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Category Archive: Vintage

Whiting and Davis vintage costume jewelry

Whiting and Davis vintage costume jewelry

Romantic oval floral painted brooch, metal, acrylic, gold plated. 1960s Whiting and Davis vintage costume jewelry

Whiting and Davis vintage costume jewelry
The history of Whiting and Davis jewelry brand began in 1876, when three men met in Boston, Massachusetts. Willian H.Wade, Edward P. Davis and Louis Heckman organized a small workshop for making silver jewelry. And in 1886 they named their company Wade, Davis & Co.
Noteworthy, their first debut collection (featured in fashion magazines) appeared in August 1886. It consisted of silver jewelry, popular in the late Victorian era – bracelets, earrings, pins and brooches. Also, in the 1950s they began producing jewelry with cameos, pendants and earrings and charm bracelets.
Founded in in 1876, the Whiting and Davis Company became known for its fine evening bags, wiped out of gold and silver threads.
In 1907, the company began to produce silver and gold plated jewelry – necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Traditionally, the design includes Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Egyptian and Victorian era motifs. Notable are golden and silver mesh necklaces in the shape of ties, and highly valuable among collectors spiral bracelets in the form snakes.
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Catamore vintage costume jewelry

Catamore vintage costume jewelry

Sapphire blue brooch teardrop shaped rhinestones. Catamore vintage costume jewelry (1942-1981)

Catamore Jewelry vintage costume decorations
Founded in 1942, Catamore Jewelry Co. Inc. was a family business of Christopher and Phillis Catanzaro who opened their production in Providence, Rhode Island. The Catamore jewelers handcrafted jewelry from silver, and 12K gold. Also, they used semiprecious stones – agate, onyx, opals, mother of pearl and fresh water pearls.
Noteworthy, after 1970 on the label appeared additional mark – John Grant Designs.
Traditionally, Catamore jewelry has unique design with curls of the finest twisted golden threads, elegant cameos carved on shells, and filigree frames. Catamore gave preference to precious metals and semi-precious stones, and sold their decorations in large stores and boutiques. Before 1970s, they made decorations for such iconic brand as Coro. The company ceased to exist in 1981.

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Ciner vintage costume jewelry

Ciner vintage costume jewelry

Lion Head Cuff bracelet. Gold plated metal alloy. Ciner vintage costume jewelry

Ciner vintage costume jewelry
Founded in 1892 by Emanuel Ciner New York based company “Ciner Manufacturing Co, Inc” originally made only expensive jewelry. However, since 1929, due to the Great Depression, the demand for expensive jewelry dropped significantly. To stay in the business and just to survive, the company turned its attention to costume jewelry.
Since 1930, the production of costume jewelry of very high quality, reminiscent of fine jewelry, has begun.
Traditionally, craftsmen used gold plating and faux pearls made in Japan on special technology. The technology allowed Ciner to make faux pearls look natural.
Innovative technologies and rich experience with precious materials allowed masters to artfully combine precious stones, gold plating, natural pearls, and rhinestones.
Noteworthy, the company began marking jewelry with “CINER” stamp only after 1945.
Located at 20 West 37th Street New York , NY, the current status of the company is active, re-registered and renewed. Considered a long-liver among jewelry manufacturers, now the fifth generation manages the company. According to designers, they draw inspiration from nature itself, using images of flora and fauna.
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Louis Kramer exquisite costume jewelry

Louis Kramer exquisite costume jewelry

Flower design rhinestone enamel brooch and Earrings. Louis Kramer exquisite costume jewelry

Louis Kramer exquisite costume jewelry (1943-1980)
Founded by designer Louis Kramer and his two brothers Morris and Harry in 1943 in New York, Kramer Jewellery Creations continued production until the late 1970s. From the very beginning the brand’s jewelry enjoyed a great success among buyers due to original designs and excellent performance.
Kramer jewelry was a high class, with scrupulous performance and often very interesting design. In addition, the high quality products had limited circulation. Also, traditional materials included gilded metal with black enamel, faux pearls, imitation of rubies, emeralds, lapis lazuli, jade, turquoise and pearls.
Noteworthy, in the early 1950s the company produced ornaments for Christian Dior. Accordingly, they labeled these products “Kramer for Christian Dior” and “Dior by Kramer”. A distinctive feature of these decorations are large blue or green stones, usually located in the middle of the jewelry piece, framed by clear rhinestones. Due to Dior name, these pieces were more expensive than the rest of Kramer products.
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Henry Schreiner vintage costume jewelry

Sparkling brooch, Aurora borealis crystals, 1940s. Henry Schreiner vintage costume jewelry

Sparkling brooch, Aurora borealis crystals, 1940s. Henry Schreiner vintage costume jewelry

Henry Schreiner vintage costume jewelry
German born jewelry designer Henry Schreiner opened his own jewelry manufacturing company in 1951, after having worked at the Dior fashion house with Norman Norrell and Pauline Trieger.
Henry’s daughter Terry and her husband Albert Ambros joined the business in 1953. Henry died in 1954, and Terry and Albert continued his work.
In the 1950s and 1970s, many stars shone in Schreiner jewelry. Among them – Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Bette Davis, and other celebrities.
The value and exclusivity of Schreiner Jewelry is undoubted and, accordingly, increases their collectibility.
Firstly, Schreiner craftsmen made high-quality jewelry with unusual designs and in small quantities. Second, handmade. Thirdly, they used stones of special shapes and unusual colors, made by skilled Czechoslovak craftsmen and in the best workshops in Austria. These stones and crystals are unique and no longer produced. And fourthly, a combination of incongruous, and no restrictions in mixing colors and shapes.
Noteworthy, Henry Schreiner was the first to use a blackened metal. Thus, he wanted to emphasize the brightness and beauty of the crystals.
In addition, very often Schreiner created jewelry for fashion shows, so they were large and eye-catching.
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Leslie Block Prip vintage costume jewelry

Leslie Block Prip vintage costume jewelry

Nostalgia, quality, and timeless fashion – Leslie Block Prip vintage costume jewelry

Leslie Block Prip vintage costume jewelry

According to Leslie Block Prip, she has been designing jewelry for more than 40 years!
Noteworthy, her name – tightly connected with the famous jewelry brand Danecraft. A trademark for bijouterie produced by a company founded in 1938 by Victor Primavera in Rhode Island (the USA). In 1977, the company changed its name to the Felch-Wehr Company, but continued to use the name “Danecraft”. Skilled craftswoman Leslie Block Prip is the main designer of the company.
Especially popular among collectors are created by her in 1980s designs combining precious and semi-precious stones with natural elements. These vintage rarities are traditionally sold in better department stores throughout the USA. Among them, in particular, Saks and Bloomingdales.
In addition to chic and classic, her designs include archaeological style, architectural motifs and art history. For example, Pre-Columbian and tribal art. All this makes Leslie Block jewellery unique and recognizable.
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Alcozer and J unique luxury costume jewellery

Alcozer and J unique luxury costume jewellery

Vase of flowers brooch. Cultured pearls, rock crystal, metal, gilding. 1990. 11 cm. Price £ 200. Alcozer and J unique luxury costume jewellery

Alcozer and J unique luxury costume jewellery
The history of the Alcozer & J brand dates back to 1994, when Giampiero Alcozer assembled a small team of like-minded people and started to make jewelry. Inspired by the ornaments of the Italian Renaissance, jewelry of the early 19th century, and American style of the 30s and 40s, he created the wonderful and mysterious world of Alcozer & J. All the ideas and experience of the master, reinterpreted to the modern day, embodied in collections with a multifaceted taste, allowing to express the character and individuality of each woman.
In fact, each piece of jewelry – made by hand from hypoallergenic metal, most often brass, decorated with pearls, rock crystal and semi-precious stones.
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