Kaleidoscope effect

Gingerbread man gold tone brooch. 5.5 cm. 1990s. Signed Kookai vintage costume jewelry

Signed Kookai vintage costume jewelry
The history of French jewelry brand Kookaï began in 1993, although the company began its activity in 1983. Founded by three friends – Jean-Lou Tepper, Jacques Nataf and Philippe de Hesdin, the company sold fashion clothes and accessories at accessible prices. Headquartered in Epinay-sur-Seine, France, the company opened four stores in Paris. The same year, the company became a subsidiary of Vivarte company (1996). Finally, Vivarte sold Kookai to Magi in 2016.
Noteworthy, Kokai jewelry trademark ceased to exist in 2004.
Handcrafted by French artisans, Kookaï pieces are easily recognizable. Very often, the designs include hippie motifs, minimalist and couture style.
Traditionally, the company’s craftsmen used metal alloys of gold or silver tone, as well as enamel and rhinestones. Also, many decorations include the company logo as well as the Kokai marking.
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Lavender color flower brooch with green leaves. 4.5 cm. 1960s. Dorothy Ann vintage porcelain jewelry

Dorothy Ann vintage porcelain jewelry

The history of English porcelain jewelry manufacture began in the middle of the last century. Based in Stoke-on-Trent, Dorothy Ann China Co was one of dozens of companies that made bone china brooches and clips in the 1950s and 60s. Among them – Cara China, Aynsley Fine Bone, Coalport China Co, Crown Staffordshire China Co, Denton China Co, Bone China Crafts Co, etc. Before that, many English porcelain manufacturers had already had rich experience in making porcelain tableware.
They rightly decided that the post-war English market needed something new, in accordance with the tastes of English ladies. Noteworthy, they approached the production of jewelry as seriously as the production of tableware.
The main material for the production of jewelry was the world-famous snow-white porcelain, called “bone china”.
Thanks to fine and accurate work and high-temperature firing, porcelain jewelry ornaments are guaranteed a long life. Sculpted and painted by hand, with meticulous attention to detail, each brooch or clip is unique wearable art. Today, these flower design ornaments painted in soft pastel colors are highly collectible.
Traditionally, the marking includes “Dorothy Ann China” and “Made In England”.

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Artisan Egyptian motif bronze brooch. 1970s. Marcel Buffet vintage costume jewelry (1955-1992)

Marcel Buffet vintage costume jewelry
The history of French costume jewelry trademark “M.Buffet” began sixty-six years ago in Lyon. Incorporated on 25 December 1955, “Monsieur Marcel Buffet” company was owned by a talented sculptor and jewelry designer Marcel Buffet. From the very first days his company became known for unique artisan designs.
Handcrafting bracelets, massive pendants and necklaces in abstract, geometric and brutalist designs, Buffet primarily worked with bronze. He created museum worth wearable art inspired by ancient civilizations of Aztec, Maya, Egyptian and indigenous peoples of South America and Australia.
Noteworthy, the author’s hallmark became spiral dangle charms attached to bracelets and necklaces. His high-end cast bronze pieces with antique finish are very collectible.
The marking includes “M. Buffet” in fancy script. The company ceased to exist on 22 April 1992.
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Square shaped scarf clip and clip earrings. Cloisonne enamel, gold. 1980s. Samuel Huang vintage costume jewelry

Samuel Huang vintage costume jewelry
A Taiwan-based costume jewelry company Samuel Huang operated for two decades from the 1970s to 1990s. According to scarce sources, the company also produced clothing and accessories. Traditionally, the company’s craftsmen made abstract design earrings in a minimalist style with the use of gold and enamel. The markings on the pieces included Samuel Huang in a stylized written script. In addition, the attached branded cards included information on purity of gold, the name of the trademark and the copyright sign.
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Bow filigree 12 K gold brooch. 1960s. Dixelle vintage costume jewelry (1962-2016)

Dixelle vintage costume jewelry
The history of Dixelle costume jewelry brand began 60 years ago in Pawtucket Providence County, Rhode Island. Incorporated on 7 June 1962 The Dixelle Company was a family business owned by Robert Stearns. Distributor, seller and manufacturer of jewelry and related products, The Dixelle Company ceased to exist in 2016. Noteworthy, in the 1970s the company’s alternative trading names included Robo, Inc. (1976), Sarmeste, Inc. (1976), and Sammartino Bros. (1972).
Te company’s jewelers handcrafted classic filigree design pins, brooches and earrings, Traditionally, they used 925 sterling silver, 12 K gold and semi-precious stones, such as jade, onyx, tiger’s eye and moonstone. Also, cultured pearl, crystals and art glass. Very often, jewelry was sold in beautiful branded boxes, lined with silk and covered with a tapestry with an exquisite pattern. The marking includes ‘Dixelle”, 12 KGF or sterling.
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Bow gold tone haute couture brooch. 6.5 cm. 1970s. Elizabeth Arden vintage costume jewelry

Elizabeth Arden vintage costume jewelry
The history of Elizabeth Arden costume jewelry brand began in the 1970s, after the death of its founder. Like most cosmetics companies, costume jewelry was part of the brand’s advertising. Traditionally, the design of brooches and charms included lipsticks, perfume bottles, logo, and other company symbols. Arden jewelry design also included a door, symbolizing the famous Red Door of her first salon in New York.
Noteworthy, some well-known jewelry companies collaborated with Arden to create jewelry for her. In particular, the Schreiner company, which created several designs for Arden in the early 1970s. The marking on Arden jewelry traditionally includes initials EA, or Arden.
Born in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada, Florence Nightingale Graham (December 31, 1881 – October 18, 1966) became known as American businesswoman Elizabeth Arden.
She opened her first “Red Door” salon in New York in 1910. The golden “Elizabeth Arden” sign and the red door at the entrance became a kind of symbol of splendor and luxury. Elizabeth invested a lot of money in advertising, constantly publishing promotional notes in Vogue.
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Clown brooch. Gold tone, enamel, rhinestones. 1980s. Signed W vintage costume jewelry

Signed W vintage costume jewelry
Incorporated on 30 September 1959, Weingeroff Enterprises, Inc. was a family owned business registered in Cranston, Rhode Island. The company traded in jewelry, accessories, and gifts. In the 1970s Frederick Weingeroff joined his father’s business and made it very successful. In the 1980s the company actively collaborated with such jewelry companies as Stacy, Inc., Gem-Case Inc, Lynne Suzanne, Imperial Jewelry and Jay Strongwater. Besides, Frederick Weingeroff launched several trademarks on production of costume jewelry.
In 1996, his son Gregg C. Weingeroff (born 1955, Providence) became president of the company, and continued to expand the business. Unfortunately, on March 26, 2005 he, his wife Dawn and their son died in a plane crash in Pennsylvania.
Next, the company was headed by Gregg’s sister Lisa Weingeroff, daughter Jolie and stepmother Lynn Suzanne. Weingeroff Enterprises, Inc went through ups and downs, changes of owners, trading names, and ceased to exist in 2012.
The company manufactured costume jewelry of classic designs – figural animal and flower brooches, pins, earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Traditionally, the craftsmen used metal alloy, gold and silver plating, lucite, glitter enamel, rhinestones, and art glass imitating precious stones. The marking included capital letter W with a copyright sign.
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