Guggenheim Museum Picasso Woman sterling silver brooch. 1980s. Museum Replica vintage costume jewelry

Vintage Museum Replica costume jewelry
Over the past decades, since about the 1970s, it has become a good tradition for large museums to create jewelry. Traditionally, these are replicas of old jewelry, paintings and botanical illustrations from the museum’s funds. Classified as costume jewelry, these pieces have markings of these museums and are highly sought after. So, among the museums – manufacturers of high quality jewelry – MFA (Museum of Fine Arts), MMA (Metropolitan museum of art), NGA (National gallery of Art), VMFA (Virginia Museum of Fine Arts), MAD (Museum of Arts and Design), and others. However, the jewelry pieces of other museums are rare, but also highly valued. Among them are the Concord Museum, Guggenheim Museum, Mark Twain Museum, Shelburne museum, Vermont, North Carolina Museum of History, and more.

Artfully handcrafted with gilding, metal alloys, high quality enamels and art glass, this replica jewelry is a work of art in itself.
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Gold, Demantoid Garnet and Sapphire Marlin Brooch. 1940s. Trabert Hoeffer Mauboussin vintage jewelry

Trabert Hoeffer Mauboussin vintage jewelry
The history of Trabert Hoeffer & Mauboussin jewelry began in 1936 and lasted until 1953. The name of the brand itself speaks of the collaboration between the American company Trabert & Hoeffer and the Parisian house Mauboussin.
Founded in 1926 by Randolph Trabert and William Howard Hoffer, the company was named after the founders – Trabert & Hoeffer, Inc. Based in New York, the jewelry company went through the hard times of the Great Depression and World War II with great success. At a time when many New York jewelry firms went out of business, Trabert & Hoeffer, Inc. flourished and expanded.
After the death of Randolph Trabert in 1930, Hoeffer began working with the Parisian jeweler Pierre Mauboussin, understanding the influence of French fashion in the world. For Pierre Mauboussin, this was also a good decision, as he gained access to the American market. The American-French collaboration led to the creation of the successful T & H-M company, which operated for 17 years.
The most famous innovative collection of this company is Reflection, with its interchangeable jewelry. The company met its customers halfway by supplying expensive jewelry made of sapphires, emeralds, diamonds and rubies to celebrities, as well as selling more affordable jewelry throughout the country.
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Gold tone bow cameo pendant. 1980s. Verducci vintage costume jewelry

Verducci vintage costume jewelry
Incorporated in October 1977 at the address 862 Charles Street North Providence, Rhode Island, “Verducci Creations, Inc” ceased to exist in 2002. It was a family business of Henry A. Verducci Sr. and his wife Jean Verducci (1937-2018). Innovative jewelry designer, Henry A. Verducci, Sr. has some patents registered by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Since 2002 he has owned Verducci Enterprises LLC jewelry company in Providence.
Fashionable handcrafted jewelry marked “Verducci” is made from gold-tone metal alloy, multicolor enamel and art glass. Most notable has become “The Verducci Designer Collection” consisting of interchangeable clips with multicolor art glass imitating natural stones. Popular in the 1980s, interchangeable jewelry has not lost its relevance today. Indeed, instead of buying several sets of ear clips, it is more convenient to change the inserts matching the color of outfit.
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B-Fox England. Anchor brooch. Sterling silver, enamel. 7 cm. 1960s. Little Known Vintage Costume Jewelry Brands

Little Known Vintage Costume Jewelry Brands
In the middle of the 20th century, the jewelry industry experienced a real boom. The Second World War, which consumed the reserves of metals, was over. The companies for the production of costume jewelry appeared one after another. However, due to the great competition, many companies quickly ceased to exist, and the short period of their existence is the main reason for their little-knownness.
Another boom in costume jewelry took place in the 1980s, when even perfume manufacturers made costume jewelry to advertise their perfume. All fashion houses, especially European ones, produced costume jewelry which became the queen of the catwalks. Among trendsetters who have shattered all snobbery about costume jewelry was Coco Chanel. According to her, stylish people wear bijoux and everyone else has to wear gold.

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Starburst brooch. Gold tone metal alloy, faux turquoise. 8 cm. 1970s. Judith Green vintage costume jewelry

Judith Green vintage costume jewelry
The history of Judith Green costume jewelry began in the early 1960s and lasted until mid 1970s. Based in New York, the jewelry workshop produced high quality handcrafted jewelry. The creator of these jewelry later became known as Judith Ripka. She founded namesake fine jewelry brand in New York in 1977. However, it was no longer costume jewelry, but expensive luxury jewelry.
Born and raised in New York, Judith developed a passion for jewelry from an early age. Her mother was a fashion designer who emigrated from Europe to the United States. It was she who influenced the development of Judith’s design skills and taught her to see beauty. Judith played for hours with the jewels that were in her mother’s box, trying on and combining them. According to Judith herself, jewelry making is part of her DNA and she always knew she would be a jewelry designer.
A twenty-year-old single mother, she began creating decorations and sold them to neighbors and friends. This is how her first clients and admirers of her talent appeared. At the same time, Judith worked as an assistant jewelry seller under the direction of future president Bergdorf Goodman. While working there, she saw that the jewelry market lacked beautiful pieces of jewelry that could be worn every day and for any occasion. This is how costume jewelry marked Judith Green was born.
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1953 jewelry ad. Winey Creations vintage costume jewelry

Winey Creations vintage costume jewelry
The history of Winey Creations jewelry trademark for the production of bracelets, brooches, rings, earrings and lockets began in January 1936. The trademark owner was Philadelphia, PA based company H. Weinreich Co Inc. According to the records, the company took part in 1939 New York World’s Fair. Noteworthy, H. Weinreich Co Inc. owned two trademarks – Winey Creations (since 1936) and Winey (registered in 1945). Both trademarks ceased to exist in 1960s. This brand’s high-quality, exquisite, handcrafted costume jewelry is a collectible rarity.
Philadelphia at the end of the 19th century was the same center of the jewelry industry in the USA, as Providence Rhode Island. A number of jewelry shops and workshops have sprung up in downtown Philadelphia. Traditionally family owned, most of these businesses have been run by generations of jewelers. Some of them, however, preferring to work independently, set up their own businesses. Thus, the Weinreich Brothers jewelry company, founded in 1911 in Philadelphia, operated at the same time as H. Weinreich Co Inc. Most likely, these companies were related by family ties.
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Bird wreath circle pin. Aressa for JC Penney. Gold tone, rhinestones. 1970s. JCPenney vintage costume jewelry

JCPenney vintage costume jewelry
The history of JCPenney jewelry trademark began 50 years ago, in 1971. However, the JCPenney department store chain has been known since 1902. Its founder was James Cash Penney Jr. (September 16, 1875 – February 12, 1971) – American businessman and entrepreneur. Penney began his business in partnership with William Henry McManus.
The business was very successful and the company developed rapidly and dynamically. So, already in 1928, at the height of the Great Depression, they owned 1000 department stores, and in 1941, 1600 department stores. Gradually, independent boutiques of famous brands such as Sephora, Nike and Adidas appeared inside JCPenney department stores. Also, the department stores had jewelry boutiques, including Liz Claiborne, which sells jewelry exclusively in JCPenney.
Noteworthy, many jewelry workshops created jewelry for JCPenney. In this case, the marking on such products or tags consisted of two words. For example, “Aressa for JCPenney”. The company also registered its own costume jewelry trademark in 1971. Production of costume jewelry began in the late 1970s and continued until the 2000s. Most notable were button covers created in various designs. Popular in the 1980s, as well as now, button covers replaced brooches or pins, and adorned any clothing, giving it a special look.
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