Kaleidoscope effect

Button design silver tone clip on earrings. Linda Levinson vintage costume jewelry

Linda Levinson vintage costume jewelry (1986-2015)
The history of Linda Levinson Designs began over 40 years ago in Chicago, Illinois. Notably, the brand’s founder is a third-generation jeweler whose father, Don Levinson, owned Trabert and Hoeffer Jewels, and her grandfather, Harry Levinson, owned Levinson’s Jewels. They instilled in Linda a love of jewelry. Initially, she created hair and home accessories including frames, garbage cans and assorted trays. Although Linda began designing jewelry in 1980, she founded her own jewelry company, Linda Levinson Designs Inc. after graduating from Tulane University in 1986. Her company’s address was 111 E Oak St 3, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Inspired by ancient Greek, Roman and Victorian motifs, her designs included gold and silver tone alloys, faux pearls, rhinestones and glass imitating natural stones. The marking on the rectangular cartouche includes the designer’s name in capital letters. Linda Levinson jewelry was sold in boutiques and stores in the US and Europe. Her stylish design attracts a wide variety of clients, from celebrities to students.
Noteworthy, Levinson sketched in her studio in Chicago and then sent her drawings to modelers in Rhode Island. There they hand carved the model in wax or metal, hand-cast, electroplated and shipped back to the Chicago studio. The designer then manually finished the ornaments.
Linda Levinson Designs ceased to exist in 2015 and Linda Friend launched another business – “big.fat.cookie”, following her lifelong passion for baking.
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Hunting theme tie clips – Riffle, hare, flying duck and dog. Gold tone metal alloys. 1930-1950s. Stratton Costume Jewelry for Men

Stratton Costume Jewelry for Men (1912-1964)
The history of the British costume jewelry brand Stratton began 160 years ago as Stratnoid company for the production of knitting needles. In 1919, the company merged with Jarrett and Rainsford and became JRL (Jarrett, Rainsford and Laughton) with the trademark Stratton.
Headed by George Abe Laughton (1883-1964), the company had several factories in Birmingham and offices in London and Birmingham. Notably, in 1960, the company published several Stratton advertising posters for its centenary. According to the advertisements, and the brand logo, the company produced costume jewelry for gentlemen – cufflinks and tie clips. High quality workmanship, artisan design and a variety of themes – sports, hunting, fishing, cars, etc. brought the brand fame and recognition. In addition to costume jewelry, Stratton produced powder boxes, lipstick holders, and cosmetic containers.
Over a very long period of existence, the Stratton jewelry brand went through several reorganizations, mergers, change of ownership and ceased to exist in the mid-1960s.
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Wreath brooch. 18 K gold, amethyst. H Stern vintage fashion jewelry

H Stern vintage fashion jewelry
The history of the H.Stern jewelry brand began in 1945 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Initially, it was a small trading office for the sale of precious stones, founded by 23-year-old German-born Hans Stern (1922-2007). The company soon expanded into jewelry making and gem cutting. The company’s craftsmen created jewelry by hand using gold, platinum, diamonds and the finest precious stones. Noteworthy, the beautiful marking and logo include the Gothic letters H. STERN.
In December 1963 Hans established his family business in the USA. H. Stern Jewelers, Inc., located at 420 Lexington Avenue, New York, headquartered on Fifth Avenue, New York, USA. The business was a great success. The very next year, Time magazine named Hans Stern “the king of colored stones.”
In 1964, Stern organized a jewelry fashion show in Brazil that eventually led him to the Victoria and Albert Museum Jewelry Exhibition in London and worldwide recognition. Also, his jewelry has graced the pages of prestigious fashion magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire and many others. Among his fans were famous musicians, artists, models, Hollywood and European stars. One of them, in particular, was the French actress Catherine Deneuve, who inspired the designer to create a jewelry collection in the 1980s, named after her.
Today, Hans Stern’s sons, Roberto and Ronaldo Stern, continue the family business. The company owns hundreds of boutiques and subsidiaries headquartered in major cities around the world.
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1980s rings and pendant. British jewelry designer Elizabeth Gage

British jewelry designer Elizabeth Gage

Generally speaking, British jewelry in the 1970s and 80s followed conservative, traditional trends. Much of the jewelry trade in England was centered on antique and vintage jewelry from the early 20th century. However, London-based designer and virtuoso jeweler Elizabeth Gage achieved worldwide recognition during these decades, and for good reason.
She attracted attention with the creation of very unusual jewelry, which creatively combined the styles of Ancient Rome and the Renaissance. Her unique jewels often combine antique coins, carved gemstones or 18th century glass, intaglios with baroque pearls, diamonds and colored stones. Some of her creations are additionally embellished with translucent enamels on the metal surface. Most of Gage’s ornaments are large and dramatic. Rings are often high domed, set with cabochon-cut stones or sculpted gold, and can be up to an inch wide. Gage epitomizes the trend of “interpretive” jewelry that became popular again in the 1980s. Undoubtedly, Elizabeth Gage inspired and influenced jewelers by giving elements of the past a modern form.
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Pansy brooch. 18 K gold, diamonds, sapphire. Jean Vitau fine jewelry

Jean Vitau fine jewelry
The talented French jeweler Jean Vitau (1928-2011) became famous for his invention of the Gem lok, a reliable way to set diamonds and gemstones. An innovative designer, he was one of the first to start branding jewelry.
The young designer gained good experience working in his uncle’s jewellery shop in Paris. In the mid-1960s, he, along with his wife Irene and their three children Pascal, Philipp and Mimi, moved from Paris to New York. Already in 1967, he founded the family business Gemveto Jewelry Company, Inc. on 485 Madison Avenue in New York.
Initially, the designer specialized in diamond engagement rings. However, he soon created a line of author’s fashion jewelry “Jean Vitau Collection”, which brought him fame and led to the expansion of the business Undoubtedly, the artist drew inspiration from the beauty of nature, embodying it in his exquisite jewelry. His radiant precious necklaces, brooches and earrings in the form of animals, fish, birds and flowers seduced buyers in the most prestigious boutiques and at auctions.
The designer handcrafted high-quality jewelry from precious metals and stones and marked them with “Jean Vitau” in a stylized font, TM, 18 KP, and the year of manufacture hallmarks.
While battling cancer, Jean Vitau died in New York on February 12, 2011 at the age of 83. Accordingly, his daughter Myriam Galli, vice president of Gemveto, continued the family business.
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Exquisite design Maltese cross brooch. Copper, gold tone alloy, enamel, mother-of-pearl, glass cabochons. 9 cm. 1990s. Inga Engele vintage costume jewelry

Inga Engele vintage costume jewelry
The history of the jewelry brand Inga Engele began in 1997 as a family business of Inguna Engele as President and Ronald A. Engele as Vice President. Inga Engele, Inc., based in Oak Hill, Florida, has changed its name to Ron & Inga, Inc. in 2003 and Ronald Andrew Engele became owner and president. In 2019, the company, led by Inguna Engele, returned to its original name Inga Engele, Inc, with Ronald as Vice President and Inga L.T. Engele – Treasurer.
The founder of the family business, talented jeweler Inguna Engele (born 1963) is also a costume jewelry collector. She makes filigree Maltese crosses, brooches, earrings, bracelets, vintage-style necklaces and pendants using a variety of materials. In particular, carved Peking glass, 22 carat gold, multi-colored enamel, pearls, beads, Swarovski elements, mother-of-pearl, rhinestones and art glass imitating natural stones. Noteworthy, on her earlier pieces, the “Inga Engele” marking appeared in two lines on an oval cartouche, and on later pieces, the Inga Engele marking was in block letters, without a cartouche and in one line. So far, she has reportedly sold her handicrafts on her website, Ebay and Amazon.
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Gold filled flower brooch. 1940s. Signed A & Z vintage costume jewelry

Signed A & Z vintage costume jewelry (1905-1964)
The history of A & Z Chain Company began in 1905 in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded by Charles Anschen and Benjamin Zetlin, the company’s address wast 9 Calender Street Providence. The business moved to 116 Chestnut Street in 1909. Incorporated in 1918, the company manufactured fine gold-filled jewelry, bought and sold jewelry. According to “Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes” (1989), Charles Anschen invented and perfected the expansion watch bracelet.
In the early 1940s the new owner of the company became Benjamin H. Rossman (1892-1964).
Born in Russia, he came to the United States by himself at the age of 13 hoping to become a doctor. Instead, his first job was washing dishes in a barroom in Boston. He changed several jobs to bring his whole family to live in Roxbury Massachusetts. Rossman began working for the Hanover Jewelry Company in Boston. Eventually, he became a partner in the business with his cousin. The cousin ran the inside operations of the company, while Rossman was the salesman.
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