
Rare 1940s Flower Basket brooch. Rhinestone, Rhodium. Chicago based ORA vintage costume jewellery
ORA vintage costume jewellery
First, it was a creative duo of designers Oreste Agnini and Ralph Singer (Italian Raffaele Cantaluppi) who used the name ORA for their jewellery. Originally, they made the jeweled buttons and brooches for the Eisenberg line of clothing. But later, when they ended with Eisenberg, in 1920-1930s, they began producing jewellery known as ORA. The name of their Chicago based company which employed 200 people, was “Agnini & Singer”. Noteworthy, their earlier products didn’t have any mark on them. However, already in late 1930s they began marking their jewellery pieces with the brand name “ORA”.
According to some jewellery guides, the name ORA is a combination of the names Oreste and Ralph. But according to other sources, Ora in Italian means “hour”, and they advertised their jewellery as “Jewels of the Hour.”
Most often ORA vintage costume jewellery features various motifs, from music to Masonic, Art Deco design, with an abundance of crystals. And always ORA jewelers demonstrate high quality and creative design in their jewellery lines.

Heart Shaped silver tone metal brooch, rhinestones. 1940s
Noteworthy, the company is still in business, but has changed its name to “Ralph Singer Jewelry Company”.

Maker’s mark
ORA vintage costume jewellery

1960s vintage leaf brooch

A cane and a cross, a vintage brooch, Masonic motifs. 1960s

A musical symbol set of brooch and earrings. 1970s. Rhinestones, jewellery alloy of silver tone

Art Deco Style fan brooch. 1950s

Bird brooch. 1940s. Rhinestones, silver toned metal

Bowling set of brooch and earrings. Blue cabochons, rhinestones. 1960s

Camel brooch. Silver tone metal and rhinestones. 1960s

Christmas Tree Brooch, enameled, rhinestone and zirconia. 1940s

Clown pin. Color crystals, silvered metal

Crown with sword brooch. Rhodium plated, rhinestones. 1940s

Deer brooch. Gold tone metal, rhinestones

Dove in a circle colored rhinestones pin

Goldtone Guitar Brooch

Gorgeous maple leaf brooch, jewellery alloy, rhinestones. 1940s

Lyre brooch

Masonic rhinestone brooch-pin. Silver sterling tone. 1970s. Eastern Star with the Crescent and Scimitar symbols of the Masons

Order of the Eastern Star pin

Question mark style brooch

Rose rhinestone pin

Signed ORA

Floral motif Silver tone metal and rhinestone earrings

Symbolic shape, clear, red and green rhinestones brooch

Turtle Brooch. 1960s

Violin brooch designed by Oreste Agnini and Mary C Granville. 1938

Harp vintage brooch. Gold tone, clear crystals

Maker’s mark