Kaleidoscope effect

Flower filigree design bracelet. Sterling silver. 1960s. Christian Veilskov vintage costume jewelry

Christian Veilskov vintage costume jewelry
Vintage silver jewelry is a wonderful world of retro, covering a very long period and a variety of styles. Once upon a time, silver jewelry was an unaffordable luxury. It was during this period that bright, unique jewelry was created, sometimes from scrap materials, but the more valuable it was for their owners. It was such jewelry that was often inherited and, over time, acquired the status of vintage. Particularly famous has been Danish vintage silver jewelry, so popular with jewelry lovers and collectors. One of Danish silversmiths was renowned designer Chr. Veilskov, whose hand crafted brooches, bracelets, cufflinks, pins and earrings are rarity now. According to sources, the master opened his workshop in Copenhagen in 1963 and worked there for 23 years, until 1986. Unfortunately, the biography, place and date of birth of this talented Danish silversmith are unknown.
Inspired by the beauty of nature, the artist created exquisite jewelry with floral, plant and animal motifs. Simple and minimalist, sometimes modernist and filigree design (like the above bracelet) traditionally combined with the highest craftsmanship. He marked his products with the initials of his first and last name – C.V. or the stylized initials Chr.V (in the letter C) and 830 S, that is, sterling silver.
Read more »

Swan brooch designed for Trifari. 1941. Silver tone metal alloy, lucite, blue glass cabochon, rhinestones. 6.5 cm. Norman Bel Geddes vintage costume jewelry

Norman Bel Geddes vintage costume jewelry
Can a man who designs cars and airplanes make costume jewelry at the same time? Today, perhaps not. Such a person was Geddes, who worked in the first half of the 20th century. Born 27 April 1893 in Adrian, Michigan, Norman Melancton Geddes became the legend of design, called “Pioneer Of American Industrial Design” and the man who designed everything. According to Geddes himself, he was the man who designed his life.
For a short period of time he studied at the Cleveland School of Art, but but left it at the age of 16. Geddes first married Helen Belle Schneider in 1916, and they combined their names to Bel Geddes. Since that time, he worked with her in a creative duet, having designed about 200 stage performances from 1916 to 1937. In 1927 they opened an industrial design studio, creating designs for commercial products.
Aged 56, he and his and his wife Helen Belle Schneider began to work on costume jewelry designs. Launched in summer 1950, their “flow-motion” jewelry designs based on architectural and floral motifs were innovative. Noteworthy, in 1941 he became the author of two jelly-belly designs of brooches for Trifari. Produced in a very limited edition project, these jewelry pieces are quite rare.
Norman Bel Geddes died in New York on May 8, 1958. His autobiography, Miracle in the Evening, was published posthumously in 1960.
Read more »

Jelly belly fish brooch. Gold tone alloy, lucite, rhinestones. 1992. Harrice Simons Miller vintage costume jewelry

Harrice Simons Miller vintage costume jewelry
Renowned author of vintage jewelry, Harris Simons Miller is a dealer, art historian, appraiser, lector, consultant, and a passionate lover of jewelry. Noteworthy, she was an expert for the 2011 Elizabeth Taylor jewelry collection for Christie. Besides, she is the author of several reference books on costume jewelry including the book about Kenneth Jay Lane. Her latest book is “Fashion Jewelry: The Collection of Barbara Berger”, whose exhibition she curated from 2013-14 at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City.
In the 1990s, Miller re-released a limited edition of a collection of collectible rarities from the 1940s. A designer of her own high-quality jewelry pieces, she labeled them with her initials “HM” or “HSM” and the year of manufacture (mostly 1992).

Read more »

Optical illusion cuff bracelet. Mixed metals of sterling silver and nickel. 1980s. Patricia Daunis Dunning high-tech jewelry art

Patricia Daunis Dunning high-tech jewelry art
Portland, Maine native artist states that the medium conveys the message. A highly skilled jeweler, she expressed herself during the Op-Art period of the 1980s with one-of-a-kind pieces. The wonder is in their construction and a refined expression of mixed metals technique. More specifically, the process of making the optical illusion bracelet, when each piece of metal (18k gold and copper) is individually cut out and soldered together. So, there are hundreds of little pieces there, which went through time-filing, smoothing, sanding, and polishing. As a result, the finished bracelet is smooth to the touch. According to the artist, such bracelet takes three days to create.
Traditionally, her three-dimensional cuffs and earrings (from the 1980s) demonstrate high-tech/high art. Noteworthy, unlike other designers who begin with sketch or drawing, she always starts with metal. “I make sketches in metal. They may be real rough, but that’s how I sketch, rather than taking pen in hand.”
Read more »

Calla flower brooch. 1980s. Gold tone metal alloy, rhinestones. Jones New York vintage costume jewelry

Jones New York vintage costume jewelry
The history of the American vintage jewelry brand Jones New York spans a rather short period of 1975-1985. The brand was one of several registered trademarks of the Jones Apparel Group, Inc. located in Rittenhouse Bristol PA. The Corporation owner Sidney Kimmel made it the fastest growing American company for the production of sportswear, women’s and men’s clothes. In addition to clothes, they manufactured accessories, watches and costume jewelry. The company went through bankruptcy in the 1980s, but later revived again. Jones Investment Co. Inc. re-registered the JNY jewelry brand in 2004, but since that time watches and jewelry of this brand have been produced in Asia, mainly in China.
Read more »

Flower basket brooch. Gold, Pearl, Diamond, precious stones. American jewelry designer Paul Flato

American jewelry designer Paul Flato
The life of the famous American jeweler of the 1930s-1940s, Paul Flato is worth writing a book or making a film. It had everything – ups and downs, stunning success and imprisonment. But he, like a Phoenix bird, again and again returned to his favorite work. Married three times, he was familiar with many famous people of that time, but in difficult times he was left without the support of family and friends.
Born into a wealthy German family in Texas, he was familiar with the local high society from childhood and was fascinated by the jewelry of his mother and other women who visited their home. In 1920 he moved to New York, dropping out of his studies at the Austin University and losing the support of his family. Flato began working as an assistant at jeweler and watch dealer Edmund Frisch. After a while, he opens his own store on nearby 57th Street. In March 1941, he registered two trademarks, Paul Flato and Flato (with a claim to be used since October 1924) for silver, gold and platinum jewelry.
Read more »

Bunch of grapes brooch and earrings. Sterling silver. Brooch 4.6 cm. 1950s. John Lauritzen vintage costume jewelry

John Lauritzen vintage costume jewelry
Born 1900 in Schleswig, Danish silversmith John Lauritzen began creating jewelry in the 1940s. Aged fifty, he opened his own workshop in Copenhagen, where he most actively worked in 1950-70s. He retired in 1980s due to his health problems, and died 20 September 1984. Traditionally, the designer created jewelry in Art Nouveau, Modernist, or classic style using sterling silver. Many of his designs include subjects from nature, hand forged with exquisite craftsmanship and amazing realism. John stamped his decorations with oval shaped signature “Sterling John L. Denmark”.
High quality materials and workmanship make these rare vintage pieces collectible and sought after by lovers of vintage jewelry.
Read more »