CIS Cissy Zoltowska vintage costume jewelry

CIS Cissy Zoltowska vintage costume jewelry
Born in Vienna, Maria Assunta Frankl-Fonseca married Polish Count Zoltowski and became known as a costume jewelry designer Countess Cis Zoltowska.
Initially, Maria handpainted buttons & cufflinks in Lausanne (1944-1950). Since 1951 she became interested in designing ceramic and fantasy costume jewelry. However, most of her work of that period is unsigned. In the 1960s she began marking her jewelry with crowned CIS, ‘CIS of Paris’, or ‘Countess Zoltowska’. Also, her earliest pieces include marking “Austria”.
Noteworthy, living between Paris and Vienna, she produced jewelry collections for iconic French haute couture houses. Among them, in particular, were Pierre Balmain, Jacques Fath, Helena Rubenstein, Christian Dior and Balenciaga.
Traditionally, she handcrafted fantasy jewelry using crackled glass cabochons and Swarovski rhinestones in exquisite colour combinations.
Distributed worldwide, CIS jewelry frequently appeared on the covers of Vogue, Paris Match and Harper‘s Bazaar. Creative artist and designer, Cis Zoltowska moved to Los Angeles in 1967. She lived in West Hollywood until her death in 2004.
Highly sought after and collected, her jewelry will increase in value every year.

Signed CIS Cissy Zoltowska vintage costume jewelry