Brushed gold tone brooch of round shape. Faux Pearl, rhinestones. Marcy Feld vintage costume jewelry

Marcy Feld vintage costume jewelry
Incorporated on Thursday, August 29, 1985, Marcy Feld was registered as a U.S. federal trademark in the category of Jewelry Products. The company’s address was 41 East 42nd Street, New York, New York, 10017. The description provided for Marcy Feld was costume jewelry – namely, earrings, bracelets, necklaces and pins. In fact, it was the family business of a husband and wife, Irwin and Marcy Feld, headed by its president Irwin Feld.
According to Irwin Feld, he got into this business quite by accident. He began his career in the fashion business, first in ready to wear and then along with Marcy, in women’s accessories. Irwin and Marcy had a designer women’s accessory business together for fourteen years, from 1985 to 1999. Then, the couple opened the home design business and Marcy pursued a photography career.
More »

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 has the first three letters from the names of its founders. Launched in 1954, the Milvern Co Inc was located in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, California. Noteworthy, the 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 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
Although there is not so much information about JC brand, yet it is known that the company owned by Joseph Cleary worked for a short period of the 1950s.
According to “American Jewelry Manufacturers” by Dorothy Rainwater’s, JC manufactory existed in the 1950s in Newark, New Jersey. Made in limited series, JC marked handcrafted ornaments enjoyed great popularity. Very rare today, JC jewelry is in high demand among the collectors of vintage jewelry.
Traditionally, the craftsmen paid special attention to carved multicolor lucite. Also, they used gold or silver tone metal alloys, enamel resin, cubic zirconia and multicolor rhinestones.
Notably, due to the similarity of the JC markings, Joseph Cleary’s design is often confused with that of Jackie Collins. For example, Jackie Collins’ iconic leopard design, which Cleary also had. However, the marking style of the two designers is different, which helps to identify authorship.
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, and 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

Parisian jewelry house Chaumet
One of the oldest jewelry brands, Chaumet celebrates 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. 1960s. Ambassador vintage costume jewelry

Ambassador vintage costume jewelry (1960s)
The history of Ambassador costume jewelry trademark covers a fairly short period, mainly in the 1960s. Founded in 1960, it was one of hundreds of trademarks owned by Hallmark Cards Incorporated (a privately held family owned company based in Kansas City, Missouri). In fact, the production of costume jewelry was only a small part of the variety of goods produced by this brand. So far, signed Ambassador bijouterie is extremely rare and, is in high demand among collectors and fans of vintage costume jewelry.
Noteworthy, Roadrunner design is the hallmark of Ambassador brand and is the most widespread in the market of vintage bijouterie.
Traditionally, the craftsmen used lucite, rhinestones, faux pearls, jade, carnelian, bronze metal and gilding.
According to some sources, the owner of the Ambassador brand was a well-known men’s jewelry company, Swank. Although Swank named one of its collections of cufflinks “Ambassador”, featured on a 1950s advertising poster, the Swank company has nothing to do with Ambassador jewelry trademark. Besides, not only Swank company made Ambassador collections. Thus, Sarah Coventry created jewelry line Ambassador in the 1950s.
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 »