Beatrix Vintage Jewelry

Nat Sugarman founded Beatrix Vintage Jewelry in 1946, the company was named after his sister. In 1965 he sold it to the firm's manager Leonard Mandell. This is when Beatrix jewelry really began to soar thanks to a very clever idea. Mandell wanted focus heavily on holiday jewelry. The idea was to “say it” with jewelry instead of a greeting card.

The holiday line of jewelry was licensed by Treasure Master, and it featured jewelry for Valentine's Day, Christmas, and Saint Patrick's day (just to name a few). It's important to note, however, that many of the earlier pieces of Beatrix were not marked. Marking their jewelry with BJ didn't start happening consistently until 1975.

The Chris Mouse Pin:

Many collectors of Beatrix vintage jewelry seek Christmas trees and other pins. In particular Mr. Mandell designed an adorable Chris Mouse pin, complete with a Santa outfit. Today this pin is relatively affordable, averaging between $25-$35, which is a bargain compared to some collectible jewelry.

From 1966 to 1983 the production of holiday jewelry continued and Beatrix's reputation grew. So much was the case that Disney licensed Mandell to create a line of jewelry for the company. In 1977 Mandell sold the entirety of Beatrix to Treasure Master, although he continued working for them for five more years. Beatrix closed its doors in 1983.

As mentioned, not all of Beatrix has a makers mark. Those that do will feature a Bj or “BEATRIX”.

Besides the maker's mark, look for Christmas tree pins with reindeer, or twin poinsettia pin with a golden bell. Both of these are fairly easy to find, and the pricing is very reasonable starting around $6.00 and going up to about $35.00 on average. The line of Beatrix Christmas trees has shown consistent return in value over the years.

Some of the whimsical pieces are fun to collect too, like the holly that's shaped into a Christmas doll, carnation broaches, and Christmas candle pins that look for all the world like they jumped off a greeting card.

If you're specifically buying Beatrix as a collector's item, check to be sure all the rhinestones are intact and that the enamel color isn't showing signs of wear or flaking.

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