Flower brooch with mother-of-pearl petals. Gold, coral, emerald, diamonds. 1960s. Jean Thierry Bondt fine jewelry

Jean Thierry Bondt fine jewelry (1955-2006)
The history of the French jewelry brand JTB, founded by Jean Thierry Bondt, spans fifty years. Incorporated in January 1955, the jewelry company “Soc Jean Thierry Bondt Joail”, located at 19 Rue De Choiseul, ceased to exist in December 2006.
Jean Thierry Bondt was a famous Parisian jeweler and jewelry designer who collaborated with such jewelry brands as Jacques Lacloche, Alain Boucheron and Van Cleef and Arpels.
Most active in the 1960s and 70s, Bondt created nature inspired and haute couture brooches, earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Traditionally, the designer used high quality materials, mainly precious metals and stones – gold, platinum, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and others.
JBT branded jewelry sold at prestigious auctions fetches high prices.
Today, on the site of his jewelry atelier at 19 rue de Choiseul there is a bar restaurant, and there are no traces of a jewelry workshop left. Unfortunately, there is also no information about the biography of the jeweler, place and date of his birth, education, etc.
More »

Pansy flower pin. Sterling silver, enamel. Paye Baker antique silver jewelry

Paye Baker antique silver jewelry (1900-1950s)
The history of one of the oldest American silverware companies Paye & Baker Mfg. Co. began in 1900 in North Attleboro, Massachusetts. However, the company’s predecessor was Simmons & Paye Co., founded by Charles Paye and Jessie O. Simmons in 1896 in Providence, Rhode Island. The name change of the company occurred in 1900 when Frank L. Baker became the second owner of the company, succeeding Jessie O. Simmons. In addition, the owners of the revitalized company, along with their families and workshops, moved to North Attleboro, Massachusetts.
The company continued the production of silver items – napkin holders, elegant serving and souvenir spoons, figured forks, matchboxes, ashtrays, handbags, cigarette cases, belt buckles, buttons, etc. Meanwhile, jewelry included Art Nouveau brooches, pendants, rings, and hatpins. Also, silver jewelry included teddy bear jewelry, hair combs, celluloid products, and more.
The company’s marking is unique in its design – these are three separate P & B signs inside three hearts and the word sterling.
Notably, in the 1950s, Paye & Baker Mfg. Co. ceased to exist, absorbed by the Bishop Company.
More »

Wicker chair pewter pin with pot flower, hat, birds, and pillows. 2008. Birds Blooms vintage pewter jewelry

Birds Blooms vintage pewter jewelry (1995-2008)
Many clothing, cosmetics and perfume companies used to produce costume jewelry as an accessory to their brand advertising the company’s products. Roughly the same can be said about Birds & Blooms, a popular birding and gardening magazine in the United States.
The first line of limited edition pewter costume jewelry marked Birds & Blooms appeared in 1995. The markings, respectively, included Birds & Blooms Premier Design, number, and year of production. Noteworthy, brooches and lapel pins, made in pewter included not more than fifteen designs on gardening and bird themes. In particular, bird nest, birdhouse, garden cart, watering can, butterfly, garden hat, seed stamp and wicker chair. The last production date for Birds & Blooms jewelry is 2008.
Incorporated in 1995, Birds & Blooms trademark was first used in 1994. The original trademark owner was Rda Enthusiast Brands, Llc located in Delaware. In fact, Rda Enthusiast Brands, Llc owns dozens of brands, and Birds & Blooms was one of them. Other owners of Birds & Blooms included Trusted Media Brands, Inc. (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) and Reiman Media Group, LLC (Greendale, Delaware).
More »

Mid-century abstract brooch. Amethyst, silver, pearl. Sohne vintage silver jewelry

Bartel Sohne vintage silver jewelry
The old Bavarian city of Augsburg has been known for its hereditary master jewelers since 1560. The Bartel dynasty of goldsmiths and founded by them Bartel & Söhne company have been known since at least 1884.
The workshop of Alfred Bartel was located in an old mansion of the 15th century in Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany.
Noteworthy, their modernist jewelry designs produced in the 1940s-1960s have become the most famous and collectible.
Creating jewelry by hand, the craftsmen used silver, gold, rhodium and natural stones – quartz, garnet, amethysts, baroque pearls and more. Jewelry design, along with modernist and abstract, so popular in the 1960s, included Victorian and classical. No less excellent were floral and plant motifs embodied in filigree brooches, rings, earrings and pendants. Also, they created a series of Zodiac Sign pendants and charms made from silver.
Traditionally, the markings on these pieces include the initials BS for Bartel & Söhne.
Today, based in Kaufbeuren, Germany “Alfred Bartel & Söhne GmbH & Co. KG” is still active, but it manufactures different products. In particular, portable power tools for jewelers and watchmakers, plastic industrial products, and a variety of household products.
More »

Flower brooch. 18 K gold, platinum, diamonds. Austrian jeweler Kurt Wayne 1909-1990

Austrian jeweler Kurt Wayne 1909-1990
The history of the Kurt Wayne jewelry brand began in 1945.
Born in 1909 in Vienna, Austria, Kurt was orphaned early. Having come under the care of a local jeweler, 10 year-old Kurt began to learn jewelry craftsmanship. After years of apprenticeship, Kurt became a professional silversmith, goldsmith, diamond cutter, watchmaker, and jewelry designer.
In 1939, Kurt and his wife emigrated to the United States to escape the Nazis. There he continued to work in jewelry workshops and sell jewelry. Finally, he founded the family business at the age of 36, opening an eponymous jewelry company in New York. Kurt created highly artistic jewelry, more like miniature sculptures. The greatest inspiration for the jeweler was nature itself, the love for which he embodied in his animalistic and floral designs.
Noteworthy, Wayne developed a good personal relationship with notable businessmen. In particular, the Zale family of Russian-Jewish jewelers and Stanley Marcus, president of luxury retailer Neiman Marcus in Dallas, Texas.
Traditionally, the jeweler used 18 K gold and precious stones – emeralds, diamonds, sapphires, rubies, etc. Item markings include “KW” or “Kurt Wayne” with the karat of gold or silver.
Kurt Wayne passed away in 1990.
More »

Camelot collection gold and diamond brooch. 1996. Barry Kieselstein-Cord vintage jewelry

Barry Kieselstein-Cord vintage jewelry
Born November 6, 1948 (other sources say November 6, 1943) in New York City, Barry Kieselstein-Cord is an internationally renowned jeweler and founder of the eponymous brand. Barry received a good education at the Parsons School of Design, New York University, and the American Craft Institute.
Noteworthy, before he founded the jewelry brand in 1972, he was a photographer, artist and designer. In addition to jewelry, the company produced belt buckles, bronze sculptures, home furnishings, bags, glasses, and other accessories.
Over the fifty years of the company’s existence, the winner of numerous awards, Barry has worked with many outstanding designers. Among them, in particular, Georg Jensen, Calvin Klein and Perry Ellis.
Many celebrities have been fans of his jewelry brand, including Eric Clapton, Sir Elton John, and Karl Lagerfeld. His work, classified as high jewelry art, is in the permanent collections of the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. The most important magazines and newspapers did not bypass Barry’s jewelry art, including People, Time, Elle, Forbes, Vogue and many others.
In addition, his jewelry has repeatedly appeared in films and TV shows – “Sex and the City” and “Law & Order”, “Hard Copy” and CNN.
Incorporated in 1983, Kieselstein-Cord Studios, Inc. ceased to exist in 2009. However, the renewed company Kieselstein-Cord Imperial LLC registered in 2007 is still active.
More »

Sewing machine brooch with charms. 1990s. Silver tone, rhinestones. Coldwater Creek vintage costume jewelry

Coldwater Creek vintage costume jewelry
The history of Coldwater Creek bijoux began in Sandpoint, Idaho in 1984. Coldwater Creek Inc., founded by Dennis and Ann Pence as a mail-order company, produced its first Northcountry catalog published in a local newspaper in 1985. It offered 18 items, including women’s clothing, shoes, home décor, accessories, and costume jewelry.
Originally a small private company which employed less than 10 people, in 5 years it became highly profitable multi-million dollar corporation. So, in the 1990s, the company entered the list of the fastest growing private enterprises in the United States.
In 1993 the company released two more catalogs, Spirit of the West and Ecosong published in millions of copies. Today, the company owns hundreds of several retail stores and online sales.
Notably, the current trademark owner (since 2002) is CW Brands LLC headquartered in Miami, Florida.
One of the notable costume jewelry lines was the Christmas motif brooches, pins and pendants made in the 1980s and 90s. The company’s craftsmen created fabulous snowmen, Christmas trees, sledges, Santa Clauses, deer, etc. by hand. Traditionally, they used various materials, from metal alloys of gold and silver tone to bronze, gold and silver. Also, enamel, lucite, plastic, rhinestones and art glass imitating natural stones. Some ornaments are made of silver, gold, and natural stones – jade, amethyst, cat’s eye, quartz, and others.

More »