Category Archive: Vintage

Butterfly brooch. 1960s. Gold tone alloy, turquoise and purple glass cabochons, rhinestones. William De Lillo vintage costume jewelry

William De Lillo vintage costume jewelry

Born 1925 in Antwerp, Belgium, William deLillo moved to the United States in the 1950s. There he began working as a designer of high end fine jewelry for such iconic companies as Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Harry Winston and Miriam Haskell. At Haskell, he immediately caught the eye of lead designer Robert F. Clark.
An American designer of Belgian origin, William De Lillo, together with his partner Robert F. Clark, opened his own atelier (1967). Ten years after opening his company, in 1978, the designer had a solo exhibition at the New York Metropolitan Museum. There, in addition to the author’s jewelry creations, he exhibited his brutal sculptures of different-sized geometric shapes. Noteworthy, the Baron and Baroness de Rothschild sponsored his fine jewelry exhibition in Paris in 1978.
During his life De Lillo collaborated with such celebrities as Elizabeth Taylor, Neiman Marcus, I. Magnin, and Bonwit Teller. Also, with such couture designers, as Adolfo, Bill Blass and Norman Norell.
Meanwhile, tired of the rhythm of New York life, in 1976 De Lillo returned to France, where he collaborated with Schiaparelli, Chanel, and Nina Ricci fashion houses. However, after the “French break” he again moved to the USA, Arizona, where he worked until the end of his life in 2011. Produced in extremely limited editions, De Lillo jewelry is highly collectible, kept in museums and private collections.
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Poppy flower brooch. Gold filled, sterling silver, emerald tone rhinestones. Signed Jolle vintage costume jewelry

Signed Jolle vintage costume jewelry
American jewelry brand Jolle appeared in New York in 1942 thanks to its founders Jack H. Appel and Lester L. Hess. Noteworthy, the company’s main designers Lester Hess and freelancer George E. Fearn had previously worked for the other jewelry companies. In particular, Uri Mandle and Karu.
Traditionally, when creating costume jewelry, craftsmen used sterling silver with the addition of gold, crystals, rhinestones, glass and sometimes enamel. All products were labeled Jolle Sterling, or simply Jolle. Although Jolle decorations were produced for a very short period of time, just over a decade, they became collectible, and were mentioned in reputable jewelry reference books. Noteworthy, Russian Cossack Dancers brooches, Hess-Appel’s 1943 patented design, book piece. Sterling silver, enamel. The Jolie brand ceased to exist in 1954.
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Gatsby girl Art Deco brooch pin. Faux pearls, rhinestones, handpainted porcelain. Elvira & Jackie porcelain face vintage brooches

Elvira & Jackie porcelain face vintage brooches
Miami, Florida based family owned company Originals by ELVIRA & JACKIE CORP began its activity in the 1970s and ceased to exist in 1997. Its president was Ulises Pino, treasurer Elvira Pino and secretary Jacqueline Causer, according to official records filed in 1987.
Although the company operated for no more than two decades, it created memorable unique pieces that are collectible today. Traditionally, the craftsmen of this company used porcelain, rhinestones, plastic, art glass and faux pearls. Also, they manually painted delicately shaped faces – red lips, black eyebrows, wonderful eyes lined with lashes and a splash of blue eyeshadow… These beautiful female faces resemble the style of the great Gatsby girls of the Art Deco era. Noteworthy, all these vintage pieces have a distinctive markings on the back “Elvira and Jackie”.
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Little Witch brooch Lehman design. Hard plastic, handpainted. Fun World Division vintage holiday pins

Fun World Division vintage holiday pins
This Halloween 2 inches tall pin belongs to the American company whose logo is Fun World For All Seasons. Indeed, for all seasons, as all jewelry lines created by this company celebrate our favorite holidays. Halloween, Christmas Day, New Years day, St. Valentine’s Day, Easter…
The history of the company begins in 1959 when Sam Rosenberg set up his own business before retiring. At the age of 59, he founded the S. Rosenberg Christmas company, importing Christmas and Easter souvenirs and dolls from Japan. However, in April 1963 his son-in-law Stanley Geller became the new owner of the company. He renamed the company Funworld Easter Unlimited and began working with factories in Japan, followed by Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The main designer of the company in the 1970s-1980s was S. Lehman, whose name is often stamped on the back side of the decorations. Also, the signature includes the country of manufacture – China and trademarks, for example, “© FUN WORLD DIV CARLE PLACE N.Y., “© S. LEHMAN”. Made of hard plastic, handpainted with the use of glitter and acrylic, the pins are considered collectible. Noteworthy, most of these sweet decorations come in a gift box ready for gift giving or keeping.
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Flower on a leaf brooch. 925 Sterling silver, green and white enamel. Work by Norwegian jeweler Karl A. Rasmussen

Norwegian jeweler Karl A. Rasmussen
Lovers and collectors of vintage and antique jewelry know modernist designs created by a Norwegian silversmith Knut Andreas Rasmussen. However, they know it as Karl A. Rasmussen, the company founded by Knut, which had been active for about about 90 years.
Having worked as goldsmith apprenticeship in Ålesund, Knut moved to the capital city of Oslo in 1861 where he changed his profession. Luckily, in 1872 he returned to jewelry craftsmanship, and his filigree designs enjoyed great success those days. Traditionally, Knut signed his modernist design pieces “Norway sterling 925 SZ”, or “Karl Made in Norway” and 925 sterling. The master used 925 sterling silver and blue, green or white enamel.
In 1901, his son Edvard Julius Rasmussen (1866-1927) continued his business. Noteworthy, Karl A. Rasmussen ceased to exist in the 1960s.

According to the information on the website rasmussen.ee, K.A. Rasmussen LLC was revived in 2000. In fact, it is a different company, which belongs to a Scandinavian group, the largest producer and seller of precious metals. Also, the company is engaged in the import and wholesale of precious metals: gold, silver, platinum and palladium.
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Coral opal and diamond Cocktail Ring. 1960s. Jack Gutschneider precious jewelry

Jack Gutschneider precious jewelry
Founded in 1957, New York based jewelry company Jack Gutschneider Jewelry Co. worked for a short period of two decades. Despite such a short period, they have left impressive jewelry designs embodied in exquisite collectible jewelry. These sought after pieces appear at auctions and high end jewellery stores from time to time, striking with high craftsmanship and quality of materials. Traditionally, when creating jewelry the designer used precious metals and and high quality stones. In particular, opals, turquoise, rubies, corals, emeralds, sapphires, garnets and very often, if not always, diamonds.
According to trademark records, last time the owner of the company filed his company trademark was on February 20, 1963. However, soon after the company ceased to exist.
Noteworthy, German-American designer Gutschnieder initially labeled his products “Van Gogh”, but soon, in the late 1950s, he changed the labeling to JG JLRY.
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Flamingo brooch. Gold tone metal, crystals, art glass. Signed Giorgio vintage costume jewelry

Signed Giorgio vintage costume jewelry
Very often, jewelry labeled “Giorgio” is attributed to the iconic Italian designer Armani without reason. Even the style of these jewelry designs is different from Armani’s. Moreover, I consider it impossible for Armani to mark his jewelry with one word “Giorgio”, without the surname, which is an inseparable part of the world famous brand.
Undoubtedly, costume jewelry hallmarked “Giorgio” belongs to an American jewelry company whose history spans very short period of late 1970s and early 1980s. There is practically no information about the company, but luckily, there are products of excellent quality and high craftsmanship. Traditionally inspired by nature, the design of these decorations stands out – beautiful birds and animals in gold tone metal with rich enameling and crystals.
According to the available records, the U.S. trademark Giorgio, last filed by Susan M. Shook on the 1st of March of 1980, soon changed its status to “Cancelled”.
Noteworthy, along with U.S. “Giorgio” and Italian Giorgio Armani hallmarks, there was another Los Angeles U.S. jewelry company – Giorgio Beverly Hills, that produced beautiful costume jewelry around the same time period.
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