 ART |
The Art company, also known as ModeArt, was in production from the
1940's to the late 1960's. Produced a wide range including Renaissance, Victorian &
Art Deco styles, animals, flowers and fruits. Marked 'Art'
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 AVON |
Avon started producing jewellery in the late 1920's and is still in production
today. All
pieces are marked Avon© |
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 BALLENCIAGA |
House of Balenciaga opened by Spaniard Cristóbal Balenciaga in1937. The
elegant jewellery was designed to compliment his haute coture line. He left
the house in 1968. The company is now owned by the Gucci Group. |
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 BONAZ |
Auguste Bonaz, French designer worked from the Bonaz Studios in France
during the 1920's & 30's using mainly bakelite, celluloid and galalith
to make among the most coveted of all Art Deco jewellery. Sometimes but
not always marked. |
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 BOUCHER |
Born in France, Marcel Boucher was initially an apprentice with Cartier in
Paris before moving to New York continuing to work with fine jewellery
until the Wall St crash of 1929. In 1937 he founded his own company
making quality costume jewellery characterised by exceptional metalwork
and striking rhinestones. Marked MB or Marboux & later Marcel Boucher or
Boucher. |
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 BUTLER & WILSON |
Simon Wilson & Nicky Butler started out selling vintage costume jewellery
from London's Portobello Rd. They opened their first shop in the 1970's
and soon began producing their own range of glitzy jewellery. 70's &
80's pieces are the most collectable. Still in production, the
company now being run by Simon Wilson. Marked BW©
within a button or Butler & Wilson©
www.butlerandwilson.co.uk |
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 CASTLECLIFF |
1945 - late 1980's. Founded in New York by Clifford Furst. Produced bold
good quality jewellery in a range of styles including some good Art Deco
designs. Marked Castlecliff. |
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 CHANEL |
Jewellery produced from the1920's to the present day. Founded by Coco
Chanel, the doyenne of haute couture & costume jewellery. Many of her
designs were inspired by Byzantine mosaics, Russian icons and Indian
cultures. Talking of jewellery she once stated, "It doesn't matter if
they are real so long as they look junk". Chanel jewellery is highly
desirable and commands high pries. Marked Chanel©
or with the double C logo
www.chanel.com |
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 CHRISTIAN DIOR |
1946 Christian Dior opened Maison Dior in Paris. Jewellery was an integral
part of his haute couture designs and originally produced limited
numbers for his high profile customers such as Marilyn Monroe and Bette
Davis. Later pieces were produced under license and sold through
exclusive shops and stores. Jewellery produced in a wide range of styles
but often characterised by floral designs. Marked
www.christiandior.com |
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 CORO/COROCRAFT |
Founded in 1901 in New York by Emanual Cohn & Karl Rosenberger. The Coro
mark was first used in 1919. Known for a wide range of styles from
figural to floral it initially outsourced most of it's jewellery from
independent designers until it opened a large factory in Providence,
Rhode Island in 1929. Production ceased in 1979 but continues in Coro
Inc Canada until the 1990's. Various marks Coro©,
Coro Craft©, Corocraft©. The latter two were introduced for higher end
designs. Coro 'duettes' (2 similar or identical brooches which clip
together and can be worn together or separately) are highly collectable. |
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 DANECRAFT |
Founded in 1929 by Victor Primavera in Providence, Rhode Island. The
company is still in existence today under the name of Felch-Wehr and
still trades under the Danecraft name. Best known for silver and vermeil
jewellery reminiscent of Scandinavian design. Marked Danecraft©
www.danecraft.com |
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 DAVID ANDERSEN |
Founded in Oslo, Norway in 1876 and still trading today. Produces fine
silver enamelled jewellery and commissions work from many independent
designers. Marks include David Andersen & D-A
www.david-andersen.no |
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 DE MARIO |
Robert De Mario was founded in New York in 1945 and continued trading
until the 1960's. Made in small quantities, De Mario jewellery is bright
and bold, and features rhinestones and glass beads. Not that common. |
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 DRGM |
German patent mark Deuches Reichs Gebrauchsmuster. Applied to jewellery
and other items from 1891 until the early 1950's. Jewellery marked DRGM
is collected in it's own right and often features Art Deco designs with
channel set rhinestones. |
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 EISENBERG |
Founded as a clothing company in 1914, Eisenberg Original started
producing jewellery in 1930 and are still in existence today. Known for
their large bold pieces, especially popular are the 1940's figural
designs. 1930 -1945 pieces marked Eisenberg Original, thereafter
Eisenberg Ice
www.eisenbergice.com |
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 FAHRNER |
Founded in Pforzheim in 1855, Theodor Fahrner ran the company from C1883.
He was know for both Art Nouveau, Arts & Crafts and later Art Deco
designs often using marcasites and semi precious stones set in silver.
Fahrner pieces are highly popular and command high prices. Marked TF
though unmarked pieces do exist. |
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 FLORENZA |
Started by Daniel Kosoff in the 1940's, the company continued trading
until 1981 producing filigree enamelled and bejewelled jewellery.
Victorian and Renaissance styles featured strongly. Marked Florenza. |
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 HATTIE CARNEGIE |
Henrietta Kanengeiser, as she was then known, emigrated from her native
Vienna to the US in 1904, changed her name to Carnegie and opened her
first of what was to become a chain of shops in 1909. Jewellery was
commissioned from numerous designers in a wide range of styles.
Excellent quality and highly collected. Marked Carnegie', 'Hattie
Carnegie' or 'HC'. |
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 HOBÉ |
Founded in the late 1920's by William Hobé, Hobé Cie jewellery was worn by
stars of stage and screen including leading Holywood actresses and the
infamous Zeigfeld Follies. Originally sold only in exclusive retail
outlets and leading department stores, the jewellery is of exceptional
quality with many pieces made in silver vermeil with semi precious
stones. |
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 HOLLYCRAFT |
Founded in 1938, taking on the trade name of 'Hollycraft' in 1948 the
company is mainly known for it's brightly coloured rhinestone jewellery
including Christmas tree brooches. Continued until the 1970's. Marked
Hollycraft. |
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 J.J. |
Known as J.J., the Jonette Jewelry Company was founded in East Providence,
Rhode Island in 1935. Well known for figural and novelty brooches
including some highly collected Art Deco designs, J.J. brooches are
still very reasonably priced and make a great collecting area. Marked
'J.J.',
sometimes with a year date. |
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 JACOB BENGEL |
Founded in the late 1870's in Idar-Oberstein, Germany, the Bengel Company
started out making watch chains and branched out into jewellery making
in the 1930's producing modernist design Art Deco jewellery in chrome or
nickel plate with galalith (bakelite) elements. Following WW2 the
company went onto a gradual decline and eventually closed but a treasure
trove of original jewellery stock was found in it's disused factory in
around 2000. Jacob Bengel became a public foundation in 2001 and is now
a museum. Bengel jewellery is highly collected and can command high
prices. |
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 JOMAZ |
See Mazer Brothers |
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 JOSEFF of HOLLYWOOD |
Eugene Joseff began training as a jewellery designer in California in the
late 1920's and quickly became a leading designer/supplier of
jewellery to the major Hollywood film studios. Among others, Joseff
jewellery has featured in Gone with the Wind, Cleopatra and Casablanca and
was worn by the likes of Grace Kelly and Greta Garbo. Marked 'Joseff' or
'Joseff of Holywood'. |
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 KRAMER |
Founded in New York in 1943, Kramer continued trading until the 1970's.
Making high quality jewellery, in the 1950's the company also produced
jewellery for Christian Dior. Kramer's more extravagant pieces and sets
are highly collectable. Marked Kramer© |
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 KENNETH JAY LANE |
Starting his design career at Vogue in New York for the legendary Diana
Vreeland, Kenneth Jay Lane started his jewellery company K.J.L. in 1963.
His jewellery, bold and elegant, attracted customers such as
Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Onassis and Diana, the Princess of Wales. The
company is still in existence today. Pre 1980's pieces are the most
collectable. |
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 LEA STEIN |
Textile designer Lea Stein began making jewellery in the late1960's when
her husband Fernand discovered
discovered a process of laminating cellulose to create a unique range of
colours and patterns. Originally selling to retail outlets and
department stored the company ceased trading in 1981 before re opening
some years later producing jewellery for the more exclusive collector's
market. Some very early designs are unmarked but most feature the
trademark 'V' shaped pin and are marked 'Lea Stein Paris. Very
collectable. |
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 LISNER |
The Lisner company was founded in New York City in 1904. Originally
producing unmarked jewellery and acting as a distributor, it was it's
authorised import and distribution of jewellery by Elsa Schiaparelli's
jewellery that raised the company's profile. In the late 30's jewellery
under the Lisner mark began to be produced but it's the 1950's jewellery
set with coloured lucite that the company is best known for. Now widely
collected. Various marks include 'LISNER' in capitals and also in script
form. The company closed in 1979. |
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 MAZER/JOMAZ |
Founded by Joseph & Louis Mazer in New York City in 1927, the company
quickly became known for producing affordable simulations of expensive
precious jewellery. Good quality materials including silver and vermeil
with intricate settings, designs included flowers, crowns and cocktail
necklaces. The company continued until 1977 but in 1946 Joseph left to
set up a new separate company, Joseph J. Mazer & Co which continued
trading until 1981. Jewellery made by this new company was more commonly
marked 'Jomaz', although 'Mazer' & 'Joseph Mazer' was also occasionally
used. |
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 MIRACLE |
Founded in 1946, A. Hill & Co in Birmingham, England are still
manufacturing jewellery under the Miracle brand to this day. Most
typical is jewellery of an antique look including Irish, Scottish and
Celtic designs made in pewter as well as silver and gold base metals
with simulated semi precious stones such as amethyst, turquoise, agate
and topaz. Numerous different 'Miracle' marks.
www.miraclejewellery.com |
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 MIRIAM HASKELL |
Miriam Haskell opened her first jewellery shop in the upmarket McAlpin
Hotel, New York in 1924 and 2 years later founded the Miriam Haskell
company with Frank Hess as chief designer. Using top quality materials
including Austrian crystals, Japanese simulated pearls and Murano glass
beads, Hess and subsequent designers produced innovative modern designs
including brightly coloured crystal brooches, intricately threaded glass
bead necklaces and faux pearls. The company closed in 1981 following the
death of Miriam Haskell. Numerous different 'Miriam Haskell' marks often
in an oval cartouche. |
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 MONET |
Founded in 1929 by Michael & Jay Chernow, the company became known as
Monet in 1937 and is still in production today. Known for it's stylish
classic designs, Monet also produced jewellery for Yves St Laurent
during the 1980's. Marked Monet© |
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 NAPIER |
Founded in 1875, the company went into costume jewellery production after
the first world war and continued until it's closure in 1999. Early and
Egyptian Revival style pieces are very collectable. |
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 PAVONE/
M.C. PAVONE |
Paris based Marie Christine Pavone is the designer behind this wonderful
range of quirky brooches which include many animal designs. Each brooch
is made made and polished from galalith, a caesin based plastic first
discovered in 1897. The animal brooches are based on animals she has
met, cats she has owned. This is what gives the their unique character
which collectors love. Hand signed 'Pavone' |
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 REBAJES |
Spanish jeweller and sculptor, Francisco Rebajes opened a shop/studio in
New York City in 1934. Well known for his modernist ethnic mask
jewellery made in both silver and copper, he remained in New York until
1967 when he returned to his native Spain and continued making jewellery
until his death in 1990. Marked REBAJES. |
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 RENOIR/ MATISSE |
Founded in Los Angeles in 1946 by Jerry Fells, Renoir is known for it's
solid copper jewellery. In 1952, a subsidiary company Matisse was opened
which specialised in brightly enamelled copper jewellery. Both companies
closed in 1964. |
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 ROBERT |
Founded in New York in 1942, Robert is the trademark of the Fashioncraft
Jewellery Company. In 1960 it changed it's name to Robert Originals.
Robert designs typically include coloured crystals & rhinestones and
sometimes enamelling. The company closed in 1979. Various marks
including 'Original by Robert'. |
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 SARAH COVENTRY |
The company started as a party plan business in 1949, buying pieces from
manufacturers and selling them under their own name. Still very
affordable, larger more important pieces and hostess sets are especially
collectable. The company ceased trading in 1984. Marked 'Sarah Coventry'. |
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 SCHIAPARELLI |
Italian born Elsa Sciaparelli opened her fist couture house in Paris in
the 1920's and like Christian Dior believed jewellery to be an integrate
part of the clothes she designed. Spending the war years in New York,
she returned there in 1949 to open a ready to wear shop and licensed
manufacturers DeRosa to make her jewellery. Production ceased in the
late 1950's. Many early designs are unusual and quirky, inspired by
surrealism. Later pieces include elegant multi coloured crystal
necklaces and parures. Most early pieces are unsigned, though some have
her name on a rectangular plate. Later pieces are marked with her
signature. |
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 SPHINX |
The Sphinx jewellery company was founded by S. Root in West London in 1947 making
good quality jewellery using brightly coloured crystals, aurora borealis
crystals, faux pearls and rhinestones. The company enjoyed a boom in the
50's and offered a more affordable alternative to jewellery from the
major design houses. They also made jewellery for Kenneth Jay Lane and
Butler & Wilson. The company stopped making jewellery under the Sphinx
name in 2000 but continue to manufacture jewellery for other companies.
Marked 'Sphinx' in oval cartouche. |
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 STANLEY HAGLER |
American born Stanley Hagler began making his own line in jewellery in the
late 1950's, specialising in faux pearl jewellery, combining it with
hand blown glass and Swarowski crystals to create bold and intricate
designs. Among his list of famous clients was the Duchess of Windsor for
whom he designed a bracelet. After his death in 1996 jewellery continues
to be produced under the name of Stanley Hagler & Co. Marks 'Stanley
Hagler' and later 'Stanley Hagler NYC'. |
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 TRIFARI |
Founded by Italian born Gustavo Triffari in the early part of the 20th
century, the company is now one of the best known of all costume
jewellery designers & manufacturers. From 1930 on, joined by head
designer Alfred Philippe t he company flourished producing creations for
numerous Broadway musicals. Later clients include Lady Eisenhower and
more recently Madonna. Creating a hugely diverse number of styles, the
company is now part of the Monet group bought by Liz Claiborne in 2000.
Numerous different marks. |
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 VENDOME |
Originally the name given to Coro's top-of-the-range line started in 1944,
Vendome then replaced Coro's 'Corocraft' line in 1953. Producing
jewellery using high quality materials such as Austrian & Czech
crystals, gold & silver plate the company closed in 1979. Pieces are
marked 'Vendome'. |
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 WEISS |
Originally a jewellery maker at Coro, Albert Weiss set up his own company
in 1942 in New York producing both enamelled and rhinestone jewellery
using top quality crystals. Many pieces are based on flowers, fruit and
figural designs. The company closed in 1971. |
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