Kaleidoscope effect

Green crystal floral design 14 K gold plated brooch. 1950s. Elizabeth Reimer vintage costume jewelry

Elizabeth Reimer vintage costume jewelry

The history of “Arcansas” jewelry brand began during WWII, when a Hungarian couple of Joseph and Elizabeth Reimer immigrated to Australia in 1939. Liz, who had learned goldsmith skills from her father, dreamed of her own jewelry business. First, she created costume jewelry in her dining room, and in the garden tent. However, in 1952 she founded her family business “Elizabeth Reimer Pty. Ltd”. Located at 391 George Street, Sydney, the company with nearly 30 employees, handcrafted exquisite costume jewelry. Traditionally, they used metal alloys of gold and silver tones, as well as 14 K gold plating, glitter enamel, mother-of-pearl, crystals and rhinestones. The marking included cleverly hidden logo, and “Arcansas”, or “Elizabeth Reimer” in written letters.
After Reimer retired in 1969, the company ceased to exist.
Delicately soldered by hand, the collections feature Art Nouveau style. Noteworthy, the full range consisted of 30 individual flower designs and over 70 local plants. Appreciated for intricate workmanship, handcrafted detailing and traditional techniques, Elizabeth Reimer’s jewelry pieces attract collectors around the world.
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Starburst brooch. Rhinestones, faux pearls. 1950s. Gus Sherman vintage costume jewelry

Sherman vintage costume jewelry
A descendant of jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, Gustave Sherman (born October 15, 1910) began his career as a jewelry salesman in his native Montreal. His interest in the jewelry business led him to open “G. Sherman & Company LTD” in 1947. Gus Sherman began working in partnership with Ukrainian-born jeweler Dmytro Kuritza. Noteworthy, a professional jeweler, Kuritza was Sherman’s only employee for several years. Gradually, the company expanded and hired other craftsmen.
Traditionally, jewelers used triple rhodium plating, innovative gold plating and Austrian crystals. Handcrafted from high quality materials, their jewelry was very expensive. From the very beginning of the company’s work, the price of jewelry reached $ 50, which is 10 times more expensive in the equivalent of today’s money. Already in the 1950s, sold in boutiques and the most expensive department stores in Canada, their jewelry gained fame in New York and Paris.
In the 1970s, glamorous crystal jewelry became less popular, and geometric shapes made from alloys of silver and gold tones were in vogue. However, Sherman never allowed himself to “cheapen” his jewelry at the expense of materials and workmanship.
70-year-old Gustave Sherman retired in 1980, and the company ceased to exist. Four years later, in 1984 he passed away.
Due to the high quality and small editions, Sherman jewelry pieces have a high collection value.
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Basket of flowers vintage brooch. Sterling silver, crystals, rhinestones. 6.5 cm. 1940s. Carl Art vintage costume jewelry

Carl Art vintage costume jewelry
Providence, Rhode Island based jewelry company Carl Art Inc. was founded by two partners – Carl Schraysshuen and Arthur Loercher. Founded in 1936, the company ceased to exist in 1976. A native of Germany, Carl was a hero of the First World War, and was seriously injured. He was a very honest, reliable and pedantic person. It was Carl who invented the very popular twist-o-flex technology for bracelets that is still used today. However, the patent for the invention belongs to Speidel company, where he worked after moving to the United States. Not receiving a penny for the invention, he and his American friend Arthur opened their own jewelry workshop, moreover, next to the Speidel building.
The German emigrant Carl was very tall and large, and the American businessman Arthur was short, but there was complete harmony and mutual understanding between them. Traditionally, they handcrafted floral design jewelry from gold, silver with gold plating, and also used semi-precious stones. Making jewelry under their own brand, they marked them with an arrow through CA, and 1/20 12K G.F., or sterling. Noteworthy, Carl Art Inc. created jewelry for other companies as well.
After Carl’s death in 1953, Arthur sold half of the company.
Characterized by integrity and purity of design, timeless and rare, Carl-Art jewelry is highly collectible.
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Pine Cone silver plated hat Pin. 6.5 cm. 1960s. Mr. John vintage costume jewelry

Mr. John vintage costume jewelry
The history of the company Mr. John Inc. began in New York in 1948 and ended exactly forty years later, in 1988. Born John Pico Harberger on March 14, 1902 in Munich, the son of a dressmaker, he received a versatile education, however, not related to jewelry or fashion design. As a teenager, he studied medicine at the University of Lucerne, Germany, and then studied art at the Sorbonne, France. At the age of 17, he immigrated to the United States with his mother. Madame Laurel taught her son a lot and actually introduced him to the world of fashion. The undoubted talent of an artist and designer, exquisite taste and craftsmanship allowed him to found his own company for the production of hats “Mr. John, Inc.”, New York, in 1948. Noteworthy, helping his mother, he made hats decorated with jewels long before the official registration of his own company.
Originally, brooches and pins with a shimmery brilliance were part of the hat design. Also, Mr. John made men’s cufflinks from metal alloy, silver and gold. Traditionally, the stylized markings “Mr. John” and “Sterling” were on the clasp of such cufflinks. Traditionally unmarked, his superbly crafted costume jewelry had original paper tags and was sold in boxes. Today, these jewelry pieces are extremely rare and have a high collection value.
The company ceased to exist in 1989, and John P. John died on 25 June 1993 in his apartment in Manhattan.
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Bear brooch. Gold plated textured metal, rhinestones. 4.5 cm. 1970s. L’Oreal Paris vintage costume jewelry

L’Oreal Paris vintage costume jewelry
Founded in 1909, a perfume and cosmetics company L’Oréal is a world leader in the beauty industry. L’Oreal bijouterie appeared in the 1970s, when the company was headed by the founder’s daughter, Liliane Bettencourt. Having taken over the company at the age of 35, thanks to her business intuition, she provided the company with the world leadership in the cosmetics market. One of the most influential women in the world, philanthropist and socialite, Liliane was a jewelry lover herself.
In fact, most big perfume and cosmetics companies created costume jewelry. The trend of cosmetic companies to create costume jewelry appeared in the middle of 20th century. Perhaps, thanks to the fashion icon Coco Chanel, who convinced the women that bijouterie was more important than expensive jewelry. Traditionally, advertising posters for branded cosmetics include jewelry with the brand’s logos. This idea became especially popular in the 1970s, when the brand’s decorations shone along with cosmetics sold in brand boutiques. Undoubtedly, regular customers were happy to receive a branded lapel pin or a badge as a bonus.
Many jewelry designers collaborated with L’Oreal, and one of them was Arthur Bertrand. Noteworthy, L’Oreal had its own jewelry companies, advertising the brand, among more than two thousand trademarks registered by L’Oreal. In particular, “Color of Hope” jewelry trademark (from 2005 to 2012), and “Azzaro” (from 2014).
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Matte gold tone gripoix glass dangle clip on earrings. 10 cm. 1980s. Signed Cereve vintage costume jewelry

Signed Cereve vintage costume jewelry
The 1980s were an exciting era and a boom in haute couture jewelry, reflecting the individual taste and style of its owner. Excessiveness was typical for clothes, hairstyles, and makeup of the 80s. It expressed itself in everything: bright cosmetics, voluminous hairstyles, and of course, jewelry. Women expressed images of wealth and success with haute couture statement gold tone jewelry. In addition, French jewelry was an indispensable part of the fashion shows of the most famous French designers, such as Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Yves Saint Laurent and others. Many jewelers of that time worked for fashion designers, creating jewelry under their name. However, there were also jewelers who labeled products under their own name or under the name of the boutique where they sold their works.
Parisian workshop Cereve created jewelry for no more than two decades, in the 1970s and 1980s. Sold on the original black velvet card “Cereve Bijoux France”, each piece had Cereve marking. The masters of this brand mainly made massive Etruscan-style earrings using Gripoix glass and “crumpled gold”. Handcrafted in limited editions, each piece is unique, and even the earrings in the same pair are slightly different.
By the way, Ce rêve means “that dream” in English.
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Bird of paradise vintage brooch. Gold tone metal alloy, pave rhinestones, multicolor enamel, art glass. 8 cm. 1980s. Signed Angel vintage costume jewelry

Signed Angel vintage costume jewelry
Registered in 1989, the American jewelry trademark “Angel Jewelry” existed until 1999. It was a family owned business by Martha M. Powers located at Woodtrail Drive, Columbia, South Carolina. Handcrafted with high craftsmanship and quality materials, the products of this company are very rare.
Traditionally, the designer used gold-tone metal alloy, gilding, multi-colored enamels, rhinestones and crystals. Made in a classic style, this brand’s costume jewelry includes a variety of figurative designs in the form of bows, flowers, berries, animals and plants. The markings on the back of each piece include the word Angel in stylized letters on a round cartouche.
Noteworthy, Martha M. Powers owned three jewelry trademarks. In particular, Guardian Angel (1985-1999), Angel (1991-1993), and Angel Jewelry (1989-1999).
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