Featured Thoughts on personalized inscriptions?

Okay so I know there are many people who collect watches who claim that personalized inscriptions hurt the value of a vintage piece.

What are your guys thoughts on inscriptions on vintage jewelry? I for one find them fascinating and I quite like them as they give a piece history and in some cases help to date a piece. I have no problem with them at all and dont like to think they devalue anything although I know a lot of people stay away from them.

 

I totally agree with you about the story it gives to a piece, but I'm more on antique jewelry
I want those inscriptions on mourning pieces with hair work!

 

If the workmanship is nice
if you're moving it along
if it's not too personal
then it's fine by me.........

If it's a piece I want to gift my wife....and it says ' Belinda, you'll always be my 1st lover "
Then no !

 

With inscriptions on jewellery I feel like I would be wearing someone else's history. Like an intruder, or even an impostor. I usually avoid it.

 

Not jewelry but I bought a key tainer by Buxton NOS in the box awhile ago at a sale. It had the initials of someone on the hard case. CC, not Chanel. I was surprised that someone bought it. I bought it so fast at the sale I missed the initials.
Just a bit of input to add to the thread.

 

Seems to be the case in collectors' books too, that absence of inscription or bookplates is seen as desirable. I wouldn't want a volume heavily marked up with underlining, but rather enjoy the indications of prior ownership.

For jewellery, I probably wouldn't buy something where the decoration is a monogram, unless it happened to be my initials. Inscriptions out of sight are a different matter, particularly if a date is included. Provenance counts.

Silverware, etc., certainly wouldn't want a set with initials other than my own. Individual pieces can be an exception.

 

I don't care much for monograms when they don't fit my initials, especially on silverware or cigarette cases. On jewelry, I don't mind them so much.

 

I collect antique sewing items and I love to find a name or initials on them and even better if accompanied by a date, for me it adds interest to the piece.

 

Personalized inscriptions I like. Monograms, not so much.

 

Doesnt bother me either way. In fact Ive never really given it much thought !

 

Probably best.

 

I don't care that much. I'm not too fond of monograms unless they look cool. Inscriptions and handwriting all over a cookbook are both things that say "GRAB ME NOW". I want the stories and history as much as the item itself, and sometimes more. Old cookbooks with two or more sets of handwriting are desirable if you cook.

 

The monograms are on the back of the watch, so I don't mind. My Hamilton rose gold watch is engraved and dated 1943....WWII. Must have been a great sacrifice to save up and give that to someone. I just think about this stuff.