St. Labre Christmas tree pin

Vintage Tannenbaums are becoming more popular among costume jewelry collectors, and the prices are rising, despite our sluggish economy.  As I’ve said to many about vintage jewelry in general, they are a better investment than the stock market, especially these days!

For example, in the past few months I’ve sold in my online shop: a very rare Eisenberg crystal tree for $560, a Miriam Haskell tree for $525, a De Nicola tree for $385, a Nolan Miller for $325, the Mylu Peppermint stripe tree for $300, an Austrian tree for $175, a Hollycraft for $165, an MV-signed arbor for $158, and a Kramer of New York candle tree for $140, just to name a few!

So if you want to start your own Christmas-inspired 401K, I suggest you start with the following die-hard, solid investment designers (in alphabetical order):  Art, made in Austria, Avon, Beatrix,  Brooks, Corocraft, Eisenberg, Hollycraft, Johnette Jewelry (JJ), Lia, Mylu, Napier, Pell, Swoboda of California, Tancer II, Trifari, and Weiss.  You can purchase these trees for anywhere from $5 to $100 online, or if you’re lucky, from a thrift store, flea market, antique shop, or trade show.

All these designers have trees in collector books/price guides, which are referred to as “book pieces”.  The Christmas tree go-to “bibles” all collectors use are Mary Morrison’s “Christmas Jewelry” and Nancy Trowbridge’s “Christmas Tree Pins”, as well as Kathy Flood’s Warman’s figural tomes and her own two-volume set of unsigned & signed pins, the second of which is being released this holiday season.

Corocraft twisted trunk Christmas tree pin

Also, you can get a jump-start on today’s designers trees, which will gain value in the near and far future, such as Dorothy Bauer, Lunch at the Ritz, R.J. Graziano, Eisenberg Ice, Kirk’s Folly, Swarovski, and Vero. Eisenberg Ice also makes gorgeous snowflake brooches, of which the premium ones cost $75-$150 each.

If you want to get fancy and like’em rare, designers such as Miriam Haskell, DeNicola, Cadoro, Hattie Carnegie, Cristobal of London, Hobé, Erwin Pearl, Original by Robert, Stanley Hagler, St. John, St. Labré, Lea Stein, Vendome, Larry Vrba, Warner, Yosca, and Zentrall are what you want to put on your wish list (As well as pie-in-the-sky list, too!).

New, high-end designers include Stuart Freeman, Blair Delmonico, Judy Clarke, and La Heir, among others.  For Christmas tree pin collectors, ’tis the season all year round!

Next blog entry will be about:  Unsigned Christmas tree beauties!  STAY TUNED!