Kaleidoscope effect

Frog on lily leaf sterling silver gold filled brooch. 1950s. Forstner Sterling vintage costume jewelry

Forstner Sterling vintage costume jewelry
The history of the Forstner jewelry brand began in 1922 in Irvington, New Jersey. Originally called “The Forstner Chain Corporation”, the company made necklaces, bracelets, brooches and accessories, such as watch and keychains. Traditionally, the company’s craftsmen used gold filled or gold plated sterling silver and faux pearls. Without using semi-precious stones or enamel, they created high quality Art Deco pieces or classic designs. The main motifs are leaves, bows, flowers, swirls, and sometimes figurative designs in the form of brooches, clips, pendants and rings.
Noteworthy, in 1950 they changed their name to “Forstner Jewelry Manufacturing Corp.” The markings on the back of products have also changed over the years. In particular, the “Forstner Sterling” stamp in block letters in a rectangular cartouche from 1922 to 1937, “Forstner” in script letters from 1937 to the 1960s, and from 1962 a backward-facing F with an arrow through the center. Also, some jewelry pieces sold with paper tags included hallmark “Forstner Creations”.
According to sources, the Forstner jewelry brand ceased to exist in the 1980s, although the renewed company was incorporated in 1992, but by 2002 its status had changed to dead. High quality hand made sterling silver and gold plated costume jewelry of this brand is highly collectible vintage.
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Plant pewter brooch. 1990. Urban Fetishes vintage costume jewelry

Urban Fetishes vintage costume jewelry
New Mexico based artist, writer, sculptor and jewelry designer, Alice Warder Seely (b. 1943) began creating her own “Urban Fetishes” jewelry in 1980s. Officially registered in 1991, the company Urban Fetishes Jewelry Inc. ceased to exist in 2003.
A hereditary artist, Seely made pewter jewelry in her workshop in New Mexico. The designs of her brooches, pendants, pins and bracelets are unique and easily recognizable – these are petroglyphs, fossils, friends, angels and Egyptians. The most interesting is her collection “Petroglyphs” created in 1989-1990. She dedicated it to rock art, culture and beliefs of the indigenous people of America. Wearable art, each piece is eye-catching and arouses interest in the history of this decoration. This is probably why each piece of jewelry is packed in a matchbox, accompanied by a description, and sometimes even a poem written by her. Traditionally, the designer signed her decorations “Urban Fetishes” and the year of manufacture, mostly 1989 or 2000. Sometimes the labeling includes the artist’s name Alice Seely.
Presented in over 350 stores and galleries across the country, her artwork adorns galleries in Santa Fe, Scottsdale, New York, Michigan and Florida. Alice Warder Seely’s blended Indian, Spanish, and Anglo-Indian heritage reflects New Mexico’s rich cultural diversity.
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A pirate head brooch and earrings. Gold plated sterling silver. Brooch 4.8 cm, earrings 2 cm. 1945. Designer Frederick J. Pearsall. Marleen vintage costume jewelry

Marleen vintage costume jewelry (1941-1948)
Located in the US jewelry capital – the city of Providence, Rhode Island, Marleen Costume Jewelry Company was active in 1941-1948. The company’s jewelers handcrafted figural costume decorations with the use of sterling silver and gold plating. The marking included the word “Marleen Sterling” and pat. (patent number) on a square base. Marleen, like many manufactories of the 1940s, protected their jewelry with a patent, which helped to determine their belonging. As you know, 1940s jewelers have not yet used the traditional copyright symbol, which appeared in the marking of jewelry in 1954.
Noteworthy, the designer of these pirate motif brooches and earrings from Swashbucklers series was Frederick J. Pearsall. Clayville, Rhode Island based freelance designer Frederick J. Pearsall (1883 – 1975) collaborated with several costume jewelry companies of the time. According to sources, he was the main designer for Marslieu and Marleen companies, as well as the Imperial Pearl company which absorbed Marslieu and Marleen in 1948.
Mentioned in the Brunialti costume jewelry reference book, extremely rare hand-crafted Marleen jewelry pieces are highly collectible now.
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Aster brooch. Gold tone alloy, mother-of-pearl, faux pearls. 5.5 cm. 1990s. Larisa Barrera vintage costume jewelry

Larisa Barrera vintage costume jewelry
A hereditary designer and jeweler, Larisa Barrera works in the company of her famous parents Jose and Maria Barrera. A fashion design graduate from the Rhode Island School of Design, she had worked at Badgley Mischka for three years as a design assistant before returning to the family business in 1996. Designing jewelry for the Barrera brand, Larisa has created her own brand of unique jewelry. In addition, she has designed sophisticated collectible evening bags with precious stones and bead-embroidered clothes.
Inspired by the jewelry traditions and forms of the past centuries, especially Baroque and Classicism, Larisa makes intricate jewelry, slightly modified in a modern way. Traditionally, the New York based designer uses antique gold and silver metal, enamel and inlays, volumetric engravings and the classic manual technique of setting pavé stones. A small team of craftsmen led by Larisa hand crafts exquisite costume jewelry decorated with clear and colored crystals, Chandelier-shaped clips and teardrop pendants. The production process also includes semi-precious stones and various precious metals, glass, crystal and Swarovski rhinestones.

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Signed Eros Art Deco style porcelain face brooch. Silver, 18 K gold plated, rhinestones. 1950s. Marena Eros vintage costume jewelry

Marena Eros vintage costume jewelry
The history of Marena & Eros jewelry brand spans about five decades – from the 1940s to the 1990s. Inspired by Erte, the creative duo made these porcelain-face brooches in a limited edition. A characteristic feature of all brooches and pendants created in Art Deco style are gold-plated tassels or chains. Traditionally, the designers used porcelain, silver, 18-karat gold, and semi-precious stones. Also, mother-of-pearl, onyx, Austrian crystals and rhinestones. Each brooch has the stylized “Eros” signature on the back, or marking “Marena” with copyright and “Handarbeit” (handmade), and W. Germany.
Priced hundreds of dollars, high-end vintage brooches and pendants created by Marena and Eros are highly collectible and in demand today.
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Japanese Rabbit 24K gold plated brooch pin. Adapted from a 19th century Japanese motif, Rabbit is one of the twelve Zodiac symbols. Also, the symbol of virtue and cunning, according to Oriental folklore. The Museum Company vintage costume jewelry

The Museum Company vintage costume jewelry

The history of jewelry trademark “The Museum Company” began in 1997 in Denver, Colorado. The president of this private company is Jon Fetzer. According to sources, the company has become the world’s largest retailer of fine art reproductions from the world’s greatest museums. Noteworthy, in addition to buying directly from famous museums, the company manufactures its own costume jewelry inspired by museum collections.
These brooches, pins and earrings are truly wearable art. Traditionally sold in a branded box with the name of the company, each museum reproduction jewelry is accompanied by a paper notice with a short history of the original. Also, some decorations have the TMC marking on the back. The company’s craftsmen work by hand using high quality materials, including gold plating, bronze, Austrian crystals and marcasites.
Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the company has an extensive network of stores in many major US cities.
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Maltese cross brooch. Art glass, crystals, gold tone metal alloy. 1980s. Ann Taylor vintage costume jewelry

Ann Taylor vintage costume jewelry
A well-known manufacturer of fashionable women’s clothing and accessories, Ann Taylor is an example of a successful brand that has won the recognition of millions of people around the world. The first Ann Taylor store was opened in 1954 in New Haven, Connecticut, thanks to the efforts of Richard Libeskind, who was himself a clothing designer from a tailor family. The story goes that Richard received from his father a successful model of a dress called “Ann Taylor”, which became a real bestseller. So, Richard gave this name to the company. The name was not chosen by chance, because “Ann” was associated with a popular name in New England, and “Taylor” personified tailoring or tailoring services. According to belief, if there is an American style of dress, then Ann Taylor personifies it: feminine and at the same time very conservative.
Like many fashion houses, the brand has produced and still produces accessories and jewelry. Most popular was the flashy 1980s runway jewelry, which included Coco Chanel’s style Maltese crosses. Traditionally, the craftsmen used gold tone jewelry alloy, faux pearls, rhinestones, and bright multi-color art glass cabochons imitating natural stones.
All products have marking ‘Ann Taylor’.
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