Kaleidoscope effect

Mid-century abstract brooch. Amethyst, silver, pearl. Sohne vintage silver jewelry

Bartel Sohne vintage silver jewelry
The old Bavarian city of Augsburg has been known for its hereditary master jewelers since 1560. The Bartel dynasty of goldsmiths and founded by them Bartel & Söhne company have been known since at least 1884.
The workshop of Alfred Bartel was located in an old mansion of the 15th century in Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany.
Noteworthy, their modernist jewelry designs produced in the 1940s-1960s have become the most famous and collectible.
Creating jewelry by hand, the craftsmen used silver, gold, rhodium and natural stones – quartz, garnet, amethysts, baroque pearls and more. Jewelry design, along with modernist and abstract, so popular in the 1960s, included Victorian and classical. No less excellent were floral and plant motifs embodied in filigree brooches, rings, earrings and pendants. Also, they created a series of Zodiac Sign pendants and charms made from silver.
Traditionally, the markings on these pieces include the initials BS for Bartel & Söhne.
Today, based in Kaufbeuren, Germany “Alfred Bartel & Söhne GmbH & Co. KG” is still active, but it manufactures different products. In particular, portable power tools for jewelers and watchmakers, plastic industrial products, and a variety of household products.
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Flower brooch. 18 K gold, platinum, diamonds. Austrian jeweler Kurt Wayne 1909-1990

Austrian jeweler Kurt Wayne 1909-1990
The history of the Kurt Wayne jewelry brand began in 1945.
Born in 1909 in Vienna, Austria, Kurt was orphaned early. Having come under the care of a local jeweler, 10 year-old Kurt began to learn jewelry craftsmanship. After years of apprenticeship, Kurt became a professional silversmith, goldsmith, diamond cutter, watchmaker, and jewelry designer.
In 1939, Kurt and his wife emigrated to the United States to escape the Nazis. There he continued to work in jewelry workshops and sell jewelry. Finally, he founded the family business at the age of 36, opening an eponymous jewelry company in New York. Kurt created highly artistic jewelry, more like miniature sculptures. The greatest inspiration for the jeweler was nature itself, the love for which he embodied in his animalistic and floral designs.
Noteworthy, Wayne developed a good personal relationship with notable businessmen. In particular, the Zale family of Russian-Jewish jewelers and Stanley Marcus, president of luxury retailer Neiman Marcus in Dallas, Texas.
Traditionally, the jeweler used 18 K gold and precious stones – emeralds, diamonds, sapphires, rubies, etc. Item markings include “KW” or “Kurt Wayne” with the karat of gold or silver.
Kurt Wayne passed away in 1990.
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Camelot collection gold and diamond brooch. 1996. Barry Kieselstein-Cord vintage jewelry

Barry Kieselstein-Cord vintage jewelry
Born November 6, 1948 (other sources say November 6, 1943) in New York City, Barry Kieselstein-Cord is an internationally renowned jeweler and founder of the eponymous brand. Barry received a good education at the Parsons School of Design, New York University, and the American Craft Institute.
Noteworthy, before he founded the jewelry brand in 1972, he was a photographer, artist and designer. In addition to jewelry, the company produced belt buckles, bronze sculptures, home furnishings, bags, glasses, and other accessories.
Over the fifty years of the company’s existence, the winner of numerous awards, Barry has worked with many outstanding designers. Among them, in particular, Georg Jensen, Calvin Klein and Perry Ellis.
Many celebrities have been fans of his jewelry brand, including Eric Clapton, Sir Elton John, and Karl Lagerfeld. His work, classified as high jewelry art, is in the permanent collections of the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. The most important magazines and newspapers did not bypass Barry’s jewelry art, including People, Time, Elle, Forbes, Vogue and many others.
In addition, his jewelry has repeatedly appeared in films and TV shows – “Sex and the City” and “Law & Order”, “Hard Copy” and CNN.
Incorporated in 1983, Kieselstein-Cord Studios, Inc. ceased to exist in 2009. However, the renewed company Kieselstein-Cord Imperial LLC registered in 2007 is still active.
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Sewing machine brooch with charms. 1990s. Silver tone, rhinestones. Coldwater Creek vintage costume jewelry

Coldwater Creek vintage costume jewelry
The history of Coldwater Creek bijoux began in Sandpoint, Idaho in 1984. Coldwater Creek Inc., founded by Dennis and Ann Pence as a mail-order company, produced its first Northcountry catalog published in a local newspaper in 1985. It offered 18 items, including women’s clothing, shoes, home décor, accessories, and costume jewelry.
Originally a small private company which employed less than 10 people, in 5 years it became highly profitable multi-million dollar corporation. So, in the 1990s, the company entered the list of the fastest growing private enterprises in the United States.
In 1993 the company released two more catalogs, Spirit of the West and Ecosong published in millions of copies. Today, the company owns hundreds of several retail stores and online sales.
Notably, the current trademark owner (since 2002) is CW Brands LLC headquartered in Miami, Florida.
One of the notable costume jewelry lines was the Christmas motif brooches, pins and pendants made in the 1980s and 90s. The company’s craftsmen created fabulous snowmen, Christmas trees, sledges, Santa Clauses, deer, etc. by hand. Traditionally, they used various materials, from metal alloys of gold and silver tone to bronze, gold and silver. Also, enamel, lucite, plastic, rhinestones and art glass imitating natural stones. Some ornaments are made of silver, gold, and natural stones – jade, amethyst, cat’s eye, quartz, and others.

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Rose yellow gold plated ring. 1940s. Barbara Reed vintage costume jewelry

Barbara Reed vintage costume jewelry
The history of Barbara Reed jewelry brand began in Detroit, Michigan, founded in 1946 as a family business. Barbara Reed Creations (alternative name Barbara Reed Originals), owned by Frank D. Reed, Jr., was in operation for more than ten years. The company known for its innovative concept in the manufacture of jewelry, ceased to exist in 1960.
Patented between 1947 and 1956, the company’s best-known jewelry lines included interchangeable gemstone sets, advertized as “magne-gems”.
Ring, pendant, or pin sets usually included 5, 9, or 12 interchangeable tops. The tops varied from multi-coloured lucite, pearls, art glass imitating natural stones, or volumetric flower designs in 18 K gold. Sold in branded velvet boxes, the brand name and carat of the gold were printed on a satin lining inside the box. Undoubtedly, these sets made a great gift for any woman. Instead of buying a lot of jewelry, she could change the color of the inserts to match her outfit.
The high quality of Barbara Reed products, created 70 years ago, has stood the test of time. Handcrafted from 18 K gold, rhinestones, imitation pearls and lucite, BR pieces are rare and collectible.
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18 K gold sterling silver dot stud earrings. Canadian jewelry designer John Hardy

The history of John Hardy jewelry spans three decades, from 1975 to 2007.
Born November 28, 1949 in Canada, John Hardy studied jewelry at the Ontario College of Art and Design. After graduating, he traveled the world and finally settled in Indonesia. Inspired by the local craftsmen jewelry art, he launched the eponymous jewelry brand in 1975. Originally a small business, it has grown into an international company.
Meanwhile, at the beginning of his career, he met a like-minded person and future wife, Cynthia. She, like John, moved to Bali after graduating from college, setting up her own company. After marrying John, Cynthia Hardy joined his company. Noteworthy, having an aesthetic and artistic taste, Cynthia made jewelry even as a teenager. The work of local jewelers, their traditions and technologies inspired John and Cynthia to create their own unique pieces.
Traditionally, the JH design includes dot texture in gold and silver, natural stones and minerals, symbols of infinity and Celtic motifs.
In 2007, after thirty years in jewelry business, John and Cynthia sold their company. According to John and Cynthia, they dedicated their time to advocating and building a more sustainable world through education and design. So, the first step in building a new world was the Green School they created in Bali, Indonesia.
John Hardy jewelry company continues to operate under new owners headquartered in Hong Kong with an additional office in New York.
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Pink flower brooch. Cultured pearl, diamond, silver, enamel. Italian jewelry brand Sabbadini

Italian jewelry brand Sabbadini
The history of Sabbadini jewelry began in the 1940s, when diamond dealer Alberto Esquenazi in partnership with his son-in-law Bruno Sabbadini, founded their family business on Via Agnello in Milan.
In 1967, Bruno handed over the management of the company to his son Alberto Sabbadini, who already ran the business with him. Alberto focused on designing and creating jewelry using precious stones and relied on his wife Stefania’s unique sense of style.
In 1983 they opened a showroom in New York.
Noteworthy, since the 1990s, Pierandrea, the eldest son of Alberto and Stefania, joined the company. A gem expert, Pierandrea studied gemmology at the GIA in New York. Also, he worked at Sotheby’s in the jewelry department before joining the family business.
Later, the second child of Alberto and Stefania, their daughter Micol, began to collaborate with the company. Her research in the visual arts, as well as her work in the fashion world, allowed Micol to serve as a brand ambassador for Sabbadini.
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