Kaleidoscope effect

Cat brooch. Gold tone, crystals. 1960s. Ciro vintage costume jewelry

Ciro vintage costume jewelry (1940-1996)
The history of London jewelry brand Ciro began almost 105 years ago. Incorporated on 23 May 1917, Ciro Pearls Limited was a private company registered at the address 1 Surrey street London WC2R 2NT United Kingdom. On 14 Nov 1928 the company headed by H.M. Penney became known as Cho Realization Limited. However, on 25 Jan 1940 the company changed its address to 9A New Bond street, London, W1Y 9PE and became known as “Ciro of Bond Street Limited”.
Originally a mail order company, Ciro produced and sold cultured pearl costume jewelry. The company opened its first retail stores in the 1920s, while continuing use mail order. Costume jewelry and accessories by Ciro enjoyed success, and the company had to expand the business. Its boutiques appeared one by one in Canada, France, and Germany. According to the United States Patent office, the subsidiary of Ciro of Bond Street, Inc. was registered in New York as Ciro Pearls Ltd. in 1955.
Ciro brand which lasted for more than a century ceased to exist in 1998 hit by the effects of cheap imitation jewellery imported from Asia.
Read more »

Double flower gold plated brooch. 5 cm. 1950s. Georges Legros vintage costume jewelry

Georges Legros vintage costume jewelry (1917-1998)
The history of the Georges Legros brand began over a hundred years ago, in 1917. However, the history of the family jewelry business began in the 19th century, when the French jeweler Mr. Murat created a small company in 1850. Having become a senator in Ardèche, he entrusted the administration to Achilles Legros, who had two sons Marius and Georges. Marius Legros founded the ML jewelry company in 1905, and Georges founded the Bijoux GL jewelry company in the neighboring town of Cheylard, in 1917.
In fact, it was the competition between these companies that allowed them to develop successfully. Based in the Ardèche department in the south of France, highly skilled craftsmen created luxury jewellery in gold plating and 925 sterling silver. Traditionally, they combined manual labor, time-tested traditions and modern technologies.
GL group got the most prestigious French awards “Living Heritage seal” and “Joaillerie de France”.
Noteworthy, the GL Group is no longer managed by the Legros family. In 1998 Altesse company bought GL group, headed by the representative of the third generation jewelers – Pierre Legros. The company couldn’t survive the changes of policy and owners, which led to its compulsory liquidation on March 25, 2014.
The GL Group offers jewelry under licenses from Kenzo, Nina Ricci, Paul & Joe, Ted Lapidus, and Inès de la Fressange. Under its own label, the GL group markets the Altesse, GL Paris, as well as a Les Georgettes capsule collection.

Read more »

Elephant Giraffe Lion Camel Noahs Ark vintage brooch of gold tone. 1980s. Laura Gayle vintage costume jewelry

Laura Gayle vintage costume jewelry
The history of the Laura Gayle brand for the production of jewelry and watches began in October 1986. The brand was one of dozens of trademarks owned by Dillard’s Inc., headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. Dillard’s Inc. is an upscale American department store chain founded in 1938 by William T. Dillard.
The name Laura Gale is fictitious and does not identify any specific living person. Labeled as “American Classics”, the Laura Gayle brand ceased to exist in 2009.
Traditionally, LG craftsmen used metal alloys of gold and silver tones, Austrian crystals, enamels and rhinestones. The markings consist of the wordmark “Laura Gayle” written in a fancy script.
Notably, there was also the Laura Gayle trademark owned by the Mercantile Stores Company Inc. for the production of clothing, leather goods, jewelry and accessories. Founded in 1996 in Ohio, the brand ceased to operate in 2000. Despite the fact that both brands are of the same name, it is very easy to distinguish them due to the design and labeling. Thus, the labeling of Laura Gayle trademark owned by the Mercantile Stores includes “Laura Gayle” in capital block letters.
Read more »

Greek mythological sardonic laughter mask. Gold tone clip on earrings. 1990s. Signed Prevost vintage costume jewelry

Signed Prevost vintage costume jewelry
The history of the English jewelry brand Catherine Prevost began in 1991, when a young college graduate opened her own shop and launched a jewelry production. London fashion icon, Catherine is the mother of four daughters who are also involved in the family business. Starting from a small store on Walton Street in London, today the products of this brand are sold in the most prestigious boutiques and department stores in the world. In particular, Neiman Marcus, Harrods, and Saks 5th Avenue. This brand’s products in addition to jewelry include clothes and accessories. Catherine herself, beautiful and stylish, is the epitome of classic elegance and glamour.
Read more »

Dachshund with ruby eyes 14 K gold plated brooch. 1970s. Signed DF Danfrere vintage jewelry

Signed DF Danfrere vintage jewelry
One of the 47th Street jewelers in New York, N.Y., Danfrere fine jewelry began its history in August 1968. According to the Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, Danfrere Co. filed for DF trademark in July 1968. The company produced fine jewelry with the use of 14 K gold and precious stones – diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies. Traditionally, the designs of pins, clip earrings and brooches included figural animal and flower motif.
Noteworthy, the labelling of DF jewelry differs. Thus, the earliest pieces (since 1968) include initials DF in a shield, and since 1970s the marking changed to “Danfrere Copyright” and 14KT Copyright. The marking changes could be due to a business merger, or ownership changes. The company ceased to exist before 1980.
Similar New York jewelry companies, such as Danfrere Creations and Dankner & Sons could relate to Danfrere Co.
Read more »

Berry branch leaf brooch. Gold tone, art glass, enamel. 1950s. 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.
Read more »

‘Spirit Mask and Shield’ neckpiece. Mixed metals – sterling silver, copper, nickel, chemically oxidized brass. 1987. American jewelry designer Terri Foltz-Fox (b. 1955)

American jewelry designer Terri Foltz-Fox
Houston, Texas based artist, ceramicist, goldsmith, art teacher and designer, Terri Foltz-Fox began experimenting with married metals in 1977. Developing fusing metal technique, she created multicolor geometric patterns on the metals. The metals traditionally included brass, fine and sterling silver, nickel and copper.
While still a student of Philadelphia College of Art, she tried to possess the secrets and magnetism of ancient cultures. In particular, masks and shields of East Africa, the totems of the Northwest American Indian, the pottery of the Hopi and Pueblo tribes, and more. According to Terri, she read all she could on African myths and legends, ceremonies and customs of North American tribes. As a result, her designs became a perfect integration of tribal influence and contemporary metalsmithing.
Read more »