This encyclopedic study is the fruit of twenty years of collecting, research, and study of the most significant American costume jewelry from 1930-1950. It offers readers a meticulous, reliable instrument to knowing these gems, which are often true and proper little works of art. In the two volumes, over 966 photographs show hundreds of jewelry items in full color, with an additional 729 illustrations of patents, advertisements, and historic photos. Thirty-seven companies are included, with addtional chapters on "jelly belly" jewelry and patriotic jewelry in the second volume. In-depth research of the companies makes this the best source on the American costume jewelry industry. The first volume, A-M, covers the companies from Accessocraft to Mosell, and includes Boucher, Coro, Eisenberg, Miriam Haskell, Hobe and others. The second volume N-Z, continues with Norma Jewelry Corp., through Rebajes, R ja, Trifari, to Uncas Manufacturing, with chapters on jelly belly jewelry and American patriotic jewelry.