Topaz Butterfly Brooch. Gold tone metal alloy, crystals, rhinestones. Signed Alex & Ani vintage costume jewelry

Signed Alex & Ani vintage costume jewelry
Born in 1966, the future founder of “Alex & Ani” Carolyn Rafaelian grew up in a family of Armenian immigrants. Ralph Rafaelian, her father, was a jeweler who used to work for such famous jewelry brands as Monet and Trifari, and later founded his own jewelry company. Undoubtedly, it was him, who instilled in his daughter love for jewelry art.
Founded in 1994 by Carolyn Rafaelian, the company’s name consists of two names of her daughters Alex & Ani. Early jewelry design by Alex and Ani LLC resembles Eisenberg costume jewelry with the rich use of crystals and rhinestones. In fact, when she first began creating jewelry, she used some molds purchased from Eisenberg.
Noteworthy, located in Cranston, Rhode Island, ‘Alex&Ani’ is exclusively manufactured in the United States. Besides, the company doesn’t import materials, using recycled materials purchased from local Rhode Island mills. Signed Alex & Ani on the back, each piece is hand crafted with high quality and craftsmanship. According Carolyn Rafaelian, their jewelry pieces are eco friendly. “We adhere to higher environmental standards and rules”.

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Spinel, cultured pearl and diamond brooch. German jewelry designer Karl Rothmüller

German jewelry designer Karl Rothmüller
Born 1860 in Munich, Karl Rothmüller was a Bavarian goldsmith, purveyor to the royal court and professor of fine arts. He was one of the most important German jewelers of his time and one of the main representatives of Munich jewelry that stood at the turn of the century.

Rothmüller was a student of Fritz von Miller, a graduate of the Royal School of Arts and Crafts in Munich. Also, he graduated from the Vienna School of Applied Arts. Working in Berlin, Paris and London, he opened his studio in 1886, and began participating in exhibitions of applied arts. So, in 1897 he showed his work at the exhibition at Glaspalast, and in 1900 he successfully participated in the Paris World Exhibition. As a result, in 1908 he was awarded the title of Royal Bavarian Court Goldsmith.

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City skyscraper pin. Gold tone alloy, clear rhinestones. PIM Piscitelli vintage costume jewelry

PIM Piscitelli vintage costume jewelry
An American designer of Italian origin, Joseph P. Piscitelli, Sr. founded his jewelry brand PIM in the late 1950s. Before starting his brand, he had worked as a designer for a famous company of that time – Star Manufacturing Co. Noteworthy, Piscitelli marked his products with the abbreviation PIM for a rather short time, since already in 1960 he renamed the company to Piscitelli co. It was a family owned business located at 1125 Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, Rhode Island.
A small staff of designers and craftsmen created high end costume jewelry by hand – earrings, rings, bracelets, brooches and necklaces. Traditionally, the craftsmen used the highest quality materials – gold-plated metal alloys, sterling silver, Austrian crystals and art glass, rhinestones and enamel. The Piscitelli family business was successful until the 1980s, and it is these products that are now mostly appreciated in the vintage jewelry market.
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Eye brooch. Silver plated metal alloy, art glass, rhinestones. 1950s. Roger Jean Pierre vintage costume jewelry

Roger Jean Pierre vintage costume jewelry
It is no coincidence that the talented 24-year-old French designer Roger Jean-Pierre (1910s – 1976) began his career working for the famous Elsa Schiaparelli. Undoubtedly, Schiaparelli noticed and appreciated this talent. As a result, works created in 6-year period for Schiaparelli now adorn the Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
And for the next six years (1940 – 1946) he designed clothes for Jean Clement. In the period from 1947 to 1958, as the director of Maison Francis Winter, he created jewelry and accessories for many fashion houses. In particular, Dior, Balenciaga, Gres, Balmain and Lelong, for which he has designed about 2,500 models (signed “Winter”, or “Jean-Pierre”). Glamorous designs often included rhinestones laid out in intricate patterns. In his jewelry, elite models shone on the pages of Vogue magazine. Drawing inspiration from the details of the Edwardian era, he has always worked with exclusively greatest fashion designers. Among them – Christian Dior, Balenciaga and for several years was an advisor to Coro on their Vendome line.
After losing his wife and stepson, he lost interest both in jewelry making, and in life. He closed his Paris atelier in 1976 and died soon after.
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Full of mysticism pendant – Celtic story with spider, cobweb and fern. Gold, emerald, green enamel, diamonds. Circa 1900. French jewelry designer Lucien Gautrait

French jewelry designer Lucien Gautrait
Parisian artist and jewelry designer Lucien (Louis) Gautrait (1865-1937) mostly created pendants and brooches and sometimes bracelets. Made with notable details and exceptional skills, his jewelry pieces are often compared with such iconic names as Faberge. Plots, in general, typical for Art Nouveau and Jugend style: birds, insects, real and fantastic, zoomorphic female characters. The compositions are more laconic than those of the famous Rene Lalique, but the perfection of the drawing and execution, especially of the enamels, is no worse and makes no less impression.
Between 1890 and 1910, the Art Nouveau movement flourished throughout Europe and America, profoundly influencing many forms of art—posters, furniture, architecture, glass, ceramics, textiles and jewelry. Art Nouveau’s sweeping, rhythmic curves and use of stylized floral and animal forms were particularly suited to adaptations in precious stones and rare metals, producing exquisite creations of timeless appeal.
Gautrait worked as the leading designer for the Henri Vevey jewelry house, and the magnificent pieces with his hallmark prove this. Also, he collaborated with another Parisian jeweler Maison Gariod and stamped his pieces with both signatures and hall marks.
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Monkey with diploma brooch. Gold Tone textured metal, rhinestones. 1950s. Roger Van S vintage costume jewelry

Roger Van S vintage costume jewelry
American vintage jewelry brand “Roger Van S” was a family business registered in New York, N. Y. by Roger Van Schoyck and his wife Doris Van Schoyck. The couple met at the University of Cincinnati. The chief designer of the company Mrs. Doris and Roger began producing costume jewelry right at the end of WWII, in 1945. In addition to jewelry, they created women’s handbags and accessories. The company ceased to exist in the 1960s. Noteworthy, in quality and design their jewelry pieces is comparable to Trifari. Lord & Taylor, B. Altman, Neiman-Marcus and other major department stores sold their handbags and costume jewelry through the 1960s.
Traditionally, the designers of the company used high quality materials – 14 K gold plating, crystals, rhinestones, art glass, faux pearls and enamel. Unique handmade Roger Van S decorations as well as handbags are rare and highly collectible.
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1980s brooch. Gold tone alloy, purple cabochon, Swarovski crystals, faux pearl. 10 cm. Jeff Lieb vintage costume jewelry

Jeff Lieb vintage costume jewelry
This brooch combines Italian mood, French elegance and American progressiveness!
American designer Jeff Lieb has been creating jewelry in his studio in Highland Park, Illinois for over 40 years (since 1978 to present). Traditionally handcrafted, these pieces as wearable art are coveted by collectors and jewelry lovers. Lieb has created a special line of jewelry for Donald Trump’s Taj Mahal Casino. Swarovski Crystal Elements Approved Designer, his work appears in motion pictures, galleries and unique stores. The possession of Jeff Lieb jewelry is an indicator of rare taste and a certain status in society.
Lieb, who began his activity in 1978, sells his jewelry pieces in more than 1,000 galleries and boutiques nationwide. Noteworthy, the designer signes all his pieces on the back side.
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