Sarah Coventry jewelry was the first direct selling company in the world. Begun in 1949, Sarah Coventry jewelry became a household name in American jewelry during the 1950's through 1970s. Sarah Coventry was founded in 1949 when the owner of Emmons Home Fashion, Charles Stuart, set it up and named the Newark, New York company after his granddaughter. It was a very family-minded company. Selling jewelry for both men and women through home fashion parties, Sarah Coventry jewelry was not manufactured by the company, but rather it sold jewelry other companies manufactured. Women were enticed to purchase fine fashion jewelry and were able to earn hostess gifts. A woman could get the jewelry demonstration kit on loan for parties, so it didn't cost her anything to start up her own home-based business. Home parties allowed customers to try on the jewelry and have a social gathering at the same time, thereby increasing it's appeal. Participants at the parties could then be used as future contacts to have other parties and invite other friends. Fashion Show Directors would show the latest designs and catalogs. Because of the catalogs, collectors today have little trouble finding the official names the company, Sarah Coventry, named it's pieces. Names like "American Beauty," "Cameo Lace," and "Jade Garden" were descriptive as well as intriguing. Some of the names were used more than once, and some named were used by both the Sarah Coventry and the Emmons jewelry companies, which can make it very confusing when trying to match up pieces. After production, molds were supposedly broken so other companies couldn't use Sarah Coventry designs, but that did not always happen in actuality. So it is possible therefore to find duplicate Sarah Coventry or Emmons jewelry from other manufacturers. Catalogs today are collectibles as well as the vintage jewelry from the company's heyday. Especially prized are the limited edition hostess sets. The Sarah Coventry line of jewelry was very flexible and adaptable to many costumes and fashions. This giving multi purposes to jewelry items made them even more desirable as one could, in effect, get more bang for the buck. Some pins could be worn as pendants, necklaces that could be taken apart and worn together or separately, earrings could be ad-ons to pins are examples of the flexibility Sarah Coventry offered. Fashion Show Directors were sent newsletters explaining various ways to use combinations of jewelry pieces. The company had several marks for their jewelry throughout the years of operation. Sometimes being marked SARAH COVENTRY, SARAH COV. SAC, SC, AND COVENTRY. A unique selling appeal to customers, Sarah Coventry jewelry had a Lifetime Guarantee. Alas, the company went bankrupt in the early 1980s. In 2003 the name was purchased by another company and a new facility built in Florida in 2006. The new company has Hostesses and home jewelry parties and proudly displays the Sarah Coventry name.

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