Category Archive: Vintage

Cameo vintage brooch. Gold tone metal alloy, faux pearls, crystals. 1960s. Signed Hope Chest vintage costume jewelry

Hope Chest vintage costume jewelry
The history of the American jewelry brand The Hope Chest Company, Inc. started in 1957. However, according to the Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, the official registration date is February 26, 1958. Unfortunately, there is no information about the founder of this company. Located at 8100 Wayzata blvd Minneapolis 26 Minnesota, the company lasted until the 1970s. Accordingly, the products of this company are rarely found on the vintage jewelry market.
Traditionally, the craftsmen of this company used alloys of metals of gold and silver tones, enamel, as well as faux pearls, art glass, Aurora Borealis rhinestones and crystals. All jewelry pieces have marking “Hope Chest” in capital letters. Thanks to exquisite design, high quality workmanship and materials, they are collectible. Noteworthy, the products were usually sold through high-end home parties.
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Star gold tone metal vintage brooch pin. 6 cm. Signed Lancome vintage costume jewelry

Signed Lancome vintage costume jewelry
The world-renowned French brand Lancôme has been creating care, make-up and fragrance collections for 85 years. According to the ideology of the company, their main goal is to make a woman happy through the realization of her own beauty. The company founder Armand Petitjean (May 20, 1886 – September 29, 1970) and his partner Guillaume d’Ornano have developed this idea since 1935. The desire to give every woman the opportunity to reveal her femininity and beauty has led to the creation of costume jewelry. However, the jewelry marked by the famous French label Lancome was not only a pleasant gift for important customers, but also part of an advertising campaign.
Thus, in 1952 Lancôme launched one of its best fragrances – Tresor. At the same time, the company’s designers have also created a line of jewelry Tresor Lancôme – key rings, pins, pendants in the form of a perfume bottle, labeled Tresor Lancôme Paris. After becoming part of L’oreal in 1964, the company continued to produce cosmetics and perfumes along with gift jewelry. Traditionally made from alloys of gold and silver tones, the products are labeled “Lancome Paris” with an engraved rose – the symbol of the company. Also, the label can contain the name of the designer who created the jewelry. For example, some products have hallmark “E. Rambaud for Lancome Paris”. Edouard Rambaud is a renowned French jeweler who has worked with Lancome since 1984. Also, Tiffany & Co jewelry company has created many pieces for Lancome, with the corresponding labeling.
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Beautiful vintage pendant. 925 Sterling silver, emerald, sapphire, ruby. 2.6 cm. 1980s. Ross Simons vintage costume jewelry

Ross Simons vintage costume jewelry
Traditionally handcrafted, most of the company’s vintage jewelry is made of silver, gold, platinum, and precious and semi-precious stones. According to the marking on jewelry pieces, the company moved the production to China, supposedly in the 1970s.
Born in 1916 to a Jewish family in Lynn, Massachusetts, Sidney Thomas Ross received a good education and was destined to become a lawyer. After graduating from Lynn Classical High School, he entered the prestigious Tufts University Law School. However, he chose another way, deciding to go into retail.
In July 1952, 36-year-old Ross became a partner of Phil Simons. Together with his wife Lillian, they opened the first jewelry store in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. Thus, the name of the Ross-Simons store and Ross-Simons, Inc. company reflected the names of two business partners.
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Flower brooch. 925 sterling silver, gold plated. 8 cm, 1940s. Silverman Bros vintage costume jewelry

Silverman Bros vintage costume jewelry
The history of the Silverman Bros company began dates back to 1897. An immigrant from Russia, Archibald Silverman came to the United States with his family at the age of ten. After leaving school, he took a job in one of the Providence RI jewelry workshops. At the age of 18 with five dollars in his pocket, he started his own business having bought gold wire to make a brooch. In fact, it didn’t take long for a talented designer to become one of the leaders in jewelry making.
When Pope Leo XIII died in 1903, Silverman made several black-bordered pontiff brooches and sold them personally on the streets of Boston. Then, inspired by the then popular piece of music “Wings of the Merry Widow”, he made a series of jewelry decorations. Also, he became the first to make veil brooches when women started driving the first cars.
Archibald founded manufacturing firm later known as Silverman Brothers in a small space rented from a jewelry factory on Eddie Street Providence.
Charles, Archibald’s brother, who was a foreman at another plant, joined the business after about three months. Archibald was a traveling salesman, and Charles was in charge of production. The sales ability of one brother and the creativity of the other made a very successful combination that survived three wars and several depressions. The firm was a partnership until 1946 and then developed into a corporation.
Traditionally, the designers signed their jewelry pieces on the reverse with a circled SB & Sterling.
The company existed for almost 50 years, from 1897 to 1956.
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Black glass cabochon inside gold tone rope clip on earrings. 1980s. Paolo Gucci vintage costume jewelry

Paolo Gucci vintage costume jewelry
Based on the history of the Gucci family, you can make movies with Italian passions and scenes of battles where everyone was against everyone. And this film will, alas, not have the happiest ending. After the death of Guccio Gucci, the founder of the iconic brand, his grandson Paolo (b. 1931), having matured, wanted to manufacture products under his own name. However, his father punished him for this initiative, removing him from all posts in the fashion house.
Nevertheless, his name still remains in history. In particular, on the fine costume jewelry that he created during the decade – from 1983 to 1994. Noteworthy, he produced a lot of jewelry for the famous Parisian couturier Pierre Cardin. Now these exquisite pieces of jewelry labeled “Paolo” delight collectors and lovers of vintage jewelry.
Founded his own companies PAOLO, INC. and Paolo Gucci Design Studio, Ltd in 1983, he was
free to use the name “Paolo” with the phrase, “Designed by Paolo Gucci”. In addition to jewelry, mostly earrings, he produced handbags, lamps, sunglasses, and eventually some 4,000 other products. In fact, his contribution to the brand is great – 80 percent of the items in the Gucci catalogue!
Unfortunately, due to many lawsuits, he went bankrupt in 1994, and 20 months later he died (London, 10 October 1995).
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Pierre Cardin vintage costume jewelry

Pierre Cardin vintage costume jewelry
Starting at the age of 13, now the oldest and most famous couturier, Pierre Cardin is a living legend of fashion world. Growing up in Italy and moving to France at the age of 15, Pierre Cardin took his first steps in the fashion industry working in the most iconic fashion houses of the time. In particular, Jeanne Paquin’s fashion studio and Elsa Schiaparelli’s. Having opened his first Haute Couture store at a young age, he became known for his avant-garde style and ‘space age’ design, and it is not surprising. The 1960s marked the beginning of the era of space exploration.
Noteworthy, in addition to clothing, perfume, watches, magazines, and even furniture under his own brand, since the 1960s, he began to produce costume jewelry. Jewelry labeled “Pierre Cardin” has its own individual style, modern and elegant, influenced by different cultures. According to Pierre Cardin, a woman who wants to look elegant needs good jewelry. The couturier preferred geometric shapes and architectural ornaments in dresses and jewelry. This was due to the fact that Cardin studied architecture in his youth.
“If my dresses were made of bronze, I would be called a sculptor”, said he. This is also true in respect of his jewelry.
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Calla Lily Brooch. Gold plated metal alloy, faux pearl. 1950s. Oscar Charlin vintage costume jewelry

Oscar Charlin vintage costume jewelry
The history of the American jewelry company Oscar Charlin Co. covers a fairly short period, no more than one decade. California native, Allen Nathan Charlin (7 Sep 1936 Los Angeles – 23 Jul 2011 Beverly Hills, Los Angeles) registered his company on March 9, 1955 and named it after his father Oscar. Registered at 344 So Bedford Dr Beverly Hills California, the corporation existed until the mid-1960s. Any jewelry from this company is considered a vintage rarity, and certainly collectible.
Traditionally, the designers used metal alloy, silver or gold plating, Aurora Borealis crystals, rhinestones, and artificial pearls. Noteworthy, such famous jewelry company as Delizza & Elster has created many jewelry pieces for this company. Marked “Oscar Charlin” in oval frame, these exquisite designs are very recognizable – with an abundance of crystals and rhinestones.
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