgettable to exquisite, high end pieces. Others simply stuck with making lower end pieces by the thousands. Just because a name is on the piece of jewelry, that doesn't make it a desired item. Design, rarity, company name, etc., all play into whether or not a piece will bring a high price.

:)Dotty

Thanks Dotty. I guess its time to start reading books on the subject? Wait... Am I really that interested? After I buy my next set of earrings, ring, necklace or bracelet, I'll buzz you again Dotty, and maybe you can give me some idea of the proper keywords I need to plug the items into eBay most effectively? For example, I didn't think to mention the enameled leaves and petals of this brooch until you pointed it out.

Anybody want a CORO vintage 1960's Sapphire Flower brooch? I'll give it up to anyone who asks nicely in the comment box (and pays shipping?).

4 comments:

Jayne said...

It's amazing the many tiny details of any item we need to know about before buying/selling anywhere!

Mharms said...

thanks for the comment dumpdigger..i really appreciate it.

Michelle B. Hendry said...

Well - I think it is lovely! Are you seriously giving it away for the price of shipping?

If you seeking for it a new home, I would certainly love to give it one. I actually wear brooches from time to time. I am happy to do a little better than shipping too.... :)

rob said...

michelle. I'm sorry I didn't see your response until now. The brooch is yours - just email me (its in my profile) your address and I will send it. Thanks for reading and supporting Dumpdiggers!