Rose flower brooch of silver and gold tone. 1960s. Signed Pago vintage costume jewelry

Signed Pago vintage costume jewelry (1957-1965)
The history of the Pago jewelry brand began in the mid-1950s in San Francisco, California. In the vintage jewelry market, products marked “Pago” are extremely rare. Unfortunately, there is no much information about the company and its founders. One of the reasons for this uncertainty is the short life of the company, less than one decade.
Noteworthy, according to the 1959 US Catalog of Copyright Entries, the company patented several jewelry designs. Among them, in particular, bracelets made of metal and jewels with animal design charms. Also, the company’s jewelers created brooches, pendants and earrings using gold-tone metal alloys, pewter, rhinestones, art glass and faux pearls. The maker’s mark on oval cartouche includes the word “Pago” in capital letters and a copyright sign.
The company ceased to exist in the mid-1960s.
More »

Floral design marcasite silver brooch with rock crystals. 3.8 cm. 1954. English jewelry designer Sibyl Dunlop

English jewelry designer Sibyl Dunlop (1889 – 20 December 1968)
British jewelry designer Sybil Dunlop (1889–1968) was best known for her Late Arts and Crafts jewelry and silver objects. Sybil studied jewelry in Brussels, and upon her return to London in the 1920s, she began a business in partnership with W. Nathanson. In 1939, due to ill health, she closed her workshop at 69 Kensington Church Street, London W8. However, Nathanson resumed the business in the 1940s and continued to produce jewelry in the late Arts and Crafts style. He marked the pieces with the initials SD for Sybil Dunlop, as well as the traditional London and the year of manufacture hallmarks. With Nathanson’s retirement in 1971, the business ceased to exist.
Dunlop’s work is characterized by the use of semi-precious and precious gemstones such as chalcedony, chrysoprase, moonstone, amethyst, agate, quartz and opals, along with silver. Remarkably, the gemstones were cut for Dunlop in workshops in Germany until the outbreak of World War II.
Judging by the design, her jewelry has a visual resemblance to the work of another English designer, Dorrie Nossiter (1893-1977), who was a contemporary of Dunlop. Moreover, some items attributed to Dunlop (the so-called “gem carpet”) are in fact works by Nossiter. Yet, the design, and even more so the markings, allow jewelry collectors to distinguish between these designers.
More »

Acrobats climbing a link chain. Closeup. Gabriella Kiss anatomical jewelry

Gabriella Kiss anatomical jewelry
Jewelry pieces created by New York designer Gabriella Kiss resemble miniature sculptures embodied in brooches, earrings, necklaces and pendants. Gabriella studied sculpture at the Pratt Institute, and after graduating she improved her skills at Ted Muehling. According to Gabriella herself, these eight years in his studio were the most valuable experience in mastering the art.
The designer created her first anatomical line jewelry with the movement of the hands and individual parts of the body in the early 1990s. The same anatomical line can be traced in the next collection of the artist – “Love Token”. Inspired by the tradition of the Victorian era to give to a loved one a painted eye. In addition to eyes, the designer added “a nose” design, as well as inscriptions in Latin. Also noteworthy is a series of ornaments in the form of insects, snakes or birds.
Remarkably, the jewelry designs and materials are so diverse that it is hard to believe that the same designer created them. Other significant collections include classic jewelry made with the use of precious metals, diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and other precious and semi-precious stones.
The maker’s mark may include initials GK, or hand-scribbled designer’s name on the back and purity of gold.
More »

Floral branch purple glass gold tone brooch. 1960s. Signed West vintage costume jewelry

Signed West vintage costume jewelry
The American jewelry company West Jewelry Co., Inc. began its activity in the 1930s in Mississippi. It was a family business owned and founded by Mr. and Mrs. R.C. West and R.C. West Jr. Founded in 1935, West Jewelry Co., Inc. ceased to exist in 1989.
The design of jewelry is quite traditional for the first half and the middle of the last century, with classic and art deco, geometric and modernist style. However, the characteristic common feature of the design is the attention to detail and exquisite filigree work. Traditional materials for creating brooches, pendants, rings and earrings are metal alloys plated with gold and silver, high quality crystals, glass, faux pearls and semi-precious stones.
The maker’s mark includes the word “WEST” in capital block letters on a rectangular cartouche with rounded corners. Noteworthy, there is no copyright sign on the label. As you know, most jewelry companies began to use the copyright mark in their markings only after 1955. However, West was not one of them.
More »

Christmas tree pewter brooch. 4.5 cm. 1980s. Ms Dee vintage costume jewelry

Ms Dee vintage costume jewelry (1982-2013)
Incorporated in 1974 in Mound, Minnesota, Ms. Dee Inc. began its activity in 1970. Headed by Ms Deanne Moss (b. 1944), the company launched four trademarks on production of various goods. In particular, lace and embroidery, buttons and needles, artificial flowers and ribbons, hair accessories and costume jewelry. Among these trademarks were “Fame Tapes”, “Molly ‘n Me”, and “Ms. Dee”, all registered in 1982.
The company’s craftsmen created beautiful finely detailed multi-functional trinket boxes, sets of brooches with earrings made by hand with the use of genuine pewter. The marking on the cartouche included “Ms.Dee” with a copyright sign, sometimes “genuine pewter” and “collectable #1”, etc. Most jewelry ornaments made in 1980-90s have become highly collectible today.
Due to the bankruptcy, the company ceased to exist in 2013.
More »

Whimsical cat with mouse pewter brooch. 1990s. Signed Mali vintage costume jewelry

Signed Mali vintage costume jewelry (1985-2003)
The history of the MALI jewelry brand began in 1985 in Wilmington, Delaware and lasted a little more than a decade. The characteristic design of Mali jewelry includes funny farm animals – whimsical cats, pigs, cows, horses, dogs and penguins. A small team of jewelers handcrafted brooches, pins, keychains and earrings with the use of pewter and silver. The labeling on raised cartouche includes the word “Mali” in capital printed letters with copyright mark. Also, some pieces include the year of manufacture, and mostly 1990s.
According to the information printed on tags, Mali made jewelry for Alexis Reed (owned by the Bon-Ton Trade Corp., 1995-2003, Wilmington, Delaware).
Noteworthy, there was an eponymous jewelry trademark owned by Mali LLC, registered in 2003 in Los Angeles, California (chief designer Molly K Sabatasso), which ceased to exist in 2013.
More »

Topaz ebony wood diamond ring. Christine Escher fine jewelry

Christine Escher fine jewelry
The history of the French jewelry brand “Christine Escher” began in 1989 in Meudon, the southwestern suburbs of Paris. Before launching the eponymous jewelry brand, Christine Escher worked as the creative director for “La Joaillerie Récréativein” (Recreational Jewelry) and created jewelry since 1985. In addition, she studied gemology and drawing. According to the designer, she made her first collections for well-known Parisian jewelry houses. The talented jewelry designer, Christine Escher won the “International De Beers Diamond award” in 1998 for a “Meridienne” ebony inlaid with diamonds ring.
In 2012, her daughter Claire joined the family business and brought a new look on jewelry design. Noteworthy, the emblem of the company is a starfish, and most designs are inspired by the marine world. Creating exquisite engagement rings, necklaces and earrings, the designers traditionally use precious metals, ebony wood and various precious and semi-precious stones. Among them – diamonds, sapphires, ruby, carnelian, citrine, quartz, topaz, peridot, moonstone, tsavorite, etc.
The maker’s mark may include initials CE, or Escher, PR, and starfish logo.
More »