EISENBERG JEWELRY
1935-Present

Page 5

By Bobye Syverson, 
long time collector, dealer and historian of Eisenberg jewelry

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EISENBERG SAMPLES
 

 
EISENBERG CHRISTMAS TREES
 

 
EISENBERG 1994
 

 
EISENBERG 2000

I thought when I heard about the "new" classics that they would be different from the '94s. There certainly would have been plenty of other designs from which to choose. 

The 2000 Classics are now available, and while I have no idea how many are being made, but I know that the Company ran out of some of the 1994 ones very quickly. The designs of both of the sets of Classics seem to be just alike, except for the metal color of the one they are calling the "wreath".   However,
there are only 7 Classics for 2000 and there were at least 18 in 1994, and some of them were made in more than one color of stones. 

All jewelry that Eisenberg makes now is stamped with their name, so there is no contemporary unsigned Eisenberg.

 
THAT'S EISENBERG??

I like to alert people to the fact that not all Eisenberg looks alike. Your reaction will probably be "THAT'S Eisenberg?" 

      EISENBERG unsigned pink poured glass dress clip, 2-3/4" by 2-1/8".   #E24877

  EISENBERG  unsigned pink poured glass dress clips, set of two 1-1/3" by 2-1/2", larger one is 2-3/4" by 2-1/8".   View   #E24877 and #E24876

   EISENBERG ORIGINAL 2-3/4" by 2-1/2" clip. Courtesy of Barbara Wood, who says, "This is so strange. There is a necklace to match, too."

 
EISENBERG UNSIGNED

 
EISENBERG REPRODUCTIONS
 

Bobye:  As far as the reproductions are concerned, some of them are far better than others.  There does not seem to have been a real effort to duplicate the pieces exactly (thank goodness!). Most of them are just slightly "off", the size is not the same, the gold is too bright, the enamel is the wrong kind, the rhinestone colors were not used in originals etc.  However, they do often use Swarovski rhinestones!  

A recommended reading for anyone interested in Eisenberg jewelry is the "VFCJ Newsletter". Featured in Volume 10, Number 1, was a wonderful interview with RUTH KAMKE.  (You may be able to order back issues from Lucille at VFCJ@aol.com.)

Who was Ruth Kamke?  Just the most important designer for Eisenberg! She designed jewelry for them for well over 32 years.  Here are a few highlights from this article, a goldmine of information.  

In her last year of high school, Ruth began putting together a portfolio of her own designs. In the corner of each design she sketched a piece of jewelry that would compliment the garment.  When she saw an ad for a person needed to work for Fallon and Kappel, a leading jewelry manufacturer, she applied and was hired for $12 a week.  

Later, the Eisenberg Company bought exclusively from F&K, and in turn they manufactured only for Eisenberg.  The initial or number found on the back of the Eisenberg Original jewelry  indicated who had set the stones. Ruth created almost all of the Eisenberg Originals made after 1939, and also the Eisenberg Ice until 1972.  She designed literally thousands of pieces.

Suddenly in 1972, the manufacturers announced they were closing in two  weeks!   Large trash barrels were used and every thing was dumped in them. Nothing was spared, including Ruth's designs.  A wonderful part of history was destroyed. There is far, far more information in the rest of this wonderful interview, the only one that Ruth Kamke ever gave.