Kaleidoscope effect

1970 Vintage pendant. Work by American jeweler Fran Mar vintage brooches

American jeweler Fran Mar vintage brooches

Unusual vintage design of brooches, charms, lockets and pendants – work by US jeweler Fran Mar. She created a series of costume decorations titled Moppets. In addition to jewelry, she created dishes, figurines, kitchen textiles – all with the image of children. The design is special and recognizable no matter signed or not. Some items have stamps Fran Mar and the year of production, while others go with tags and boxes.
The tags have the inscription “Moppets symbolic of love, friendship, sincerity, and happiness”. Traditionally, brooches are mini-sculptures with the smallest detail, made of metal, plastic resin, jewelry alloy and colored enamels. Noteworthy, the date of manufacture of all these decorations cover a short period from 1970 to 1973.
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Sun ceramic brooch. The sun embossed on a ceramic basis and covered with enamels of cheerful and bright colors. 1950s. 8 cm. Gofer ceramic costume jewelry

Gofer ceramic costume jewelry
Located in Israel, the workshop of a married couple Avraham and Pnina Gofer created unique jewelry of abstract, Art Deco and avant garde design. The Gophers began to manufacture ceramic jewelry in the early 1950s, after they got married. Noteworthy, the duo created their own unique style and took part in art exhibitions in the museums of Tel Aviv and Haifa (1970s).
They started with the development and creation of enamels for jewelry, and in 1956 they opened their own ceramic workshop. However, the design of Avraham & Pnina Gofer, included not only jewelry decorations – brooches and pendants. In addition, they made beautiful decorative panels, wall plaques and ceramic tiles, which jewelry lovers can wear as pendants.
Traditionally, for making brooches and pendants the craftsmen used a glazed ceramic basis, sometimes silver or copper. Also, the jewelers covered items with enamels of bright colors.
Recently, mid-century products marked Gofer have become very popular among collectors. It is difficult to say with certainty when the company ceased to exist, but according to sources, that’s the 1990s. In fact, their last solo exhibition took place at the Ethnographic Museum in Holon (1987). The workshop founded by artists of applied art Avraham and Pnina Gofer operated in Israel from 1956 until the 2000s.
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Angel brooch of gold tone. Alva Studios Museum Replicas

Alva Studios Museum Replicas
New York based jewelry company Alva Studios manufactured unusual costume decorations, different from what we are used to. In particular, replicas of jewelry items of pre-Columbian cultures of the ancient Indians. Traditionally, the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas, were great specialists in the manufacture of gold products.
Founded in 1948 in Long Island, New York, Alva Studios existed until the 90s. Its founder, Alfred Wolkenberg (born in Vienna in 1911) immigrated to the United States in 1939. He had many artists and designers, whom he ordered to produce reproductions of ancient jewelry and sculptures stored in various museums around the world. For example, in the collection of the American Museum of Natural History, as well as other museum collections.
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Bow brooch. 1960s gold tone alloy, enamel. 5.7 cm. Karu Arke Inc costume jewelry

Karu Arke Inc costume jewelry
New York City based costume jewelry manufacturer Karu was the successful collaboration of Paul Kaufman and Jack Ruderman, which began in the 1940’s. Karu jewelry was extremely popular. According to Jack Ruderman, the treasurer of Karu, their sales already in 1948 amounted to about $ 22 million. Traditionally, sales of costume jewelry on Christmas Eve were very high. The quality and designs of Karu costume jewelry are similar to Weiss or Weisner.
Noteworthy, the then-famous jewelry company Coro, owned by Cohen & (and) Rosenberger, filed a complaint against Karu in 1952. In particular, due to the similarity of the names of the two companies – Caro and Karu. However, the court considering this case did not find sufficient grounds to satisfy the claim. Indeed, Karu meant the fusion of the first two letters of Kaufman-Ruderman. However, Karu’s name soon changed to Karu Arke Inc.
By 1972, the company ceased to exist. Thus, all Karu brand products are vintage and collectible.
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Flower brooch. Gold tone metal, enamel. Laurentian Jewellery Manufacturing LJM

Laurentian Jewellery Manufacturing LJM
Traditionally, the jewelry of the Canadian brand LJM demonstrates the highest quality with the finest and most thorough elaboration of details. Based in Montreal, Laurentian Jewellery Manufacturing is luxurious vintage costume jewelry delighting collectors from 1952 to the present day. Their more than 6-decade impeccable trajectory speaks for itself. Traditionally, the masters of the brand used imitation of aged gold, mosaic compositions, onyx and marcasite. Besides, behind every little or big item, there is a sweet story, a love or sad story, a new or just an important story to tell. Noteworthy, LJM offers lifetime guarantee for every item – brooch or earrings, bracelet or necklace.
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Frog brooch. Jewelry alloy, enamel, green rhinestones. Tara Fifth Avenue vintage costume jewelry

Tara vintage costume jewelry
Although TARA brand is not so famous in wide circles, but true connoisseurs of vintage jewelry are happy to replenish their collections.
Founded in the early 1960s in New York, Tara Fifth Avenue company moved to California in 1965. The exact closing date is unknown, however, we can assume the company ceased to exist in the 1970s. Thus, costume jewelry of this company produced for 10 years is vintage. Noteworthy, some companies, such as DeLizza & Elster made jewelry decorations for Tara, that’s why Tara jewelry can be similar to Juliana jewelry. Also, in the list of jewelry companies which produced decorations signed Tara were Monet, Judi Lee and others. That is why the marking “Tara” on some decorations differs. Also, the prices are different, depending on subjective indicators of demand in the world market.
The style of jewelry marked Tara is diverse – from Art Deco and Modern to Rococo and classics of that time. Traditionally, the company’s masters used jewelry alloy of gold and silver tones, rhinestones, colored glass and enamel.
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Gorgeous abstract design swirl pin. 1980s. Rhinestones, matte gold. Vintage Norma Jean costume jewelry

Vintage Norma Jean costume jewelry
Unusual in shape and design, Norma Jean pieces resemble some archaic jewelry found somewhere during the excavations of ancient civilizations. Bold and elegant design, exquisite handmade work make these costume decorations desirable for collectors of vintage jewelry. Noteworthy, Rhode Island based designer has been in business for more than 30 years, since the 1984.
Available through various major catalogs, Norma Jean pieces – sold in various Department Stores, including Canada, Japan and Mexico. Traditionally, the NJ jewelers used gold tone metal, rhinestones, crystals, faux pearl and sometimes enamel. Also, all earrings, pins and brooches have markings – N J, or Norma Jean.
However, creating fashion jewelry is not the only business of a talented American designer. In addition, she designs and hand makes decorative things and home goods – push pins, shower hooks, etc.
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