Kaleidoscope effect

Angel with harp brooch. Gold tone metal, mother-of-pearl enamel. 1970s. Signed RR vintage costume jewelry

Signed RR vintage costume jewelry
The history of RR signed jewelry began in 1972 and ended in 1998. The owner of RR was Roman Inc., located in Bloomingdale, Illinois. In fact, Roman Inc. registered fifty trademarks on production of figurines, Christmas tree ornaments, porcelain plates, crosses, etc. Noteworthy, RR was the oldest among about ten jewelry trademarks owned by Roman Inc. In addition to RR, Roman Inc registered Itty Bitty Baby Shoes (1999-2007), Dimensions Of Christ (2007-2009), Positivity (posi+ivi+y, 2009-2020), Alexa’s Angels (2004-present), Many Heart One Family (2004-present), Elisabeth Lang (2014), to name the few.
Founded in 1963, family business of Ronald Jedlinski and his wife Diane, Roman Inc. started in Ron’s father’s store, and over the years has grown into a large corporation. An award-winning manufacturer of Christmas and religious goods, the company has worked with loyal customers, painters, sculptors and jewelers for decades. The company is still family owned and operated by Ron and Diane’s daughter Julie, and her husband, Dan Loughman.
Read more »

Bow brooch and clip on earrings of silver tone. 1950s. Signed SA Samsan vintage costume jewelry

SA Samsan vintage costume jewelry

The history of Samsan Manufacturing Co. began in the late 1930s in Providence, Rhode Island. The founder of the company located at 158 Pine Street, Providence, was Pasquale Sammartino (1895-1986). Born on March 21, 1895 in Agnone, Provincia di Isernia, Molise, Italy, young Pasco emigrated to the jewelry capital of the United States. Together with his brother, they founded Sammartino Bros. Jewelry Mfg. in 1922. The company closed in 1931, unable to cope with the economic situation, like many jewelry companies during the Great Depression.
Some years later, Pasco decided to open the new firm, which had become the family business of his wife Jennie (Giovanna), their three sons and a daughter.
In August 1941, 50 people worked in his firm, according to the US Senate document “To Authorize the Use for War Purposes of Silver Held Or Owned by the United States” (1942). Also, his company was a Member of the New England Manufacturing Jewelers ‘and Silversmiths’ Association.
Pasco’s eldest son, Louis (Luigi) Pasco Sammartino (1925-2019) joined the family business after graduating from Mt. Pleasant High School in Providence in 1943. He worked there for many years as a designer, production and marketing manger, making the company successful. His younger brother Alfred also worked for the family company, and died the same year as Louis. In the late 1980s they stopped making jewelry and sold the company.
Initially, the company produced silver items with gold filling, and the marking of such items included the word Samsan and the purity of the gold, for example 1/20 12K GF. When the copyright mark appeared in the mid-1950s, the company changed the mark to SA in a square and the copyright mark in a different square. Also, there’s “SA” mark along with the copyright sign on a rectangular base, which many attribute to Samsan Co. In general, this is quite possible, over a long history, change of owners and designers.
Read more »

Spider on flower brooch. 1980s. Pewter, faux pearls. Danny Pollak vintage costume jewelry

Danny Pollak vintage costume jewelry
Toronto, Ontario based jeweler artist, Daniel (Danny) Pollak has been designing and manufacturing high quality jewelry for nearly 40 years, since 1982. Noteworthy, the craftsman creates jewelry by hand, while giving a lifetime guarantee for it. Traditionally, he makes his pieces from brass, pewter, steel, then plates them with rhodium, 24-carat gold, sterling silver, or copper. Also, he uses multi-colored Swarovski crystals or rhinestones, which he manually inserts into every detail.
Pollak’s unbridled fantasy, love for nature and animals are manifested in his designs. Among his works you will find dazzling frogs in dresses, flying lizards, swans with sparkling plumage, a kaleidoscopic flock of shimmering butterflies, six-legged snakes, birds, bees, dragonflies, and many more.
Preferring to sell directly to his customers rather than through department stores, Pollak exhibits his work at trade shows where he can meet fans face to face. His booth is a permanent star attraction at two of Canada’s most prestigious artist exhibitions, before Christmas, as well as the Spring Show. Each hair clip, brooch, earring, bracelet, necklace, pendant and bejeweled tiara in the collection attracts trendy people of all ages crowding around his booth. Signed by D. Pollak, his jewelry is one of the affordable little luxuries of life.
Read more »

Exotic fish brooch. Pave amber and clear crystals, gold tone. 1980s. Signed KUO vintage costume jewelry

Signed KUO vintage costume jewelry
Born 1946 in Beijing, Robert Kuo grew up in a creative environment. His father was an art professor, enamelist and a watercolor painter. From the age of fifteen, he helped his father, learning the technique of cloisonne enamel. In 1973 he immigrated to the United States. His first trademark “KLOISON K” was active from 1976 to 1980s. At first, he produced handcrafted cloisonne household accessories, bowls, vases and jewelry items. Combining Chinese traditions and styles of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, Kuo created unique pieces of art. His earlier pieces – bracelets, medallions, necklaces and rings were marked with letter “K” inside circle.
Subsequently, he gained fame as a furniture and interior designer and this is what he continues to do, leaving jewelry production.
In fact, his company Robert Kuo, Ltd., Inc. founded in 1984, registered several brands for the production of lamps, decorative furniture, and jewelry. First used in 1987, “Kuo” trademark on production of jewelry, “including but not limited to cloisonne” was active until 2008.
Traditionally, his 1980s designs included nature inspired figural pins and brooches of gold tone with rhinestones. Also, hand painted cloisonne enamel bracelets, earrings and pins. The marking on the back of each item includes the word “KUO” in capital letters on an oval base.
Noteworthy, there are several jewelry brands with the Kuo name, which naturally causes a lot of confusion. In particular, David Kuo, Alice Kuo, Kathy Kuo, J.S. Kuo, Jan Kuo, Studio Kuo, Emm Kuo, and Kuo Designs. According to their marking style, design and material, they have nothing to do with costume jewelry hallmarked “KUO”.
Read more »

Cross dangling clip on earrings. 24 K gold plated, art glass. 8.7 cm, 1980s. David Hill vintage costume jewelry

David Hill vintage costume jewelry
Born in 1935, David N. Hill, graduate of the US Merchant Marine Academy, had to work as an engineer. However, his creative nature and passion for jewelry art and design made him choose another career. In 1973 he registered his own jewelry company, which in 1976 became the part of family business “Ciner Fashion Jewelry”.
Noteworthy, David married Pat Ciner, the granddaughter of Emanuel Ciner, president and owner of the famous jewelry company. David and Pat had two children Jean and Douglas, who later joined their family business. After the death of Emanuel Ciner in 1979, his granddaughter Pat Ciner Hill and David Hill headed the company. Pat and David successfully led the family business for several decades.
According to New York Times, 73-year-old David N. Hill died on May 4th, 2008. So, the company was run by his widow and their daughter Jean Hill, who became the fourth generation of Ciner family business.
Read more »

Red maple leaf brooch. Gold tone metal alloy, enamel. 1980s. David Dubin vintage costume jewelry

David Dubin vintage costume jewelry
New York based spouses David and Nancy Dubin opened their family business David Dubin Ltd. in 1980 and immediately became famous. The key to their success was their bright and extraordinary designs featured in expensive catalogs distributed in the United States and abroad. They sold their jewelry pieces in such stores as Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdales. The company, unfortunately, lasted for a decade, in the 1980s. Although David and Nancy continued to produce their jewelry for some time. They even decided to start the production of silver jewelry with inexpensive stones, but this turn did not prolong the life of the company. According to their interviews, their customer base was constantly shrinking. Besides, it was very difficult to be a small, creative company those days. In the early 1990s, the American market sharply changed its focus from costume jewelry to gold and platinum products. This prompted the owners to close the business.
After the closure of the company, Nancy Dubin became vice president of Victoria Design, Victoria + Co.’s jewelry division. Her husband David went into real estate.
Read more »

Emblem of the company, two doves pendant of gold tone. 1990s. Cecile Jeanne vintage costume jewelry

Cecile Jeanne vintage costume jewelry
The history of the French jewelry brand “Cecile & Jeanne” began in 1990 when brother and sister Elie and Jeanne set up their own family business. The name of the company is not accidental, Cecile is the name of Elie and Jeanne’s mother and Jeanne’s daughter. Located in the center of Paris, their studio creates jewelry by hand, in the best French tradition. A laconic and memorable flying dove, a symbol of hope for peace and future, has become the emblem of the company.
The first boutique of the company appeared in 1994 at 12 Francs Bourgeois street, in the center of Paris. Then, the company opened its boutiques not only in Paris, but also in Tel Aviv, Tokyo, San Francisco, and New York. A successful company in the production of stylish jewelry, bags and accessories, the trademark has become world famous. Jeanne’s unique jewelry was presented at the Museum of Art and Design in New York City in 2009.
Jeanna, the chief designer of the company, traditionally works with various materials: alloys, silver, natural stones, glass beads, as well as with pâte de verre glass paste. Her daughter Cécile has been involved in the world of fashion, beauty and jewelry since childhood. In 2019, after training as a lawyer, she joined the family business.
Noteworthy, the marking on the back of each etem includes “Cecile Jeanne” and the iconic diamante crystal next to the signature.
Read more »