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How to Invest in Art Nouveau Jewelry

Swooning Over a Deliciously Feminine, Art Nouveau Brooch?

Before you invest in Art Nouveau Jewelry, the following Art Nouveau investor tips will help you decide if they're really worth the splurge. Veteran collectors can go directly to Art Nouveau investor tips here.

If you require more general information like, what you should know, before you set out to furnish the retailers cash register, see antique jewelry buying basics here.

Even if you're not quite ready to take the plunge and invest in Art Nouveau Jewelry at present, but interested in finding out general information about the period and the historical importance of jewelry of the Art Nouveau period, you will find as much as you can take, on this page - Art Nouveau Jewelry 101.

What is Art Nouveau Jewelry?

Produced between 1895 -1910, jewelry of the late 19th century was ready for a change. Enter - Art Nouveau jewelry!

When you invest in Art Nouveau jewelry, the biggest over-riding feature is this, when it comes ot Art Nouveau jewelry, "Nature, Movement and Art Nouveau are synonymous".

Lovers of this style, who invest in Art Nouveau Jewelry will do well to consider the impact of botany on the jewelry of the period.

There was a botanical fervor during this era and the taste for naturalistic jewelry flourished. Plants had what was called, "le frisson de la vie", the quiver of life.

Lalique, supreme among Art Nouveau jewelry designers, would surround himself when he worked with flowers to serve as inspiration.

In France, earlier in the century, during the Georgian period, Empress Josephine kept an enviable garden and was "passionate about her plants and uncontrollable over her jewels." (Becker,ibid)

Many flowers were first introduced to Europe during this century, the tigerlily, wisteria, chrysanthemum, certain types of roses and of course, the bleeding heart.

This deep pink plump and sensuous plant, used by Lucien Gaillard was brought back from China in 1846. It became the most popular decorative motif of the 1860s.

(This Alfred Mainzer Flower Series postcard featuring bleeding hearts can be purchased from PJ at 'Baubles Bangles & Beads-Vintage Jewelry & Clothing'. Just click on the bleeding hearts. It will open a new window).

The large iris was also beloved of the Art Nouveau jewellers. And the fuchsia, with its spectacular effusion of hanging color was a Victorian motif adopted by Art Nouveau jewellers.

Japanese Influence

When you invest in Art Nouveau Jewelry, it will be French Art Nouveau jewelry that will show the greatest influence of Japanese art.

The Japanese art design that developed in the 1860s was called 'Japanisme'; simplicity was the man feature. Just one carefully observed detail of a leaf or a flower, a bird, were the elements of the Art Nouveau design. Japanese workmen were imported to workshops in Paris and new York to share their skill.

Art Nouveau Motifs

Collectors who invest in Art Nouveau Jewelry should be on the look out for the following motifs:

Insects: the dragonfly and butterfly were the most popular. Other insects were the grasshopper, depicted with stylized angular antennae, Japanese in character and used beautifully by Lalique and Gaillard.

Reptiles: the serpent wound its way into the Art Nouveau period, Lalique again was master among the Art Nouveau designers in creating jewels entwined with writhing serpents.

Birds: the preening peacock and the stately swan drift dreamily through the jewels of the Art Nouveau.

Landscapes and Seasons: motifs include plants, and miniature landscapes. Water was a feature and little ripples in a lake, sprawling roots, grass and sky would be added in subtly changing colors of enamels or an opal mosaic.

The Female: as a reaction against a dominate male society, the female face and body dominated Art Nouveau.

In the late 1880s and 1890s the use of a woman's face or form in jewelry was considered distasteful, it was thought to be wrong for a woman to be ornamented with another woman's face or body.

The Female Figure Reigned

By 1900 tastes had changed. The cult of the female figure reigned supreme.

The face of woman, depicted unashamedly sensual, framed by recklessly untamed hair, is the quintessential symbol of Art Nouveau jewelry. It the prize and great favorite motif of Art Nouveau passionistas who like to invest in Art Nouveau Jewelry.

The shifting colors of opals gems, were appealing to the Art Nouveau jewellers, they were alive and evoked the female beauty.

Loie Fuller, (1862 - 1928, in photo) American dancer became the living emblem of the Art Nouveau movement. Fuller continues to be an influence on contemporary choreographers today.

Art Nouveau Investor Tips

Antique Jewelry Investor Tips at the rescue!

Tread with caution, in this area, there is a lot of fake Art nouveau jewelry around. A high return on investment, resulted in many reproductions being produced. Some of the Art nouveau fakes are so similar to the genuine pieces that even experts can't tell the difference.

I was once offered what looked to be an authentic piece of Nouveau Jewelry, from a very well dressed dealer and was informed that it was French. However upon close examination, alarm bells sounded when I noticed the 14k gold mark. French Art Nouveau will always be 18k gold jewelry. Also it should be marked with an Eagle's head.

If you're offered an American Art Nouveau piece, this rule however does not apply, original pieces may have 10k, 14k or 18k gold jewelry markings.

When you're examining Antique Gold Jewelry of Art Nouveau era, pay careful attention to the quality of the sculpturing, it's of the utmost importance. The sculpturing should be expressive and finely detailed.

Art Nouveau Jewelers had a unique way of being able to shade and blend enamel, which is impossible to duplicate today. Have in mind that enameled Art Nouveau jewelry is fragile and can be easily damaged.

One of the most frequently used methods of enameling Art Nouveau jewelry was plique-a-jour method which is covered in more detail further down the page.

Two of the most popular forms of enameling were:

1. Cloisonne, in which the enamel fills little metals pockets

2. Plique-a-jour, which gives the effect of a stained glass window.

Plique- a- jour enameling was only used for show pieces for display rather than normal wear. Although fragile, it was ideal for semi-transparent effects like butterfly wings, but this type of enameling was hardly ever used for brooches or anything pinned to fabrics as the translucency would be lost.

The dragonfly and the butterfly, were favorite motifs amongst Art Nouveau jewelers who enjoyed the challenge of the wings.

Authentic, fine quality At Nouveau Jewelry should have the same fine finish on both front and the reverse.

The edges of the gold work on the reverse should be rounded with slightly irregular surface.

If the metal is unusually highly polished, before you invest in Art Nouveau jewelry, tread with caution, this could indicate that you are looking at a "fake".

Diamonds were used as surrounds or "edgings" in Art Nouveau Jewelry.

Glass, moonstones and chalcedony were popular gems.

Gemstones were chosen more for their meaning and for desirability as motif, not for their expensiveness.

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