Kaleidoscope effect

Tribal face brooch. 925 Sterling silver, ceramics, 1950s. Mexican modernist jeweler Salvador Teran

Mexican modernist jeweler Salvador Teran
The works of the famous Mexican jewelry designer and silversmith Salvador Teran are rare and highly collectible. For example, this marked brooch from the master’s only bijouterie collection, released in the middle of the last century by order of the most fashionable at that time Marbel department store in Mexico City.
Born at Taxco, Salvador Teran (1920 – 1974) received his early training at William Spratling’s Taller de Las Delicias. However, in 1939 he and his cousins ​​left Spratling to establish his company Los Castillo. Salvador was responsible for many projects, although often worked anonymously, without labeling his work. Having worked for the company for thirteen years, in 1952, Salvador decided to leave for Mexico City to establish a new company.
Having hired twenty-five designers, he began his career as a lead designer, inspired by pre-Columbian motifs. However, the modernist interpretations of Salvador were so talented and unique that his products, superior in design and craftsmanship, became very popular among jewelry connoisseurs. Accordingly, the Mexican designer himself received immediate public recognition.
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1985 Brooch. Silver, gold, rubies, emeralds, diamonds, enamel. 7.0 cm. American jewelry designer Fred Leighton

American jewelry designer Fred Leighton
The history of the Fred Leighton brand begins with the name of Murray Mondschein. Born in Bronx, Murray went to the army after high school. When he returned from military service to New York (1959), he bought a Mexican boutique selling antique items, including silver jewelry on McDougal Street. In 1971, Mondschein renamed it to Fred Leighton in honor of the former owner.
The son of an ordinary taxi driver from Bronx, thanks to his incredible insight and ability to sell, managed to turn Fred Leighton in Manhattan into a real trading Mecca for jewelry lovers. The New Yorker newspaper in 2005 wrote that the outside of the store looks like “a huge brooch with precious stones.”
Having worked in the jewelry business for more than 40 years, Murray Mondschein died at the age of 85, on July 26, 2017.
Recognized as “jeweler to the stars”, Fred Leighton was a true legend in the jewelry business, since his jewels shone at the Oscar award ceremony, The Tony Awards and Golden Globes. His jewelry decorated Hollywood divas, such as Charlize Theron and Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Sarah Jessica Parker, Carrie Mulligan and Natalie Portman.

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Victorian style Hand with orchid brooch. Silver tone metal, rhinestones, enamel. 1940s. Fred Gray Corp vintage costume jewelry

Fred Gray Corp vintage costume jewelry
The history of American jewelry company Fred Gray Corp spans a short period of 1930-1940s.
According to sources, Fred Gray was one of the leading designers of the famous jewelry company Coro for some period of time. Having gained invaluable experience and skill, he founded a costume jewelry company under his name “Fred Gray Corp”. Noteworthy, initially Fred marked his products on the reverse side with the letter “S” inside a tiny star, and sometimes there was also a mark “made in the USA”. However, later, after the founding of his own company, the products had marking “Fred Gray Corp”.
Traditionally high-quality, the jewelry of this company is made in the Victorian or Art Deco style, so popular in the 1930s. The material for creating jewelry is also traditional for that time period – silver tone pot metal with an abundance of multicolor crystals and rhinestones, as well as enamel and lucite.
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Flower vintage brooch. Silver tone metal, rhinestones. 1950s. Phyllis vintage costume jewelry

Phyllis vintage costume jewelry
Founded in Providence, Rhode Island in 1946, M. & S. Manufacturing Co Inc launched Phyllis and Phyllis Original trademarks on production of costume jewelry. The trademarks ceased to exist in early 1960s. The company made costume jewelry of silver, sterling silver or with 12 K gold plating on a metal base. Basically, the designers of this company adhered to the Art Deco style, with an abundance of diamond style stones, crystals and rhinestones.
Traditionally, all products of this company have the marking – 1 / 20-12 K GF and Phyllis on the back of the products. Initially, the products had marking “Sterling Phyllis” in cursive (before 1948). Noteworthy, products signed with Italian name “Scitarelli” also belong to Phyllis.
Rare quality costume jewelry and luxurious accessory of this brand has already moved into the category of antique, and is highly collectible.
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A Person Under Umbrella brooch. Gold and silver tone metal. Lady Remington vintage costume jewelry

Lady Remington vintage costume jewelry
Based in Virginia, Lady Remington Fashion Jewelry Inc worked under this name for a fairly short period from 1986 to 2004. Jewelry of this brand is rare, since it was a side line (jewelry production) of the famous Remington company. Its founder was Victor Kiam, owner of New England Patriots and president of Remington Products.

According to him, he liked razors so much that he bought the company. In 1986, Victor Kiam bought Act II jewelry company for direct sales and renamed it into Lady Remington.
However, already in 2004, his son renamed the company into Lia Sophia, in honor of his two daughters. As for Lia Sophia, it was a direct selling jewelry business which involved thousands of women as independent sales representatives in the tradition of Avon and Tupperware.

However, the company has gone out of business 28 years later, in 2014.
Noteworthy, the marking includes LR and sometimes 925S (925 silver). Traditionally, jewelers used 925 silver, gold and silver tone metal, faux pearls, stones, rhinestones and enamel.
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Cat in a crown brooch. Silver tone metal, crystal and amber rhinestone. Victorian Trading Co costume jewelry

Victorian Trading Co costume jewelry
Founded in 1987 by Melissa Rolston, Victorian Trading Co. was a home-based business designing retro greeting cards. However, soon the company has developed the production to antique inspired replicas.
Located in Los Angeles, USA, the jewelry company Victorian Trading Co. produces retro inspired Victorian era items, including fashion, footwear, home and furniture decor, as well as collectibles. Victorian Trading vintage style decorations preserve the glamour and romance of a bygone era. Lovingly handcrafted, these jewelry pieces produced in late 1990s – early 2000s as copies of vintage costume jewelry, have gradually become vintage items themselves. Noteworthy, they have become the subject of collecting.
According to the information on the website, the main jewelry designers who work for the company are Shelley Cooper and Anne Koplik.
Traditionally, when creating costume decorations, the designer uses various metals, such as brass, bronze, jewelry alloy, gold and silver tone metal and sterling silver. Also, porcelain, marcasite, enamel, Czech and Swarovski crystals, rhinestones, and freshwater seed pearls.

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Daisy sash brooch. Silver tone metal, blue rhinestones. Kandell & Marcus NY vintage costume jewelry

Kandell & Marcus NY vintage costume jewelry
New York based jewelry company Kandell & Marcus produced high quality jewelry in 1940-1950s. Active in the middle of the last century, Kendall & Marcus NY was very famous jewelry brand, and the reason why they stopped designing decorations remains unknown. Accordingly, their high quality limited edition handmade jewelry is rather hard to find.
Traditionally, the jewelers of this company produced fine jewelry inspired by the culture of Victorian epoch, as well as the Art Nouveau style, popular in the early 20th century. The materials for the production of costume jewelry usually included sterling silver, brass, metal alloys of gold tone, multicolor rhinestones, cabochons, crystals and enamel.
Noteworthy, the designers marked their decorations on the reverse with the full name of the company – Kandell & Marcus NY.
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