Jewelry designer Adolph Katz

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Hyacinths brooch. Gold tone metal, rhinestones. 10 cm. 1944. Jewelry designer Adolph Katz

Jewelry designer Adolph Katz
Coro’s chief designer, Adolph Katz, worked for the famous jewelry company for almost half a century, from 1924 to the 1970s. The vision of a talented artist jeweler determined the success of Coro, a company that has been in business since 1901. It was originally an accessories store in New York, founded by businessmen Carl Rosenberg and Emmanuel Kohn. At the height of the Great Depression, in 1929 they opened a large factory. By the mid-30s, the company became the largest jewelry manufacturer under the leadership of the leading designer Adolph Katz.
He became chief designer and production manager in 1937, vice president in 1948, and executive vice president in 1960.
Responsible for reviewing the designs of younger artists, he made decisions about which ones would be accepted into production. According to patent records, Katz has had more patents for jewelry design than anyone else in the industry. It was Katz who brought the company success with his diverse and stunningly beautiful jewelry designs.

African Lady brooch. Sterling silver, gold plated, enamel, rhinestones. 6 cm. 1940s

Adolph Katz was not only a talented designer and craftsman, but also an innovative engineer. One of his most famous designs is the “duet” – a pair of pins that were attached to a specially designed piece, allowing the pins to be worn together or separately. Traditionally, the master used massive multi-colored rhinestones, glass cabochons, lucite, porcelain, silver, gilding and enamel. His jewelry motifs included flowers, birds, and figured brooches with animal designs.

In the 1950s, Katz led the development of the new Coro “Vendome” line, sold in very exclusive department stores. Vendome was to replace Corocraft as Coro’s highest quality jewelry line.