Neil Zevnik has been a passionate, some might say obsessive, collector of vintage costume jewelry for nearly thirty years. His collection ranges from 1840 to 1970, from haute couture to yard sale, from the sublime to the ridiculous and everything in between.

“Like all decorative arts, costume jewelry reveals and reflects the attitudes and events of the periods in which it is created, from the humble everyday to worldwide history… This fascinates me.”

For many years, the only way to obtain a gem from his hoard was to attend one of the exclusive charity events that he sponsored. Now he has decided to part with a major portion of his collection, and a significant portion of the proceeds will still go to charity.

from Los Angeles Times profile | April 2013
“There’s a magpie side of me,” Zevnik says. “I’m entranced by things that sparkle.”

“It gives me enormous pleasure to be able to share my passion for these glittering works of art and do some good in the world at the same time.”

The Names: Schiaparelli, Haskell, Eisenberg, Ciner, Trifari and Kramer, Panetta and Pennino, Boucher, Cini, Mazer, Florenza, Caviness and Carnegie, Vogue and Vendome and Vrba, and so many more. And the countries: Austria, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, England, China, Japan, Siam, and of course the post-war costume jewelry capital of the world, The United States.

“Some people collect Tiffany glass, some collect American Art Pottery or dolls or perfume bottles… Vintage costume jewelry is the art form that excites me.”