Kaleidoscope effect

Cat brooch. Polymer resin, hand-painted, lacquer finish. 4 cm. 1980s. Sylvia Bennett vintage costume jewelry

Sylvia Bennett vintage costume jewelry
American artist Sylvia Bennett (Nov. 5, 1939 – Feb. 29, 2008) created a series of polymer jewelry in the 1980s that later became collectible rarities. These were mainly figurative brooches in the form of Storyland characters, teddy bears, cats, kittens and other animals. Crafted from resin, hand painted and lacquer finished, these brooches were voluminous and made with such attention to detail that they look as alive. In general, all animals in this series have their own, pronounced character.
Traditionally, the designer labeled her pieces “Sylvia Bennett Raven”. Raven was the name of her home studio where the artist worked. Rare brooches with collectible value due to their high quality have been perfectly preserved to this day.
A bright and hardworking student, Sylvia studied art at the University of New Hampshire. Also, her studies included one year in Denmark. She began working as a graphic designer for McCalls in New York City. In 1965, she got married to Richard Merk, and by 1968, they had three children.
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Basket of flowers vintage brooch. Gold tone, glass cabochons, rhinestones. MV Vellano vintage costume jewelry

MV Vellano vintage costume jewelry
The history of an Italian high-end costume jewelry line “MV Vellano” lasted no more than a decade, from the late 1970s to the 1980s. A confident, optimistic woman of the 1980s did not need to confirm her status with expensive decorations, preferring costume jewelry. Besides, the 80s statement jewelry went well with large sunglasses, bright and contrasting silk scarves. It was during this period that the work of many European jewelry companies and, in particular, Italian companies, met the demands of the time.
Noteworthy, the products of MV Vellano are very similar to other Italian brand Vogue Bijoux, as they had one owner. The designers of these companies created high quality haute couture jewelry luxury for upscale shops and boutiques.
Traditionally, they used 18kt gold-plated metal alloys, pavé Swarovski crystals, glass cabochons, lucite, and enamel. Undoubtedly, high-end design, best materials and high quality workmanship made these items collectible.
Both Italian companies Vogue Bijoux and MV Vellano are no longer in operation.

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Orchid three-dimensional brooch. Metal alloy, 14 K gold filled, faux pearl. 7 cm. 1960s. Signed Lee Co vintage costume jewelry

Signed Lee Co vintage costume jewelry
The 3D effect gilded orchid flower looks incredibly vivid and delicate. The brooch is large enough not to be unnoticed, yet stylish and feminine. Every petal curve, every transition from brushing to polishing is carefully thought out and verified. A small pearl is the finishing touch to this jewelry perfection. Thanks to the high quality of materials, gilding and the craftsmanship of the designers, the vintage jewelry of this brand has maintained excellent condition. In this floral collection from the mid-60s, the company released several floral and plant brooches that are now collectible rarities. In particular, rose, chrysanthemum, palm branch, as well as floral motifs in the form of wreaths and figurative decorations in the form of animals.
Each product of this company bears a distinct “Lee co.” mark with a copyright sign.
Unfortunately, there is practically no information about the company, except that it worked in a short period 1950-1960s. Traditionally, craftsmen made jewelry by hand using gold plating, faux pearls and rhinestones.
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Peacock brooch. Gold plated, open work. Wild Bryde vintage costume jewelry

Wild Bryde vintage costume jewelry
American jewelry company Wild Bryde began its activity 50 years ago and is still active today. Its founders, artists Michael Warner and Tracy Holzman, began their activities in the garage of their home in Richmond, California. The company name comes from McBRYDE Avenue, and WILD Cat Canyon in Richmond, where his house and garage were. Mike studied art and botany, and graduated from the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland. A nature lover, he spent a lot of time in the San Francisco Bay Area watching birds and making illustrations. It was these illustrations that formed the basis of the company’s first jewelry. Inspired by nature, jewelry designs include wild birds, plants and animals.
Over the years, Wild Bryde continued to grow and they moved from a garage to a large studio in El Sobrante, near San Francisco.
After several years, Mike Warner became the sole owner of Wild Bryde, continuing to create high-quality, nature-inspired, handcrafted jewelry. Noteworthy, the present design of jewelry already includes more than 8000 species of animals, plants and nature in the form of brooches, earrings, pins, necklaces and bracelets.
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Mary had a little lamb rare vintage brooch. Sterling silver, plastic, enamel, faux pearls, Signed Creed vintage costume jewelry

Signed Creed vintage costume jewelry
The history of the American company Creed Jewelry Co. began immediately after the end of the Second World War, in 1946. Its founder, a young businessman, William Creed, was at that time a jewelry wholesaler working for a company in New England. In the process of communicating with clients, he understood their request for more elegant jewelry with semi-precious stones. However, his employer did not support the young businessman’s idea of ​​expanding the product range. As the saying goes, there is a silver lining, and William founded his own company in one of the largest jewelry manufacturing centers in the United States, in Attleboro Massachusetts.
A talented businessman, William Creed, in search of suppliers of glass, crystal and rhinestones, visited Austria and the Czech Republic. As a result, Swarovski and other well-known companies became his suppliers. In general, his business flourished until the 1950s, but William’s health deteriorated and his son Jack had to lead the company. Fortunately, Jack was equally talented and well educated, and he expanded the family business.
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Broccoli brooch. 4 cm. Sterling silver. 1980s. Signed Breakell vintage costume jewelry

Signed Breakell vintage costume jewelry
The history of jewelry company J. H. Breakell & Co began in Newport, Rhode Island in 1972. It is a family business of silversmith James and his wife Joan Breakell. Joan had to take on the role of jewelry designer, since James got vision problems. Her work, in particular, includes all stages from the idea and the original drawing to the creation of a a 3D wax model of the future jewelry piece. Traditionally, the craftsmen of this company use sterling silver and 14K gold. According to Joan, nature and environment where they live is the main inspiration for them.
Forged, hammered and polished by hand, each piece is marked “Breakell”, “Breakell sterling” or Aries astrological sign (used by James in his early works). Based on centuries old technique of the silversmith, their jewelry decorations, especially those created in 1970-90s are highly collectible. Noteworthy, the company, which has been successfully operating for almost five decades, is still active today.

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Charleston dancer brooch. Gold tone jewelry alloy, enamel. 7.5 cm, 1989. Art Deco 89 vintage costume jewelry

Art Deco 89 vintage costume jewelry
The prototype of this brooch is the figurines of one of the most famous ivory carvers of the early 20th century, Ferdinand Preiss. It was he who first began to combine ivory with bronze casting. His female figurines were very popular in the 1920s and 1930s, and their popularity only grew over time.
There are jewelry companies that have been in business for decades and are destined to remain unknown. However, others, like stars in the sky, flash brightly and burn out, leaving a trail. Such a bright star was Rhode Island based Art Deco 89 company, which produced costume jewelry for only one year, but their jewelry has become highly collectible. According to the company name, they were active in 1989. Its founder, Larry Joseph received permission to replicate famous designs from the Art Deco period. Noteworthy, in 1960-70s Larry Joseph owned the famous Hattie Carnegie jewelry company.
Traditionally, the designer used gold plating, enamel, lucite and rhinestones, and labeled the pieces “Art Deco 89” and number. The stunning design and high quality of these decorations allowed the company to sell jewelry in the most famous boutiques and shops, for example in Neiman Marcus. In addition, the products of this company were in the collection of jewelry lover Elizabeth Taylor.
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