Born in 1940, Dorothy Eleanor Bauer grew up in a family of a jeweler who owned a store in California. From childhood, the girl saw beauty, developing her artistic taste. As a result, she became a professional artist, having graduated from the College of Art in California. However, instead of a career as a professional sculptor, she took up jewelry and opened her own company “A Piece of the Rainbow” in 1981.
Initially, she created hand-blown glass decorations and sold them in her own shop in Berkeley, CA, USA. Noteworthy, in 1982 she renamed her company to “Dorothy Bauer Designs”. Alongside with her husband Robert Bauer, she began creating sculptural jewelry using high end colored and clear faceted Austrian crystals and rhinestones.
Her jewelry designs include brooches, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, hair ornaments, shoe clips and belt buckles. Traditionally, the designers used antique and fine silver, 23k gold, and antique brass. In general, Bauer produced decorations in series. In particular, Christmas, hearts, flower baskets, flowers, animals, birds, and Patriotic items. Also, some Limited Editions ornaments included hand engraved name and numbered pieces.
Since early 2010s, Dorothy Bauer has not been in business.