Amazing yellow flower brooch. One of the famous series of plastic brooches made in the 1950s. Vendome costume Jewellery

Vendome costume Jewellery
Founded as a subsidiary of Coro in 1944, Vendome produced unique style and high quality jewellery. The name origins in Parisian jewelry trade center Place de Vendome, specialized in the production of luxury jewellery for the rich clientele. Indeed, the jewellery designers used high quality materials, such as rock crystal from Austria and Czechoslovakia, sparkling artificial pearls and enamels, metal with gold or silver plated, clear and colored perspex. In 1953, the company separated from Coro, and existed until 1979.
In 1944, the company “Coro” for the first time used the brand “Vendome” on some of its decorations. And almost ten years later, in 1953 appeared a full line of “Vendome” as a subsidiary of “Coro” instead of “Corocraft.” However, in 1957 Richton International Corporation bought the company “Coro” and “Vendome”.
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Cowboy hats shoulder brooch. Ultra Craft costume jewellery, 1980s

Ultra craft costume jewellery is collectible and rare, and some pieces are even unique. The founder of the brand was Italian jeweler Luigi B. Guadagno, born May 13th, 1936 in Alife, Caseta, Italy. A son of Carlo and Giovanna (Scirocco) Guadagno, Luigi had lived in Gloucester for five years, formerly living in Warwick. When he was 22, he had served as mayor in the town of Alife in Italy, and was the recipient of the Outstanding Citizen Award for his philanthropy in the town.

He graduated from Naples University with a degree in agronomy. But the fate prepared for him a different way – a natural talent and desire for art led him to jewellery business. As most jewelers of the time, he emigrated to the US. In 1970, in Rhode Island, 34 year-old Luigi founded his own jewelry company Ultra craft Co. Inc.
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Horrified Joan Castle Joseff looks at Shirley Jones, who is trying to touch the stunning Christmas tree made of costume jewelry. American jeweler Joseff of Hollywood

American jeweler Joseff of Hollywood
Born in Chicago in 1905, Austrian by birth, Eugene Joseph was a talented American jewelry designer known as Joseff of Hollywood. He moved to California in the 1920s, hoping to get orders for making jewelry for Hollywood movies. Through artistic creativity and business acumen, he was the best jewellery designer and main supplier of jewellery for leading studios. The success accompanied him until the tragic death in 1948. Since 1950, his widow Joan Castle ran the company “Joseff of Hollywood”.
According to his biography, Eugene began working as an artist at an advertising agency in Chicago at the age of 18. Meanwhile, in his spare time he was designing jewelry. And four years later, in 1927, he moved to Los Angeles, where he studied jewellery craftsmanship. From 1931 to 1935, the work of the young jeweler was in high demand in the Hollywood films. Noteworthy, in 1935, Eugene Joseph founded “Joseff of Hollywood,” and two years later became a major supplier of jewelry for Hollywood studios. He also developed a line of jewelry for public.
In 1934, Eugene Joseph opposed the use of ornaments in historical films that do not meet the depicted era. Walter Plunkett, who was considered the number one fashion designer, said: “Well, if you’re so smart, let’s see what you can do!”
The life of a talented jeweler and businessman tragically ended in 1948. Eugene Joseff died in a plane crash at the age of 43.
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Banana Bob Ballerina brooch. Dance inspired jewellery

Dance inspired jewellery
Social dance, a dance-form with roots in traditional and community dances which became increasingly differentiated from court dances during the later medieval and early Renaissance period.
In the early 20th century ballroom dances proliferated, with jazz influences from North America and imports from Latin America, such as the tango, samba, cue-ca, and rumba.
In the 1920s ‘animal dances’, such as the turkey trot, the bunny hug, and the foxtrot were popular: the latter remains as a classic ballroom dance alongside the quickstep and, from earlier times, the waltz. The Lindy hop, jitterbug, and jive were all highly athletic couple dances from the big band era of the 1930s and 1940s.
The 1950s and 1960s rock and roll impact on teenage culture and the growth of discos and clubs generated an alternative social scene. The 1970s influences were Afro-Caribbean music and heavy rock. Distinct dance styles, ‘body popping’, ‘robotics’, and ‘break dancing’ emerged. In turn these reappear as source material in modern and postmodern dances.
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Vintage poster. Stanley Hagler jewellery

Stanley Hagler jewellery
The history of American jewelry brand Stanley Hagler began in 1953 and ended in 1996.
American jewellery designer Stanley Hagler has earned the reputation of “Picasso in the field of jewelry” for created by him jewelry. A remarkably successful businessman, Stanley Hagler sold jewelry during the second half of XX century.
Born in 1923 in the United States, Hagler worked as assistant to Miriam Haskell at the end of the 1940s. However, already in 1953 he founded his own brand “Stanley Hagler”, which operated until 1983. Noteworthy, Hagler received Swarovski award in 1968 for the first time. In 1979 Marc Mercy joined the company as a designer. In 1983 the company moved to Florida. The name of the company was changed to “Stanley Hagler N.Y.S.” Meanwhile, In 1989 Ian St. Gielar joined the company as chief designer and worked until the death of Stanley Hugler in 1996.
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Blonde beauty, Marlene Dietrich jewellery

Marlene Dietrich jewellery
Once Marilyn Monroe made us believe that diamonds are girl’s best friends. According to Marlene Dietrich, the best stone for blondes is emerald. She had a luxury jewelry set with huge emeralds – cabochon of the famous jewelry firm Mauboussin. Today, most jewelry ornaments used in films are fake imitating precious gems. However, in the days of the Hollywood of 30’s – they were original works of tailoring and jewelry.
Producers, willing the actresses to star in jewelry, did not limit budget. They used to buy luxury jewelry, and did not hide it in the safe from prying eyes. And they did not rent jewelry from the famous jewelry houses, just to appear on the red carpet. Marlene Dietrich was a true collector who wore her own jewels in several of her films.
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Gorilla Gold Plated Rhinestone brooch. D’Orlan vintage costume jewellery

D’Orlan vintage costume jewellery
Maurice Bradden founded his company D’Orlan Jewellers Ltd. in 1957 in Toronto, Canada. Previously, he studied at the French magician Marcel Boucher. Marcel Boucher founded Marcel Boucher & Cie Company, in New York in 1937. Maurice Bradden moved to Toronto and started his own company, producing jewelry and costume jewelry ornaments exclusively for Boucher. Marcel Boucher died in 1966, and his wife, Sandra, also a designer, took over management of the company, which was then in East Toronto.
D’orlan Company – the successor of the company Boucher. In 1979, Boucher became the property of D’Orlan Industries of Toronto Canadian company. Jewellery marking has been changed to “D’Orlan”. By the early 1970s D’Orlan successfully sold its jewelry in North America, Europe and Japan.
All the decorations of this company are famous for high quality craftsmanship and attention to detail. D’Orlan jewelers used unique design elements, high-quality imitation of gemstones, exclusively Austrian crystals and rhinestones, the Japanese glass and artificial pearls, as well as various kinds of enamels.
The company has released a number of products-replicating Marcel Boucher designs, under its own brand. Also, in 1984, the company entered into a partnership with Nina Ricci.
Noteworthy, D Orlan ceased to exist in March 2006.
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