Josephine Baker Chocolate Dancer Brooch. French jewelry designer Lea Stein

French jewelry designer Lea Stein

In 1970-ies Lee Stein has created a unique collection of jewelry from Rhodoid (high-quality plastic). Prior to that, she was little known outside France. Recently, her work has received worldwide recognition.
Lea Stine was born in Paris (France) in 1931. At the age of 26, she opens her own clothing design company, while developing the design of buttons for fashion and starts its production. Her buttons of laminate Rhodoid had a huge success. In 1969 she begins manufacture of jewelry. The success became possible thanks to her husband, Fernando Steinberg, who discovered this material. It consisted of layers of painted rhodoid – cellulose acetate sheet, close to Bakelite. The layered structure of rhodoid allowed the inclusion of other materials, usually metal or fabric, such as lace. Making the cut and working on shapes, Lea Stein received a polychromatic “plastic”, varying in color and texture.
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Blue Butterfly brooch. Robert Rose vintage costume jewellery

Robert Rose vintage costume jewellery
In the fashion market, and in particular, jewelry market, Robert Rose costume decorations may rightly be called vintage. By the way, in 2016 the company celebrated their 70th anniversary. American jeweler Robert Rose founded the company in 1946 in New York (USA) in Manhattan. Initially, a small family business was built by Charles and Marion Rose. Soon, their son Robert successfully graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York with a degree in jewelry design. And it was he, who took family business into his hands and brought it to the new stage of development. The company continues to work today in the same place, and under the same label – Robert Rose. Their products lead on the jewelry market, thanks to the beauty and reasonable prices. A truly family run business, the second generation of owners, Harry and Ron Rose continued their father’s work, offering clients the most fashionable and high level of quality and style jewellery decorations.
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Lang Sterling Vintage Jewellery. Silver brooch Frog on a lily pad

Lang Sterling Vintage Jewellery

Lang Sterling Jewellery Company was founded in 1946 in Providence, the USA. Thanks to its particular style, the company is rapidly becoming popular among bohemian audience. Among Lang Sterling jewelry is very common to find miniature narrative compositions, beautifully arranged and an elaborated. In addition to brooches, Lang Sterling jewellery produced charms for bracelets. These charms were – zodiac signs, individual figures in period costumes, and compositions that are based on folklore motifs of the peoples of the world, and lovely pastoral scenes. A characteristic feature of Lang Sterling vintage jewelry is the presence of letter “S” in the form of a swan on the front side of branded jewelry. Vintage ornaments Lang Sterling rightfully included in the famous book by Fred Rezazadeh “Collectible Silver Jewelry” (1997). The value of Lang Sterling jewelry is growing from year to year, as Lang Sterling brand ceased to exist as early as the 70s of the 20th century.
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‘Bird in the nest’ brooch. Castlecliff vintage jewellery

Castlecliff vintage jewellery

In 1918, American jewelry designers Clifford Furst and Joseph Bobley opened their own jewellery company “Castlecliff”. Initially, they both worked for other companies, but in 1941, launched Castlecliff jewelry brand, and in 1945 released the first collection of beautiful costume jewellery. The main designer was William Markle, whose imagination allowed him to create in all styles, from the Gothic, Renaissance and Art – Deco, before the three-dimensional and moving, trembling butterflies, flowers and animals. Castlecliff vintage jewellery has always been famous for exquisite and colorful decorations, rich decorative trim. The company worked with a lot of silver and almost always applied the gilding and silvering jewelry. They began put their Castlecliff marking on their products in 1941. The company ceased to exist in in 1977. Castlecliff Jewellery is highly valued by collectors.
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German Art Deco Theodore Fahrner jewellery. Brooch, silver filigree, pearl, 1930s

Theodore Fahrner jewellery

First of all, it is worth saying that the exclusive, often made of semiprecious materials in the style of art nouveau and art deco, decorations of Fahrner are highly appreciated. And most of all those which had the brand label on them. Founded in Forgeheim, Germany, in 1855 and run since 1883 by Theodore Fahrner Jr., the jewelry company “Fahrner” was one of the most prosperous in Europe. Meanwhile, in 1919, after the death of Theodore Fahrner Jr., Gustave Brandel bought this company. And already renamed “Gustave Brandel – Theodore Fahrner Nackf”, the company successfully led the market until the 1950s. Unfortunately, the company ceased to exist 1979. Thus, the company has successfully existed for more than a century, from 1855 to 1979.
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Hollywood diva Lana Turner (February 8, 1921 – June 29, 1995)

Glamorous Hollywood diva Lana Turner
According to Lana Turner, “A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man”.
Glamorous Hollywood diva, along with many other actresses of the time, was a real connoisseur of jewelry. Besides, she had a good taste and the opportunity to purchase jewelry – from costume decorations to expensive jewellery pieces made of diamonds, sapphires and emeralds. Bright and certainly beautiful actress lived a stormy life, and was married eight times (officially). According to the actress herself, she wanted to get married once and have seven children, but it was the other way around. Lana Turner was born into a family of a miner from Tennessee, who was killed when Lana was a child. She began acting in film at the age of 16 years.
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Flower of paradise brooch, 1960s, Capri vintage costume jewellery

Capri vintage costume jewellery
Created in 1952 by Sol Smith in New York, Jewellery company Capri lasted until 1977. Over the entire period it released only a few collections of high-quality jewelry of original design. Jewellery of the brand showed exquisite color combinations with simplicity of form. A small number of outstanding jewelry makes it a godsend for every collector and only adds value.
Capri Jewelry, Inc. was in the heart of New York City, Fifth Avenue. The brand owner was Sol Smith. Initially, the company had name DelNicola, and in 1960-s it became Capri. In its not very long history, this jewelry company released not so many collections, but of very high quality and unique, underrated design.
Until 1955, the company labeled its jewelry as Capri, and after 1955 they added the copyright sign. Forced to close in 1977, the company released its latest collection of exquisite design. Today Capri decorations are quite rare and sought after by collectors. Advertising companies took place in 1952, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1961, 1965 and 1977.
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