05.20.06

New OLD Stock

Posted in Jewelry Design at 9:57 pm by Laura

The first time I came across the phrase “New OLD Stock” in an item description I assumed it to be a listing error. After encountering the same phrase repeatedly, in multiple listings and from different sellers, it dawned on me that the phrase was meant to convey information of some importance to buyers. Judging from the price of the items using the description, the reputation of the sellers listing the items and the other associated terms in the listings (rare, difficult to find, vintage, limited quantities, etc.) items described as New OLD Stock were at the top of every “in the know” jewelry collector/designers’ “must have” list. But before I added New OLD Stock Jewelry Components to the top of my “must have list”, I wanted to know what made them so special.

New OLD Stock (NOS) when applied to whole pieces of jewelry, car parts, computers and watches etc. generally refers to vintage inventory from stores that has never been used or sold. This inventory is old but is in new condition.

The most logical approach to discussing the use of the term New OLD Stock as it applies to jewelry components is to begin with a question. What happened to the warehouse stock of components belonging to the manufacturing jewelry firms of the last century and a half when those firms closed their doors? Most collectors know that the East Coast of the United States was a mecca for the production of costume Jewelry during the late 19th and early 20th century. Many of those manufacturers have since gone out of business. Prior to going out of buiness each and everyone of those manufacturers maintained well stocked warehouses. Those warehouses were filled with the components, which until the demise of the manufacturing company were destined to be assembled into jewelry.When those businesses closed down, due to economics, death or merger, many of those warehouses were simply locked up. In many cases the inventory was not liquidated until years later. And if you were fortunate enough to be present for the final liquidation of the warehouse contents, then you would have been able to purchase New OLD Stock jewelry components consisiting of rhinestones, clasps, pins, stampings etc. .

The trick to locating New OLD Stock components in the 21st century is finding a reputable seller who has access to that liquidated inventory. More about the search for these rare components in future blogs……..

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