Ruby Lane's June Past Times - His and Hers

In This Issue

• His and Hers - Stories and Gifts
  
• Ruby Lane Has Just Gotten a Refresh!
  
• Out in the Real World by Jack Becklund of The Pottery Nuts
  
• Ciner and Bogoff: Capturing the Look of Fine Jewelry
  
• Porcelain on Ruby Lane - Fragile and Lovely for Her
  
• Antique and Vintage Gift Ideas for Father's Day
  

HIS AND HERS - STORIES AND GIFTS

Her-story from two famous companies that not only made affordable jewelry that looked high end, but also prominently feature women on the rise and continued success of their companies.

His-story from a self proclaimed Pottery Nut who realizes shopping and selling in the "Real World" is real work.

(But using the Search tool on the refreshed Ruby Lane website is now easier than ever! Find a gift for Dad that matches his personality and interests in the blink of an eye. Treat her to a piece of delicate porcelain.)

RUBY LANE HAS JUST GOTTEN A REFRESH!

We're pleased to announce that Ruby Lane has gotten a site "refresh". Some pages have a brand new look, and we've added new shopping tools and features. Here's what's new:

Updated Item Pages
On item pages we've moved many shopping tools around to make them easier to see and use. We've placed a new shop "snapshot" as well as Wish Lists and new social sharing tools near the top of the page. On large item photos you'll now see a new dynamic mouse-over feature which allows you to control what areas of the photo you view.

New - Skype Directly with Ruby Lane Shops!
You'll notice a new Skype indicator in the shop snapshot box on all item pages. Now you can Skype with a shop owner if you have a question while shopping! Skype is a free service that allows you to have an audio, text and/or video conversation through your computer or phone. It only takes a few minutes to download Skype, set up and launch it.

Log In Using Facebook
We have added the ability to log in to Ruby Lane using their Facebook login. Once signed-in it allows you to see what's popular with your Facebook friends and read their comments.

New Tools for Sharing Your Favorite Ruby Lane Items
We've added many more options for sharing your favorite Ruby Lane items with the world. You can choose to "Like" an item on Facebook, tweet it on Twitter, send it to social sites such as Digg and Stumbleupon, and many more!

We invite you to stop by and visit today!

OUT IN THE REAL WORLD BY JACK BECKLUND OF THE POTTERY NUTS

Once upon a time, before the advent and growth of E-commerce, nearly the entire antiques and collectibles world trekked each May to a funky little town in Massachusetts called Brimfield. It was, and for many still is, a rite of spring. Six days of sun, rain, trudging over hay fields, picking low-hanging fruit and gauging the market.

Of course, you can see much more "stuff" without the sun, rain and trudging, just sitting in an easy chair in front of your computer, but one day each May, this year it was Tuesday the 10th, I accompany a friend to Brimfield. Being dealers, we're there to sell, mostly to other dealers.

My friend has logged 35 years at Brimfield. He knows a lot about the business, sells jewelry, gold and silver, but won't do the internet. I explain to him how Ruby Lane would be a perfect fit, how cheap it is and how well we're doing with the pottery. You'd think I worked for the company, but it doesn't help. "Too much hassle," he says.

Speaking of which, let me tell you about Brimfield. After enjoying a winter free of death-defying drives through frozen Maine hinterlands, of sitting in front of a toasty wood stove selling our wares on Ruby Lane, I am about to revisit the real world. It starts on May 9th, when Patti and I pick out fifty pieces of pottery and put price stickers on them. Then we get out the moldy old banana boxes, wrap each piece in bubble wrap and pack the boxes. Then I load the SUV with the plywood table tops, the supports,
the pottery, the folding chair, the supplies, rain gear, etc. Are we having fun yet?

The morning of the 10th comes way too early. I am on the road, in the rain, at 3:45 a.m. Two hours later, at my friend's house, I remove everything from the SUV and we load his mini-van. We drive two more hours and arrive at Brimfield at 8:00 a.m. The rain has ended and we start setting up on the field, along with a couple hundred other dealers. In an hour, some of those dealers are wandering through the booth, looking at our stuff, We talk to them, and each other, and occasionally sell something, until 1:00 p.m. when the show actually opens and there is a brief stampede, It tapers off and we start watching the clock until nearly 4:00 p.m., when we start repacking for the long trip home. During our stay, I have consumed three handfuls of peanuts and five bottles of water. I really have to go to the bathroom.

Our day on the field provides no revelations. For example, not one person looks at the price tag and says, "I'll take it." Instead, they ask, "What's the best you can do on this?" It's no different from Ruby Lane, where we consider all offers because most buyers expect it.

I am showing a piece of Torquay pottery from England. Three people talk to me about it. Two are women from England and there is a couple from Australia. People want to take their treasures back home. Again, it's the same as Ruby Lane. Last winter, we offered two pieces of Lladro. One went to Spain and
the other to Portugal. Royal Doulton? It's apt to go to one of the British commonwealth countries. At Brimfield, I hear Chinese and Russian being spoken. Bet they are looking for items from home so they can repatriate them.

At one time I believed it was better and safer to buy things in person where you can see and study the item and put your hands on it. But I sometimes miss things. Maybe a hairline or a nick, and it's usually at some place where "all sales are final". For me, it's better to buy where I can get a guarantee, like Ruby Lane. People are people. Some are perfectionists.

I have one very good piece of pottery at Brimfield, a piece of Teco, that many people handle. It is in excellent condition, but more than one of them say, "Hmmm, there's something." I ask them what it is and where it is. They are sort of vague, pointing here and there. Finally, two ladies buy it after a great deal of thought and study. Ten minutes later they are back, still worried. I tell them it is guaranteed, as is everything we sell, and tear up their check. The vase was and is in excellent condition, but buying in person doesn't always give you peace of mind. A guarantee does.

A fellow comes along and picks up a Weller wall pocket, priced at $170. He tells me there's a guy down the aisle selling the same thing for $390. A few minutes later I walk over to see for myself. It's true. That's something you wouldn't be likely to see on Ruby Lane, where things are more transparent
and the Weller is grouped together for all to examine.

Quite a few customers see our tabletop sign and say, "Hey, I've seen you online". Because they know us from Ruby Lane, they buy things. I hand out cards to strangers, suggesting they can see a good selection of art pottery on Ruby Lane. Two days later, one of those handouts pays off in an online sale.

At 4:30, we are packed, loaded and on our way across the field and into the annual Brimfield traffic jam. This is followed by the Boston traffic jam. We finally arrive at my friend's house as it starts to rain again. We reverse the loading and unloading routine and by 8:00 p.m. I'm homeward bound. Two hours and fifteen minutes later, I pull into the garage, feeling buzzy and tingly and thanking God to be home. It's been an 18 1/2 hour day in the real world.

Patti and I debrief. She says I look beat. She asks if I have learned anything new. I say no. I also say the trek may be my last to Brimfield. Selling on Ruby Lane has spoiled me, because having to do it in the real world is definitely "too much hassle."

We invite you to visit The Pottery Nuts and shop for pottery from the comfort of your easy chair.

CINER AND BOGOFF: CAPTURING THE LOOK OF FINE JEWELRY

While many costume jewelry manufacturers made large and showy pieces that would have been very expensive to make in precious metals, some makers were known for their high quality work, which mimicked the look and quality of fine jewelry. Ciner and Bogoff are two of the firms that specialized in this look.

Ciner

The Ciner Manufacturing Company actually began as a fine jewelry manufacturer, moved into the production of costume jewelry, and is still active today.

The company was founded by Emanuel Ciner in 1892, and produced traditional fine jewelry items. In the 1930s, the company began production of costume jewelry. The quality of the workmanship, the classic styling, and the use of fine quality rhinestones in sizes similar to those used in much fine jewelry production quickly established Ciner as a major player in the world of fashion.

Records of a number of different names associated with the company indicate that Ciner attempted a number of brands in the fine jewelry market, using names such as Madame Butterfly, The Love Knot, The Princess, Mayfair, and Minerva. These names were associated with rings, or lines of rings, made by Ciner in the 1920s and 1930s. The jewelry may have been marked with a stylized hallmark, with a C and M enclosed in an elongated C, a mark that may date to around 1914. However, marking of the jewelry before the 1930s is a bit of a mystery. The Ciner name was used in the trade from the beginning, and registered in 1949. The company's
costume pieces were most often marked with the Ciner name, in block style capital letters. Some sources state that Ciner pieces were only marked after WWII .

Emanuel's son, Irving, was active with the company from at least the years of World War II until the 1970s. He was instrumental in the formation of the New York Silver Manufacturer's Association. This group helped assure New York manufacturers of a supply of silver during the war years, when metal restrictions were in place. As many base metals were not readily available, many manufacturers moved from the production of plated pieces of these base metals to silver jewelry, often with a gold plated finish.

In the post-war years, Ciner began advertising nationally, using popular fashion oriented magazines, such as Vogue. Many costume jewelry manufacturers subcontracted some or all parts of production to other shops. Ciner produced their items in house, which produced a consistent quality and look. The line was marketed through fine independent jewelry stores and larger quality venues.

Emanuel Ciner passed away in 1958, and Irving steered the company through the turbulent 1960s and 1970s. Many well established jewelry makers floundered in this period, unable to adapt to changing styles and marketing methods. Foreign manufacturing was undercutting many of the domestic makers, and many owners were nearing retirement age, and simply ceased operations during these years. Ciner forged ahead.

Pat Ciner Hill and
her husband David acquired the firm from her father, Irving, in 1978. David had a background in jewelry manufacture and design and his name appears on some of the post-1978 pieces. David Hill passed away in 2008. Today, Pat Ciner Hill and her daughter, Jean, are still actively involved in the firm. The line is still made in the United States, with all work done in house, a rarity in the world of costume jewelry. The pieces are still plated in 18 karat gold, in a quality range that assures the line is handled by some very fine retailers. Reproductions of some of their classic pieces from the past are included in the line.

Ciner is to be commended for a number of achievements. The business has existed for over a century, and has produced quality costume jewelry for more than 75 years. The same family has maintained the firm and its high standards through the years, and they have kept all production under their control, in the United States. These are all large accomplishments for any company or manufacturer, and are practically unheard of in the world of costume jewelry.

Bogoff

The pieces made by Bogoff also had the look of fine jewelry, but the company was always more oriented towards the mass market.

Henry Bogoff was born in 1908, in Poland, and immigrated to the United States in 1924. He settled in Chicago, and married Yvette Glazerman, also an immigrant. Henry founded the Spear Novelty Company, which made buttons, decorative trims, and accessories, often featuring
rhinestones. The formal move into jewelry occurred in 1940, with the establishment of Jewels by Bogoff. The items were normally marked "Bogoff" or "Jewels by Bogoff". Some post-World War II ads also mention Gay-Bee Jewelry, also made in Chicago, but the connection to Bogoff is unclear.

The pieces were normally designed by Henry. After models and molds were made, the pieces were produced, usually in white metal, and then plated. Bogoff was known for high quality rhodium plating work, and gold plating was also used. The pieces were well made, often using rhinestones in sizes and colors that imitated the look of fine diamond and colored gemstone creations. Some pastel colored stones were used, and some larger size stones were also used. Necklaces were often produced in choker lengths, with extenders that added some versatility. The pieces carried a lifetime guarantee.

The pent-up demand in the years after World War II treated Bogoff well. The company's sales placed them behind Coro and Trifari as the third largest producer of costume jewelry at the time. Henry's wife, Yvette, served as Sales Manager, a ground breaking role for a woman in the American jewelry industry of the 1940s and 1950s. Bogoff's advertised their items heavily in the national press. The firm maintained showrooms in New York City and Los Angeles, with production facilities in Chicago. Major accounts included retailers such as JCPenney, Sears, and Zales, along with the department store operations of
Hudson's, Carson's, and Saks 5th Avenue.

Henry Bogoff passed away in 1958. Most sources say the production of Jewelry by Bogoff ended in the 1960s, but a few sources believe the early 1970s were the end of the era.

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