Kaleidoscope effect

Sterling silver brooch in the shape of folded napkin with pierced holes. 8.8 cm. 1970s. Georges Rech vintage costume jewelry

Georges Rech vintage costume jewelry
The history of the French fashion brand Georges Rech began in Paris in 1960. Its founder, innovative fashion designer and stylist Georges Rech (born 29 October, 1929) wanted to find a compromise between “high fashion” and “ready-to-wear”, creating a style of so-called “luxury ready-to-wear”. Like other fashion designers, along with the clothing, accessories and perfumery, he began creating costume jewelry that complemented the look.
Traditionally, the company’s craftsmen created stylish catwalk jewelry using gold and silver alloys, lucite and rhinestones. Handcrafted with high craftsmanship, each piece is labeled with the company’s marking. Noteworthy, the marking on the reverse varied, depending on the design and the collection. For example, “GR Paris”, or “G rech” (in small letters), or “Unanyme Georges Rech”, or “R” inside “G”, on square, rectangular, or oval shaped base.
Meanwhile, the designer registered two more brands – Synonyme (1973) and Unanyme (1982). Sold in more than 50 boutiques around the world, Rech’s products enjoyed success.
However, in 1990, the 60-year-old designer retired and sold his business to the British company Courtaulds. Since 2005 the rights to use the Georges Rech brand belong to the French company Apostrophe, headed by Patrick Hazan.
In fact, the history of this brand’s costume jewelry began in the 1970s and ended in 1990. Although the new owners of the company continued to make costume jewelry until 2006, the style, materials and techniques had nothing to do with the original.
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Tribal Face Mask gold tone pin. 1980s. Maxine Denker vintage costume jewelry

Maxine Denker vintage costume jewelry
The history of Maxine Denker Inc., a jewelry company based in New York, began in 1983. Its founder, Jewish American designer Maxine Metzger-Denker Savett, from a young age was interested in art collecting, photography, painting, ceramics and design. She studied art history at Temple University (1961-1965). This explains her unique art designs inspired by world culture, from Aztec culture to Roman mythology.
Crafted in a variety of styles, from avant-garde and modern to classic, each piece is handmade with exquisite craftsmanship. Produced in limited collections, each piece is a wearable piece of art. Traditionally, the designer used alloys of metals of gold and silver tones, as well as crystals and art glass. In addition, all products are labeled “Maxine Denker” on oval base or handwritten “Maxine Denker” and sometimes the year of manufacture.
The 74-year-old designer currently lives with her husband Stuart in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania and is no longer in jewelry making. According to sources, the company ceased to exist in 2017.
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Geometric design sterling silver cufflinks. 1950s. Signed AxH vintage silver jewelry

Signed AxH vintage silver jewelry
The history of the Danish silver jewelry company Axel Holm began in 1908 in Copenhagen and ended in 1988 in the Copenhagen suburb, Lyngby-Taarbæk.
Initially, the name of the company was Axel Holm, and since 1957 it was Axel Holm Sølvsmeidie (“silversmith” in English). However, the markings on the back of silver items have always been the same, AxH and 925 S.
Talented Scandinavian jeweler, Axel Holm preferred discreet minimalist designs and geometric shapes. Traditionally, AxH silversmiths made men’s jewelry – cufflinks and tie clips, with the use of sterling silver or gold plating. Also, the company hand crafted various useful household items with the use of 925 sterling silver. In particular, engraved cigarette and match boxes, scissors, letter knives, napkin rings, bottle openers, and more.
Noteworthy, the company jewelers also made silver enameled brooches in limited quantities. Signed AxH, these pieces are extremely rare and highly collectible.
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Glitter enamel flower brooch. Gold tone metal, Swarovski crystals. 1990s. Liz Palacios vintage costume jewelry

Liz Palacios vintage costume jewelry
Vintage and antique jewelry collector since her teenage years, Elizabeth Palacios began creating brooches, earrings, necklaces and bracelets in her home studio in the mid-1980s. Initially, the self-taught designer sold her jewelry on the streets of San Francisco. Handcrafted with exquisite workmanship, in the tradition of vintage costume jewelry and with the use of high quality materials, her jewelry has become a success. The next logical step was the creation of her own jewelry company “Liz Palacios Designs LTD”, registered in 1987 at 1251 Howard St. San Francisco, California.
Traditionally, the designer preferred Swarovski crystals to rhinestones, and as a base she used metal alloys, bronze, brass, sterling silver, and 14-carat gold. Also, she used semi-precious cabochons, glitter enamels, faux pearls, mother-of-pearl, and art glass. Each piece has marking “LIZPALACIOS SF” in capital letters on oval base.
Noteworthy, the company provided a lifetime warranty for each design.
Founded in 1987, San Francisco California based jewelry company Liz Palacios Designs LTD ceased to exist in 2013.
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Flower brooch. 12 K gold filled wire, gray, pink and clear rhinestones. 1950s. Harper vintage costume jewelry

Harper vintage costume jewelry
The history of Harper Jewelry Company, Inc. began in Virginia in 1946 as a family business of C. H. Harper, and his wife Elton Carey Harper (20 Mar 1925 – 16 Sep 2007). Located in the old Garland Drug building, the company began as a watch repair business, but soon the owners expanded it to a retail store and jewelry shop. In 1958, the company moved to a newly built shop at 114 North Mecklenburg Avenue, South Hill, VA.
Traditionally, the goldsmiths of the company created Art Deco and classic design filigree brooches, pins, pendants and earrings. Most often they used 12 K gold filling and rhinestones and signed their pieces “Harper” and 1/20 12 KGF. Meticulously handcrafted high quality gold filled pieces of this company are now collectible vintage.
In 1990 Elton Carey Harper retired, her daughter Sandra Kinker and her husband Billy purchased the company and successfully continued their family business.
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Breton triskell with spirals and symbols. Love is the best wealth engraved. 4.3 cm. 1930s. Signed Kelt vintage jewelry

Signed Kelt vintage jewelry

The history of the French jewelry brand Kelt spans no more than three decades, from 1936 to early 1960s. Initially, it was a studio-workshop in Paris, founded in 1936 by French jewelry designer Maison Rivière. Riviere was a member of the public art association of designers and writers of Franco-Breton origin “Union of Seven Brothers” (Ar Seiz Breur).
An important focus of this movement was the revival of the original Kelt-Breton art. Accordingly, in their work, they used Celtic symbolism, combining it with folk ornamental archaism, early Christian symbolism and medieval heraldry. In fact, the Kelt Maison Rivière Company was the only studio-workshop in France that embodied the images and ideas of the “Union of Seven Brothers” in jewelry.
Noteworthy, created exclusively by hand, jewelry in the period 1935-1939 was carried out by prominent artists and designers of France. In particular, one of the creators of the Seiz Breur artistic movement Breton designer René Yves Creston (1898-1964), and Pierre Péron (1905-1988).
Having survived the German occupation and the post-war years, the Kelt studio practically ceased operations in the early 1960s. Although the French jewelry company Madilar bought out the Kelt brand and its jewelry stock in 2000, no new products appeared. The new owners announced their intention to revive the Kelt while maintaining its unique cultural identity. However, currently the company sells Kelt jewelry made in the middle of the last century.
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Heart and leopard with cut out logo vintage brooch. Gold plated alloy, lucite, rhinestones. 6.7 cm. 1970s. Krizia vintage costume jewelry

Krizia vintage costume jewelry
The history of the legendary Milan fashion house Krizia began in 1954, in a tiny two-room apartment, where two friends, Mariuccia Mandelli and Flora Dolci, sewed their dresses.
According to Mariuccia, she dreamed of becoming a fashion designer since childhood, when she sewed dresses for her dolls. In 1957, her models of “fruit” dresses at the SAMIA international fashion salon became a success and sparked interest in the brand. Already in 1964, Mandelli received the first prize for the provocative collection “Black and White”. Then followed other awards for innovative ideas in the fashion world.
The company expanded with the creation of sub-brands Poi by Krizia, K Krizia, Krizia SPA, and Krizia Uomo, and more. By the way, the name Krizia comes from Plato’s unfinished Dialogue.
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