I have chosen to present some information on a few of the designers whose jewelry you will find at, "Let's Get Vintage." I hope this information will add to the enjoyment of viewing, and perhaps purchasing, the special items found here. ALICE CAVINESS: From Marcia Brown's book, "Signed Beauties of Costume Jewelry":

BOUCHER:

From Marcia Brown's book, "Signed Beauties of Costume Jewelry":

Frenchman, Marcel Boucher, came to the United States as a young man in 1925. He became a jewelry designer for Cartier, one of the finest jewelry companies in New York City. He designed jewelry for Mazer Brothers in the early 1930's and established his own company, "Marcel Boucher and Cie Company," in 1937. Boucher jewelry is usually signed and carries an inventory number. Early marks are "Marboux" or "MB" in a cartouche. Later marks are "Marcel Boucher" and "Boucher." Marcel Boucher died in 1965 and his wife, Sandra Boucher, ran the company until 1972.

Boucher created a line featuring six bird pins. But, oh what birds! They were birds of imagination with ornate colored stones, bright enamels, very three-dimensional..."ready to soar!" Boucher jewelry is "high-end" and can be tough to tell from the "real thing." It is very collectible and highly desirable.

CINER:

Emanuel Ciner came to America in 1866, leaving Austria when he was only one year old. By the time he was 27, he had opened his own fine jewelry store in lower Manhattan, offering outstanding wedding and engagement rings. his son, Irwin apprenticed at his father's side in 1920 and spent 59 years in the company.

The year 1930 marks when Ciner offered their first costume jewelry line, making history as the only fine jewelry company to convert completely to costume jewelry. Ciner continued to use only the finest quality materials. Swarovski rhinestones, European glass cabochons, and simulated pearls with a cultura finish, never plastic. Each pearl and every bead was hand strung and hand knotted.

Some call the company the quiet giant because of their contribution of so many fine designs, ones so timeless that Ciner is still using some from the 1940's and 1950's, They proudly use the company logo, "the Tiffany of Costume Jewelry."

Characteristics of Ciner jewelry:
Look of fine jewelry, high quality, well-designed, timelessly fashionable.

CORO, COROCRAFT, CORO DUETTE

Coro, Corocraft and Coro Duettes. Corocraft, founded in 1901 by Emanuel Cohn and Carl Rosenberger, enjoyed great growth and success which may be due to a large extent to the skills of their chief designer, Adolph Katz. After the second World War, Coro became the largest costume jewelry manufacturer in the world, producing a bewildering range of jewels designed by an army of designers under the coordination of the chief designer. Over 50 trademarks were issued to Corocraft including one of the most collectible marks ‘Duette’ which was applied to pieces in which two or more dress clips were mounted upon a frame so that they could be worn individually or together as a single pin.

Faberge - Russian Egg Pendants

The most important feast of the Russian Orthodox Church calendar is Easter.
It is celebrated with the exchanging of eggs and three kisses. The Faberge eggs began in 1884 with an Easter egg made for the Czar that became a gift for his wife, Czarina Maria. The egg reminded the empress of her homeland, and so from then on it was agreed that Faberge would make an Easter egg each year for Maria. Faberge designed Easter eggs for another eleven years until Alexander III died. Then Nicholas II, Alexander's son, continued the tradition. It was agreed that the Easter gift would always hold a surprise. These projects became the top priority of the company and were planned and worked on far in advance - a year or longer. The surprise was always kept a secret. The Imperial Easter Egg Collection commissioned by the last of the Russian Czars is known world wide.

Now you can discover the magic of owning a "small treasure" in the grand artistic tradition of the legendary Carl Faberge. Skilled Russian craftsmen, now working in the United States, are creating miniature jewelry eggs, designed to be worn as pendants, pins or charms.

Each egg is created in sterling silver, then gilded in 24 karat gold and hand enameled with several layers of multicolored enamel. This technique of enameling is an extremely delicate and highly labor intensive one involving hand application of translucent colored enamel and then firing the enamel at very high temperatures. Each egg is enameled by hand with up to seven layers of enamel.

Some styles are embellished with genuine Swarovski crystals, while others are accented with beautiful semi-precious stones. Each treasure is entirely hand crafted by the most talented artisans.

From the dawn of time eggs have been exchanged with loved ones as a symbol of birth, love and life. The miniature egg is a true work of art, created in the style of the famous Russian Imperial Court Jeweler, Faberge.

MARENA:

MARENA jewelry creations are 18kt gold plated. They may be worn as pins or pendants since each one has attached openings through which you may use a chain or hoop, as well as the typical pin closure. They combine genuine materials such as semi-precious stones, mother-of-pearl and other rare shells in perfection with Austrian crystals, among the most typical jewelry stones of the turn of the twentieth century.

Made in Germany, each one is created by hand, most are one-of-a-kind. MARENA jewels are unique creations which will enhance the individuality of each woman. Each pin comes with a certificate of authenticity that is written in both German and English.

MAZER/JOMAZ

The Mazer brothers opened a jewelry business in 1917 in Philadelphia and started producing costume jewelry in 1939 after moving to New York. One of their designers, Andre Fleurides, used to work for Van Cleef & Arpels, and designed for them from 1940. In 1946, the brothers split and Joseph Mazer set up on his own under the name of Jomaz. In the same vein as Boucher, their pieces were exemplified by the highest quality of design and manufacture.

PENNINO

The Pennino brothers, of New York grew from a fine jewelry company started in 1926 in New York by Frank Pennino. They produced the most wonderful naturalistic designs in gold plated metal, commonly silver. Large bows and tassels ware much sought after favourites and are of superb quality. Regency jewels are well known for their brilliance of crystal stones and innovative use of colors. Eminently wearable, they are always in demand.

POLCINI

LEDO is the name given to the Leading Jewelry Company in 1949, originally founded in 1911 by Ralph Polcini. The company produced hand-set rhinestone jewelry often in deco designs, resembling genuine jewelry in style, design and quality. After Ralph Polcini death, the company was inherited by his son who later renamed the company POLCINI in the 1960's. POLCINI companies produced very good quality hand set jewelry. Their designs were traditional and conservative. Range of pieces with reconstituted opal was very highly successful. The company appears to have gone out of business in 1980.

REGENCY:

From Marcia Brown's book, "Signed Beauties of Costume Jewelry":

The jewelry is believed to have been produced by the Regent Jewelry Company, located at Number 20, either on 36th or 37th Street, deep in the heart of the jewelry district of New York City, and in business during the 1950's closing its doors in the 1970's.

This company, with the most spectacular colors of rhinestones, proudly marked their jewelry, "REGENCY," always in capital letters. You will never see one of their stones that is not filled to the brim with a depth of hue that is almost blinding. Their beauty is eternal.

Every company usually included butterflies in their line, but no one made them like Regency!

STANLEY HAGLER NYC

Stanley Hagler created some of the most extravagant pieces of costume jewelry ever. After designing a bracelet for the then Duchess of Windsor, Mrs Simpson he went from strength to strength and award after award. His most desirable work is those in which faux seed pearls were hand wired onto Russian Gold Plated filigree backing. The amount of work involved is remarkable as are the designs, which all help to make Hagler jewelry very desireable, collectable and wearable.