Kaleidoscope effect

Abstract design 925 sterling silver, red wood pendant. 11 cm. 1980s. Robert Lee Morris vintage costume jewelry

Robert Lee Morris vintage costume jewelry
American jewelry designer of the 1960s, Morris first exhibited his work at the Sculpture to Wear exhibition in 1972, thereby launching his career and meeting influential clients. Also, he caught the attention of the press. Morris carved out a segment of the jewelry market for himself by selling his jewelry through Artwear stores in New York. Thanks to his close ties with leading fashion magazines, his work and his name became known throughout the country.
When it all began, less than fifty years ago it was impossible to predict that any of this would happen. “Full of very revolutionary ideas”, he left Beloit College in Wisconsin in the late 1960s. Morris grew up in an Air Force family, spending his ten years in Japan and his senior years in Brazil.
His success story in jewelry design began on an abandoned farm in Wisconsin. There he, together with a small group of like-minded friends, learned how to make jewelry. However, when the house burned down, Morris and his friend moved to Vermont and opened a workshop there. They did what they knew and had to do to make money. He read books on jewelry, such as the Thomas Gentille’s jewelry book. Everything else, history and success grew out of these small beginnings. Already in the late 1980s, more than 60 people worked for his company, located in the center of one of the New York districts.
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Round shaped brooch and clip on earrings. Gold plated brushed alloy, lavender lucite dome. Brooch 4.5 cm, earrings 2.8 cm. 1910s. Work by German jewelry designer Ernst Gideon Bek

German jewelry designer Ernst Gideon Bek
Born on April 18, 1872 in Pforzheim, Ernst Gideon Bek (1872-1945) was best known for making mesh handbags in silver, gold and platinum. Pforzheim in Germany, like Providence in the United States, was the center of jewelry manufacture at the time. Young Ernst had the opportunity to study jewelry and gain good practical experience in well-known local companies and workshops. In particular, at Rothacker, Kinzinger in Pforzheim and Baer in Hanau. A talented jeweler, he was CEO of the Pforzheim jewellery industry at the Chicago World’s Fair at the age of 24. At the age of 25 he founded his own company with branches in Birmingham, Paris, Toronto, New York, and India (1897).
Noteworthy, Ernst’s wife, Emily, was the sister of one of the founders of the American jewelry company Binder Bros. Accordingly, he traveled frequently to the United States and subsequently sold his products through Binder Bros. In addition to handbags, he produced costume jewelry, which he marked with a butterfly stamp. Traditionally, the designer used sterling silver, gilding, metal alloys, bakelite, and enamel.
Two years after a trip to Italy in 1932, he retired from business due to a stroke. His two sons, Wesley (born 1903) and Orville Sigfrid (born 1909), helped his father in the family business. After Ernst’s death in 1945, the sons took over the business and renamed the company to EG Bek & Co.
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Hummingbird sterling silver brooch. 1930s. Carl Ruopoli vintage costume jewelry

Carl Ruopoli vintage costume jewelry
A renowned New York designer of Italian origin, Carl Ruopoli produced fine jewelry in the 1920’s-1950’s. In addition, he designed jewelry for such famous companies as Black Starr & Gorham, and Danecraft. Accordingly, products for these companies were labeled “Danecraft C. Ruopoli sterling”, or “Ruopoli for Black Starr and Gorham”.
Handcrafted with the highest craftsmanship and exclusive designs, his jewelry is extremely rare today and highly collectible. Traditionally, the master used sterling silver, 9-18 carat gold, multicolor art glass imitating gems and natural moonstone. His varied style includes figurative decorations in the form of birds, fish, shells, leaves, as well as Scandinavian, Art Deco and geometric designs.
Unfortunately, there is not much information about the designer’s biography.
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Royal coat of arms and crown large collectible brooch. Swarovski crystals, rhinestones, gold plated, Gripoix glass. 7 cm. 1980s. Thelma Deutsch vintage costume jewelry

Thelma Deutsch vintage costume jewelry
Rare vintage collectible brooch, handmade by Surfside, Florida based company Thelma Deutsch in the 1980s. The brooch in the form of a coat of arms and a crown, decorated with a large cabochon made of Gripoix glass and Swarovski crystals of amazing colors.
Referred to as “luxury”, Thelma vintage costume jewelry is valuable and quite rare. Registered by Florida based company Thelmar Corp. in 1982, Thelma Deutsch trademark ceased to exist in 1993. Initially, it was a family business of Thelma (born 1938) and Victor J. Deutsch. Handcrafted in small quantities, ThD exquisite pieces are highly valued by collectors and lovers of vintage costume jewelry now.
Noteworthy, the company designers often made decorations from vintage and antique molds of such companies as Eisenberg, Hollycraft, Trifari and more. Also, they changed the appearance of the originals with the help of various coatings and color combinations, thereby radically renewing them. Traditionally, the marking on the back side of each piece includes oval stamp with signature “Thelma Deutsch” without a copyright sign.
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Butterfly and daisy brooch of gold tone. 1995. Bergdorf Goodman vintage costume jewelry

Bergdorf Goodman vintage costume jewelry
Like many fashion houses of the 1980s, the company launched a collection of costume jewelry. These were runway necklaces, brooches and earrings made by hand using gold plating, enamel, rhinestones, and Swarovski crystals. Noteworthy, the markings of 1980s jewelry, along with the copyright mark, included intertwined capital letters – the initials BG inside oval. The next collection appeared in 1995, and the markings on the back of the jewelry changed. In particular, it included a copyright sign and two capital block letters BG, and the year of manufacture – 1995. Traditionally, the designers who worked for BG company used jewelry alloy of silver or gold tone, gold plating, enamel, crystals and rhinestones.
The brand’s high-quality, hand-made costume jewelry is rare and collectible.
Currently, Bergdorf Goodman Inc. is a luxury department store located on Fifth Avenue in downtown Manhattan, New York. However, it all began in 1899 when Edwin Goodman, a 23-year-old trader from Lockport, New York, moved to New York to work as an apprentice. Within two years, Goodman raised enough money to start his own business.
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Cloud, Sun and birds hair pin. Mixed metals, copper, brass, 10.5 cm. 1980s. Signed Pinz vintage costume jewelry

Signed Pinz vintage costume jewelry
The history of the American costume jewelry company Pinz spans a fairly short period. Registered in 1986, the company ceased to exist in 1993. The owner of the company was South Carolina based designer Richard P Belyski (born Aug 1957).
High quality, handcrafted in limited quantities, Pinz ornamental lapel pins, tie pins and brooches are rare in the jewelry market and therefore collectible. Traditionally, the designer used metal alloys (copper, brass, nickel), carved lucite in various colors, and Cloisonne enamel. The marking on the tag, card, or back side of each item includes the name of the brand “Pinz”. Made in the style of “Modernism”, his jewelry looks extraordinary, and undoubtedly attracts attention.
Noteworthy, in 2008 Richard P Belyski registered another jewelry brand, Pez head, but closed it the same year.
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Geometric design brooch pendant. Gold tone metal alloy, Swarovski crystals, art glass. 7 cm. 1990s. SMB vintage costume jewelry

SMB vintage costume jewelry
New York City based jewelry designer Sandra Miller Burrows began producing costume jewelry signed SMB in 1983. A professional jewelry designer and goldsmith, she graduated from Rhode Island School of Design. Noteworthy, before establishing her own company “Sandi Miller Burrows Designs Ltd”, she worked for Monet jewelry company. Also, she collaborated with such famous fashion houses as Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent, Swarovski, Oscar de La Renta, and Ralf Lauren.
Traditionally, the designer used gold tone metal alloy, or 18 K gold plating, Swarovski crystals, rhinestones, art glass imitating gem stones, lucite and enamel. Handcrafted with high craftsmanship, each piece is marked on the back with signature “X” in a square followed by “SMB”. Vintage jewelry decorations made by Sandra in the 1980s-1990s are collectible.
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