Category Archive: Vintage

Bamboo pierced earrings. Porcelain, milk glaze hand painted, gold patterns. 1970s. Milvern porcelain costume jewelry

Milvern porcelain costume jewelry
Founded by Mildred and Vern Schervem, the company’s name Milvern has the first three letters from the names of its founders. Launched in 1954, the Milvern Originals jewelry company was located in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, California. Unfortunately, the company was active for a few years. Noteworthy, the jewelry designers of the company created all decorations by hand. Hand made of porcelain and hand painted, each decoration is unique, and no two items are exactly alike.
Traditionally, the most popular shape was round with the gilded edges “pinched up” to resemble a square or triangle. Also, there were squares, rectangles, diamonds, quarter moons, painter’s palettes, leaves, teardrops, and plates, amongst others.
Noteworthy, all the clips, pins, or earrings had a paper Milvern sticker, instead of traditional signature stamped or engraved on the back.
The company seized to exist in late 1960s, so every Milvern decoration is vintage rarity desirable for collectors of vintage jewelry.
More »

Made in 1950s beautiful Four Leaf Clover brooch pin. Gold tone metal, emerald green rhinestones. JC Joseph Cleary vintage costume jewelry

JC Joseph Cleary costume jewelry
Unfortunately, there is not much information about the company. According to Dorothy Rainwater’s “American Jewelry Manufacturers”, JC manufactory existed in the 1950s in Newark New Jersey. Made in limited series, JC costume jewelry enjoyed great popularity, and now it is in high demand among the collectors of vintage costume jewelry. Traditionally, the jewelers paid special attention to carved multicolor lucite. Also, they used gold or silver tone metal and multicolor rhinestones.
More »

A brooch on the wing of a MORPHO butterfly and a painted scene on glass, from the back. 5 cm. Vintage TLM Thomas Lee Mott jewelry

Vintage TLM Thomas Lee Mott jewelry
Founded in England (Birmingham) in 1875 by Thomas Lee Mott, TLM was the most famous English jewelry brand that set the fashion for jewelry with a butterfly wing. At the beginning of the 20th century, when moving from the Victorian to the Georgian era, artists looked for new, brighter materials that dictated fashion and time. In fact, TOMAS LEE MOTT revolutionized jewelry design by releasing a unique collection with wings of real tropical butterflies.
The company, active at the beginning of the last century, specialized in miniature jewelry works of art. Traditionally, the craftsmen of this company made jewelry by hand sold their products exclusively through jewelry stores. Noteworthy, there are various lines of TLM: imitation alloy jewelry, and silver jewelry. The discovery became jewelry with a butterfly wing, exhibited at the exhibition of the British Empire in 1924. Morpho butterfly wings were brought from South America. Later, the Americans adopted the experience of the British.
In 1933, the company was resold to rival Shiptons LTD in London.
More »

Vintage 18k Yellow Gold Diamond Bow Brooch Pin. Parisian jewelry house Chaumet

One of the oldest, Parisian jewelry house Chaumet celebrates its 240th anniversary in 2020. Having begun its history in 1780, Chaumet became famous for its unique works for the court of Napoleon. Oriental-style products were made there using carved precious and semiprecious stones. In particular, jardiniere brooches with carved rubies, emeralds and sapphires, cosmetic cases with floral patterns in lapis lazuli and coral, etc. Discreet, strictly geometric jewelry, studded with diamonds and decorated with colored stones, were also present in their collections.
The founder of Chaumet House, Marie-Étienne Nitot, studied with the then-famous Aubert, jeweler of Marie Antoinette. In 1789, he opened his own store and attracted the attention of the French aristocracy. Soon, Nito becomes Napoleon’s personal jeweler and, by order of the emperor, creates a consular sword adorned with the famous Regent diamond.
Nito works with his son. The jewelry created by them – imbued with the spirit of magnificent luxury and symbolism of power. For the coronation of the emperor Napoleon, the jeweler made imperial regalia, an imperial sword, an imperial crown and a diadem.
More »

Roadrunner antique gold metal highly detailed brooch. Carved lucite green cabochon eye. 6,3 cm. 1950s. Ambassador vintage costume jewelry

Ambassador vintage costume jewelry
Unfortunately, there isn’t much information on the net about this brand, the founder, or the company which produced costume jewelry stamped Ambassador. According to some sources, in particular, vintage ads, the company actively worked in the 50-60s of the twentieth century in the USA. So far, signed Ambassador bijouterie is extremely rare and, as a result, is in high demand among collectors and fans of vintage costume jewelry. Noteworthy, the gold tone brooch in the shape of a Roadrunner with a green cabochon eye is the most widespread in the market of vintage bijouterie.
Traditionally, the jewelers of this brand used lucite, rhinestones, faux pearls, jade, carnelian, bronze metal and gilding.
More »

Melpomene (muse of tragedy) pendant brooch, 1891. Green biscuit porcelain, stucco molding, sterling silver. Wedgwood vintage porcelain jewelry

Wedgwood vintage porcelain jewelry
In the hands of Melpomene is the mournful mask that she holds as a sign of grief for her daughters. They symbolize life experience and reflect the idea that the whole world is a theater of the gods, and people in it only fulfill the roles prescribed to them.
Founded in 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood, the company became the innovator in porcelain manufacture and Wedgwood today is called the “father of English pottery.” The founder of the ceramics factory became the creator of exquisite cream faience coated with the finest glaze, as well as the unique ceramic material “Black Basalt” based on Egyptian clay. And his invention of new pottery under the name “Jasper” was described as the most important achievement in the history of ceramics, starting with the Chinese discovery of porcelain about 1000 years earlier. In addition, Josiah Wedgwood was the first to apply ceramic engraving. Also, he continued the John Dwight idea with false reliefs, and now we can admire the famous Wedgwood cameos.
But Wedgwood porcelain is not only dishes – brooches, pendants and medallions decorated with silver, gold, or polished steel, and shiny precious stones. The contrast between the sparkling rim and the delicate cameo inside was quite spectacular. Such brooches were especially popular in the first half of the 19th century.
Wedgwood porcelain is out of fashion and still enjoys great fame.
More »

Stunning nature inspired pendant with Japanese motif. Alexis Falize cloisonne enamel jewelry

Alexis Falize cloisonne enamel jewelry
French jeweller Alexis Faliz (1811-1898) was among the first jewelers to pay attention to the elegant stylization of the natural world inherent in Japanese art. The history of the famous brand began in 1932, when Alexis studied all aspects of the jewelry sphere: manufacturing, design, sales and accounting. In 1830s, he opens his own workshop. Faliz specialized in “artistic” jewelry: using semiprecious stones, fine metal work and enameling. He experimented with enamels, while learning from the most talented enamellers of the time. Later, often copied, his pieces aroused general interest due to the bright colors. Once he had already restored the production of Limoges enamels; now, from 1860 to 1865, he devoted himself to the study of the eastern technique of cloisonne enamel. In collaboration with Antoine Tard, a talented master of enamels, he made amazing jewelry with opaque enamels in frames made of matte gold. Traditionally, with innovative motifs inspired by Persian, Indian and, above all, Japanese art.
More »