Kaleidoscope effect

Flower brooch. 925 sterling silver, gold plated. 8 cm, 1940s. Silverman Bros vintage costume jewelry

Silverman Bros vintage costume jewelry
According to a “Saturday Evening Post” article of 1947, the history of the Silverman Bros company began in 1897. An immigrant from Russia, Archibald Silverman came to the United States with his family at the age of ten. He got a job running errands after school for a Providence jewelry house. At the age of 18 with five dollars in his pocket, he started his own business having bought gold wire to make a brooch. In fact, it didn’t take long for a talented designer to become one of the leaders in jewelry making.
When Pope Leo XIII died in 1903, Silverman made several black-bordered pontiff brooches and sold them personally on the streets of Boston. Then, inspired by the then popular music show “Merry Widow wings”, he made a series of jewelry decorations. Also, he became the first to make veil brooches when women started driving the first cars.
Archibald founded manufacturing firm later known as Silverman Brothers in a small space rented from a jewelry factory on Eddie Street Providence.

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Black glass cabochon inside gold tone rope clip on earrings. 1980s. Paolo Gucci vintage costume jewelry

Paolo Gucci vintage costume jewelry
Based on the history of the Gucci family, you can make movies with Italian passions and scenes of battles where everyone was against everyone. And this film will, alas, not have the happiest ending. After the death of Guccio Gucci, the founder of the iconic brand, his grandson Paolo (b. 1931), having matured, wanted to manufacture products under his own name. However, his father punished him for this initiative, removing him from all posts in the fashion house.
Nevertheless, his name still remains in history. In particular, on the fine costume jewelry that he created during the decade – from 1983 to 1994. Noteworthy, he produced a lot of jewelry for the famous Parisian couturier Pierre Cardin. Now these exquisite pieces of jewelry labeled “Paolo” delight collectors and lovers of vintage jewelry.
Founded his own companies PAOLO, INC. and Paolo Gucci Design Studio, Ltd in 1983, he was
free to use the name “Paolo” with the phrase, “Designed by Paolo Gucci”. In addition to jewelry, mostly earrings, he produced handbags, lamps, sunglasses, and eventually some 4,000 other products. In fact, his contribution to the brand is great – 80 percent of the items in the Gucci catalogue!
Unfortunately, due to many lawsuits, he went bankrupt in 1994, and 20 months later he died (London, 10 October 1995).
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Gold and silver tone pendant necklace with logo. Pierre Cardin vintage costume jewelry

Pierre Cardin vintage costume jewelry
Starting at the age of 13, now the oldest and most famous couturier, Pierre Cardin is a living legend of fashion world. Growing up in Italy and moving to France at the age of 15, Pierre Cardin took his first steps in the fashion industry working in the most iconic fashion houses of the time. In particular, Jeanne Paquin’s fashion studio and Elsa Schiaparelli’s. Having opened his first Haute Couture store at a young age, he became known for his avant-garde style and ‘space age’ design, and it is not surprising. The 1960s marked the beginning of the era of space exploration.
Noteworthy, in addition to clothing, perfume, watches, magazines, and even furniture under his own brand, since the 1960s, he began to produce costume jewelry. Jewelry labeled “Pierre Cardin” has its own individual style, modern and elegant, influenced by different cultures. According to Pierre Cardin, a woman who wants to look elegant needs good jewelry. The couturier preferred geometric shapes and architectural ornaments in dresses and jewelry. This was due to the fact that Cardin studied architecture in his youth.
“If my dresses were made of bronze, I would be called a sculptor”, said he. This is also true in respect of his jewelry.
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Calla Lily Brooch. Gold plated metal alloy, faux pearl. 1950s. Oscar Charlin vintage costume jewelry

Oscar Charlin vintage costume jewelry
The history of the American jewelry company Oscar Charlin Co. covers a fairly short period, no more than one decade. California native, Allen Nathan Charlin (7 Sep 1936 Los Angeles – 23 Jul 2011 Beverly Hills, Los Angeles) founded his company on March 9, 1955 and named it after his father Oscar. Registered at 344 So Bedford Dr Beverly Hills California, the corporation existed until the mid-1960s. Any jewelry piece made by this company is considered a vintage rarity, and certainly collectible.
Traditionally, the designers used metal alloy, silver or gold plating, Aurora Borealis crystals, rhinestones, and artificial pearls. Noteworthy, such famous jewelry company as Delizza & Elster has created many jewelry pieces for this company. Marked “Oscar Charlin” in oval frame, these exquisite designs are very recognizable – with an abundance of crystals and rhinestones.
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1960s dangle clip on earrings. Gold tone, green and black glass cabochons. Signed HR Helena Rubinstein vintage costume jewelry

Signed HR Helena Rubinstein vintage costume jewelry
The creator of the empire of beauty, Helena Rubinstein was the first to teach women how to take care of themselves. The personal life of this famous woman is amazing. She had several marriages, and the last one at the age of 66 – Rubinstein became the wife of a real Georgian prince, who was 23 years younger than her. He adored his wife and said with admiration: “I am not interested in any other woman next to Helena.” Rubinstein died at the age of 93, having outlived her young husband. Helena was selling not just cosmetics, she taught women to be beautiful and to love themselves.
However, not many know about her contribution to jewelry making. A passionate jewelry lover, in all the photographs she is wearing many bracelets, large earrings, beads, necklaces and brooches. She even decorated her hair with large showy jewelry. According to Helena, “Jewellery is a woman’s best friend”. She is known to have spent thousands of dollars on art and jewelry, and owned a rich jewelry collection. This love of jewelry could not but inspire her to create her own line of jewelry, which she sold in boutiques along with her cosmetics.
On July 14, 1953, she registered her own jewelry manufacturing company “Helena Rubinstein Inc.”. Noteworthy, the “HR” iconic label first appeared in 1928.
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Snail worm with a bow vintage brooch. Metal alloy, gold plated, crystals. 6 cm. 1980s. Signed PL Pierre Lang vintage costume jewelry

Pierre Lang vintage costume jewelry

The history of Austrian jewelry Pierre Lang began 60 years ago, in 1961, when the Andersen brothers founded a small factory for the production of jewelry for the wholesale trade. However, Pierre Lang was officially incorporated in 1984. Three years later, the company opened its factories in Germany, making itself known in Europe. For hundreds of thousands of women, PL means exclusive jewelry of the highest quality. The variety and unique design make them something much more meaningful than just an accessory. Noteworthy, Pierre Lang only uses materials that do not cause allergic reactions, and since 1992 this has been an officially recognized fact.
The matt effect in jewelry is achieved by hand-treating the surface of the metal before applying a layer of gold or rhodium.
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Buddhist motif Gods of Fortune retro brooch. Metal alloy, gold plating, polymer resin. 7.6 cm. 1950s. Colco vintage costume jewelry

Colco vintage costume jewelry
The history of Colco trademark began in 1959, and it was an alternative designation of Colorart Creations Corp., headquartered in New York, N.Y. Incorporated in 1950s, the company ceased to exist in 1960s.
The uniqueness of Colco jewelry is not only in artisan performance, but also in non-trivial design inspired by Chinese philosophy. For example, this large hand crafted brooch “Asian Gods of Fortune”, created in the 1950s.
The images of the eastern gods, in shape and color, resemble netsuke figurines, carved from ivory. Traditionally, they were talismans that brought good luck and prosperity to their owner. Very delicate work and artisan execution evoke the most positive emotions. The frame of the brooch is made in the form of bamboo branches, and covered with gilding. Also, applied to the figurines polymer resin allowed the designer to draw the smallest details.
Produced in 1950-1960s, Colco jewelry has become a book piece rarity mentioned in vintage costume jewelry catalogs.
According to other sources, Colco was a jewelry line by another New York City company, Selro Corporation.
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