Kaleidoscope effect

Basket on flowers gold tone brooch, multicolor crystal, glass cabochons. Signed Dodds 11 W 30 CT Inc. Dodds vintage costume jewelry

Dodds vintage costume jewelry
The history of the American company Dodds began in 1952. William Dodds was the successful owner of a plastic factory in Newark, New Jersey. Inspired by the jewelry boom in the United States, he, together with his partner, decided to open a subsidiary. They called it “Jewel Creations”. Noteworthy, in the mid-60s, William Dodds became the sole owner of the company and since then only Dodds mark has been used in his jewelery.
Located in close proximity to West 31 Street, Dodds’ production was on 11 W 30 Street. This explains their markings – WEST 31 STREET, 11 W 30 ST INC, 30 W ST INC, and W 30 ST INC.
Creating their jewelry pieces, Dodds masters used colored rhinestones, multi-colored stones and lucite. Traditionally of high quality, some Dodds jewelry has a voluminous design. Appreciated by collectors, Dodds vintage costume jewelry is quite rare.

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Gorgeous sunflower brooch of gold tone textured metal with large pearl insert in the middle. Carol Dauplaise vintage costume jewelry

Carol Dauplaise vintage costume jewelry
The history of Dauplaise high-quality jewelry and original design began in 1978. Produced in small collections, these decorations are rare and popular among collectors and lovers of vintage costume jewelry. The company founded by Carol Dauplaise in 1978, exists and and continues to produce jewelry to this day. Noteworthy, Carol Dauplaise worked with Mariam Haskell for a long time, from 1959 to 1978.
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Floral design vintage sterling silver brooch signed Symmetalic. 1940s. 14 K gold plated, crystals, faux pearls. 5.5 cm. WE Richards vintage costume jewelry

WRE WE Richards vintage costume jewelry

Founded in 1902, W.E. Richards Company produced a wide range of high quality products in the Victorian, Art Deco and Modernist styles. In particular, elegant brooches, chains, bracelets, pendants, rings and expensive charms. The company used noble 925 sterling silver, gilding with 10-14-carat gold as materials. Also, cultured pearls, crystals, and semiprecious stones – agate, cat’s eye, jasper, onyx, carnelian and others. All products – labeled “Sterling”, “W.E. Richards”, “WRE” (since 1944), or “Symmetalic”, which also belongs to this company.
Noteworthy, the company that has existed since 1902 is still active, but already as part of a whole conglomerate. In 1907, Richards sold his share to Raymond Horton and C.A. Howard. According to sources, in May 2003, AB group announced the purchase of W.E. Richards Company. Renaming it to W.E. Richards Company AB group, its address has changed to 40 John Williams St. Attleboro, Massachusetts.
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Monet vintage butterfly brooch. 6.5 cm. Butterfly jewelry symbolism and meaning

Butterfly jewelry symbolism and meaning
Undoubtedly, the most popular jewelry design so loved by women is the butterfly along with flowers. Noteworthy, this choice is subconscious, and women intuitively choose the butterfly design. A symbol of the soul, immortality, rebirth and resurrection, the ability to transform, a butterfly is born, transforming from an ordinary caterpillar.
Also, butterfly is a symbol of the Great Goddess (Great Mother, Magna Mater). The image of the Great Goddess dates back to the most ancient times of human history, to the Paleolithic. This supreme deity personified heaven and earth at the same time, life and death. Hence the belief that witches can turn into butterflies. Butterflies also promote conception and portend war, and butterflies are the souls of the dead.
In China, this winged creature denotes immortality, leisure in abundance, joy and summer. The butterfly depicted with plum symbolizes longevity and beauty, with chrysanthemum – beauty in old age, with a feather – longevity.
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Butterfly vintage brooch. Copper alloy, silver plated, rhinestones, blue enamel. 10.5 cm. Pierre Bex vintage costume jewelry

Pierre Bex vintage costume jewelry
French brand Pierre Bex began producing jewelry in 1969, but closed production in late 1980s. The company jewelers masterly reproduced vintage jewelry using antique clichés. Also, the company manually produced unique ornaments and miniature interior design items. In particular, photo frames, business card trays, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Baroque perfume bottles.
Traditionally, PB craftsmen used copper, covered with silver, decorated with crystals and then enameled. Produced in limited editions, the the highest quality PB jewelry pieces are very popular among collectors around the world.
Noteworthy, it is often difficult even for collectors to distinguish Pierre Bex items from antique ones. Rarely marked, most jewelry pieces were sold on branded paper cards. Always recognizable by geometric patterns, PB ornaments became the inspiration for other jewelry firms or craftsmen.
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Red Cardinal bird on a pine branch vintage brooch, created according to the works of art from the museum collections. Gold tone, gilding, enamel, rhinestones. 6 cm. Smithsonian Institution vintage costume jewelry

Smithsonian Institution vintage costume jewelry
The history of Smithsonian jewelry, inspired by museum collection pieces began in the late 1960s. The costume jewelry marked SI, which appeared before the 1970s, boasts a wide variety of stylistic solutions inspired by priceless exhibits. Noteworthy, each piece is made by hand by skillful craftsmen with the use of gold and silver tone alloys, rhinestones and art glass imitating natural stones. Also, the makers provided a short story or information about the original item which served served as the prototype.
SI marked handcrafted decorations are highly collectible.
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Swallow vintage brooch. Gold tone metal, enamel, faux pearls. Carven vintage costume jewelry

Carven vintage costume jewelry
The brand name Carven comes from the first three letters of its founder – Carmen de Tommaso and the last three letters of her aunt, Beyriven. Called by the locals Madame Carven, she was the wife of a wealthy industrialist Rene Grog.
Born August 31, 1909 in an ancient French city of Chatellerault, Carmen studied architecture and interior design in the art school. However, at first she was not going to become a fashion designer.
Madame Carven was of short stature, about one and a half meter. Accordingly, she always faced a problem of lack of clothes of the necessary size. One day she wondered if she could open her own atelier where she could help all the non-standard women of France. So, Madam Carven started her own business in 1945.
In the 1950s, the number of clients increased so much that she had to expand the studio to the entire first floor of the building, and hired assistants. Noteworthy, in addition to clothes, Carven house began producing costume jewelry.
The glory of the atelier spread far beyond Paris. The princess herself from Egypt was a customer of Carven. Also, Michelle Morgan, Leslie Caron and Edith Piaf, who bought both clothes and jewelry.
Traditionally hand-made with the use of gilding and imitation of precious stones, the pieces had marking Carven. Carven jewelry of abstract, animal and floral designs are highly collectible.
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