Costume Jewelry Collectors Int’l (CJCI) recently announced the organization of a new club to further the study of vintage costume jewelry and promote the camaraderie shared by collectors of both contemporary and vintage jewelry. CJCI welcomed its first members into the organization in early January to kick off 2010.
The need for this organization arose when Lucille Tempesta, founder of Vintage Fashion and Costume Jewelry Newsletter and Club (VFCJ), announced her retirement in the last issue of the VFCJ newsletter published in late 2009. VFCJ served jewelry collectors by first publishing a newsletter close to 20 years ago, and holding its first national convention in 1993. The final VFCJ convention was held in October 2009.
"VFCJ brought together a vast network of jewelry collectors and hobbyists over the years," said Melinda Lewis, CJCI co-founder. "We want to continue the tradition of a print-based publication focusing on jewelry collecting and the bi-annual convention we’ve all come to know and love. Pamela Wiggins and I looked at our respective talents and decided together we could do that and much more."
In addition to publishing a full-color quarterly magazine-style newsletter and planning a convention for jewelry collectors in 2011, CJCI has created its own online social network where members can gather to share information on costume jewelry and discuss their collections.
“We look forward to continue serving our jewelry collecting friends through this new member-based organization, but intend to take it much further than ever before," said Pamela Wiggins, who is partnering with Lewis in co-founding CJCI. "We recognize the appreciation for jewelry design, history, and adornment is far-reaching, and we want our online component to connect jewelry lovers across the globe.”
Lewis, a long-time jewelry collector, historian, and stylist (www.thejewelrystylist.com), is currently completing a book on Napier jewelry. Her dedication to educating collectors about vintage jewelry makes her uniquely qualified to serve as co-editor of CJCI’s new publication.
Wiggins, the expert guide to antiques for About.com (www.antiques.about.com), will lend her expertise as an author, editor and jewelry enthusiast to CSCI’s publication. Her experience leading local clubs for vintage costume jewelry collectors, which includes planning numerous successful conventions, will also benefit CSCI’s membership.
Both Lewis and Wiggins are ardent users and proponents of social media, including Facebook, Twitter and more specialized groups focusing on costume jewelry-related topics. This experience will assist them in fostering an online community and communicating with CSCI members in a timely manner.
“We foresee this as a way to share news with our members and ask for input on projects that will make our print-based publication stellar,” said Lewis. "The ways our members can assist one another, however, are endless. When you bring kindred spirits together in community, friendships blossom and those friends help one another during the ups and downs of life. It goes far beyond what you might expect from a jewelry community. We know CJCI has this potential, and it’s an exciting place to be right now."
CJCI yearly memberships are available at several different levels ranging from $25 to $35. Memberships for $30 and $35 include a listing in the club’s member directory. Visit www.costumejewelrycollectors.com/membership.htm for more information.
Comments