Kaleidoscope effect

Three brooches made of gold with enamel and gems. 1950’s. Work by Italian jeweler Enrico Serafini (1913-1968)

Italian jeweler Enrico Serafini (1913–1968)
Born in 1913, Enrico Serafini opened his jewelry workshop in Florence, at 4 Piazza Santa Felicita, on 15 September 1947. The history of the brand spans only two decades, from 1947 to 1968.
Florence based jeweler drew inspiration in Italian nature with its beautiful flowers, seashells, fish, and more. Creating his masterpieces, which were wearable art implemented in brooches, bracelets and earrings, Enrico worked as a sculptor. Traditionally, the jeweler used precious stones – diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires. Also, gold, platinum and silver. Talent of designer, high quality materials and careful processing of details gave results. Thus, he received the Diamond International Award in 1957. Noteworthy, he became the first Italian to get such a prestigious prize.
Unfortunately, his company ceased to exist in 1968, as its founder Enrico Serafini passed away at the age of 55.

Read more »

Tree of life rhodium plated sterling brooch. Rhinestone pave trunk, branch and flowers. 5cm. 1940s. Pennino vintage costume jewellery

Pennino vintage costume jewellery (1926-1966)

The creators of Pennino were three brothers, the sons of Italian jeweler Pasquale Pennino. Nicknamed “Neapolitan princes” in their homeland, they had special taste, aristocratic manners and a fraction of the royal blood that flowed in their veins. The head of the family – Pasquale Pennino had his oldest son Oreste Pennino (born in Naples, 1888) in his first marriage. Having married for the second time to Giuseppina Vergati, Pasquale had four more children: Maria, Anselmo (called Frank), Gennaro (or Jack), and Carmela.
And while his children were growing up, Pasquale made his dream come true – he brought his sixteen year old son Oreste to America (1904). Following family traditions, Pasquale Pennino taught his son jewelry art, knowledge and skills which he once got from his own father, a goldsmith.
Having settled in Brooklyn, already in 1908 they sold their first Pennino jewelry decorations. The same year, his wife Giuseppina, their two younger sons and daughters have arrived.
Unfortunately, on 17th May 1908, a few weeks after the arrival of the family, Pasquale died, having had no time to catch the fame and success of the case, which his children continued.
The twenty year-old Oreste had to take care of his younger brothers and sisters.
Read more »

Masterpiece of 19th century jewellery art – gold brooch with micromosaic. Castellani antique style jewellery

Castellani antique style jewellery
Fortunato Pio Castellani (1794-1865) became known as the pioneer of the revival of Greek and Etruscan styles. He produced his masterpieces in antique style in cooperation with his sons: Alessandro (1823-1883) and Augusto (1829-1914). By the end of the 1850s, Castellani’s workshop in Rome became a pilgrimage site for the British, who sought to obtain delightful gold ornaments with decorative motifs from the arsenal of classicism: shells, rosettes, urns, amphorae, rams, etc.
Noteworthy, Castellani reinterpreted the Greek and Etruscan styles in a new way. And before him the jewelers believed that nothing new could be learned from this period. Castellani also turned to the recent past, studied the methods of gold processing, but then set himself a difficult task: to discover the secret of Etruscan granulation. He managed to achieve impressive results and create a method, similar o that used by the Etruscans.
Read more »

A gold enameled necklace with moonstone. Work by Fred Partridge. 1900. British vintage jewelry Liberty and Co

British vintage jewelry Liberty and Co
English merchant Sir Arthur Lasenby Liberty (13 August 1843 – 11 May 1917) opened his first shop in London in 1875. Since 1894 he began to collaborate with famous jewelers, such as Archibald Knox, the leading designer of the movement “Arts and Crafts” and Jesse Marion King (1875-1949).
Liberty jewelry is often made of hand forged silver, decorated with blue and green enamel and semiprecious stones. A great interest for collectors – his Art Nouveau necklaces with floral motifs. Traditionally, the design show the influence of Celtic motifs.
The company became famous for making author’s jewelry available to the general public. Its design skilfully combined the principles of the “Arts and Crafts” movement with quality mass production. Besides, the products of this company were simultaneously fashionable, beautiful and affordable.
Read more »

Lucite heart flower brooch. 1960s. Judy Lee vintage costume jewellery

Judy Lee vintage costume jewellery
The history of Judy Lee brand began in 1949 in Chicago, founded by Blanche Viano, a fashionista and a beauty who opened a small company for the sale of jewelry. According to Blanche, the company was only a means of additional income for a young family. Soon her husband Aldo Viano became an assistant and general manager of the company.
Originally, the company was not a jewelry manufacturer. Instead, they found best designers and manufacturers and sold products at parties or wholesale in the country’s largest stores.
JL jewelry had excellent designs, reasonable price for the average buyers. According to Aldo Viano, the rapid success and prosperity of the company was due to the “fair play”, i.e. high quality products and customer service. With special gratitude he remembered a lot of talented designers with whom he was lucky to work, but in order not to miss someone, he deliberately did not mention the names.
The company worked until 1968. All of the company’s magnificent jewelry is now highly valued by collectors of the vintage jewelry.
Read more »

Exquisite Christmas Brooch, transparent and emerald rock crystal, cabochons of ruby glass. The 1990s. length 11 cm £ 95-100 CRIS. Cristobal London vintage costume jewellery

Cristobal London vintage costume jewellery
The history of Cristobal costume jewelry began in the late 1980s in the center of London, at 32 Queen Anne Street. However, the official registration of the brand took place later. Incorporated in May 2000, private company Cristobal Limited owned by John Steven Miners and Luciene James, ceased to exist in 2010.
Despite the short history, Cristobal jewelry pieces are highly collectible and even entered Judith Miller’s reference book on vintage costume jewelry published in 2004.
According to Miller, Cristobal London was an international brand for the sale and manufacture of costume jewelry. The designers created four notable collections of costume jewelry. In particular, The Butterfly, The Secret Garden, The London (earrings and necklaces) and The Christmas Collection (with several Christmas brooches).
Traditionally, the designers used Austrian crystals of 1940-1950s, and manually inserted them into magnificent color compositions. Also, they used gold plating, frosted plastic, art glass imitating natural stones, multicolor rhinestones and Swarovski crystals.
The marking includes “Cristobal London” in stylized script, on oval cartouche.
Read more »

Scary face bracelet. Golden copper. Herve Van der Straeten jewellery

Herve Van der Straeten jewellery

Known for its interior design, the Herve Van der Straighten company, based in Paris, began to manufacture costume jewelry in limited quantities in the 1990s. Rare and very popular among collectors, most works are made from 24-karat gold-plated brass and gilded copper. Also, the craftsmen used pearls and semiprecious stones of manual processing. The firing and polishing are characteristic for Herve work on metal.
Traditionally, each Hervé design includes geometric statement pieces.
Former engineer, Hervé Van Der Straeten (b. 1963) skillfully used analytical precise geometry to create highly unique statement jewellery – drop earrings and cuffs, bangles and necklaces. And what is even more important, his jewelry is easily recognizable and does not look like anyone else’s.
Noteworthy Herve jewelry entered reference book by Judith Miller published in 2004.
Read more »