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| JEWELRY FAVORITES Collectors top choices January 2001 and UPDATE June 2003 |

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It is always fun to see what collectors are most passionate about. To find out directly from the jewelry collectors, we did a survey, but with a twist. Reality TV has nothing on us! So here’s the game our collectors were given….You are to be stranded on a deserted island. No solid food, and only Bloody Marys to drink. No clothing, so you may only ornament yourself in jewels. (If you collect only brooches, this will be a major ouchie!) No TV, no chocolate, no flannel nightie and scuffy slippers, no computer <gasp!>. Just you and your jewels, so you better *really* love looking at them! All you will have with which to entertain yourself are THREE pieces of jewelry. Yes, you will have nothing to do but admire your very most wonderful and favorite pieces of costume jewelry…. oh, and drink Bloody Marys, of course. Soooooo…. I want the top three makers or types of jewelry that you love THE VERY BEST! If you are really obsessive, three votes for the same maker is allowed. I will tally the votes and report back to you with the names of the three jewelry makers that top the list. So…. here’s your chance (and there will be no recounting in Florida, no matter what Al Gore says). Let fly… tell me your three most wonderful and heart-warming jewelry makers…. and let the survival begin! AND NOW… THE RESULTS!! |
TRIFARI demi-lunes, wisteria 3-3/4" pin (converted from a fur clip) #T18642 Violets bracelet 7" by 1-5/8". #T18643 and violets fur clip #T21205. Backs | TRIFARI "fruit salad"2-1/4" fur clips, circa 1941. View View view #T11448 | TRIFARI blue faux moonstone, pave and enameled fur clips, pins and earrings. #T11651
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THE WINNER far and away, is Trifari!!!
Linda Marques said it all for the winner when she said, "Trifari did so much with different styles, findings, and techniques that I have to pick… Trifari! Trifari! Trifari!" Trifari won by twice as many votes as any other maker, and Alfred Philippe is the man of choice with his fabulous, inventive and creative 1940’s designs. A few examples are shown above, and the pictures tell why these pieces are such valued favorites. Much more information can be seen in the Jewel Chat ads "TRIFARI", and in Morning Glory Collects Trifari. |
HASKELL circa 1940 unsigned parure done in poured glass pink and lavender petals accented with clear rhinestones. This set includes both a brooch and a dress clip. View ViewView #H18804 | HASKELL parure combines pastel glass beads and faux pearls with pink glass flowers. View View ViewView View #H10038/21192/22086/23028/23942 | HASKELL red glass beads and rhinestones 4-strand 13-15" necklace, 7-1/8" bracelet, 2-7/8" pin and 1-5/8" earrings. View View #H21195
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SECOND PLACE was overwhelmingly Haskell, the lovely and ever popular classics. Her elaborate tapestries in seed and glass beads, faux pearls and rose montees have never been equaled. Her company made such high quality and artictic jewelry. View ViewViewMuch more information can be seen in the Jewel Chat articles "Early Haskell" , "Haskell Jewelry", and in Morning Glory Collects Haskell. |
HASKELL older unsigned necklace. | HASKELL pink glass beaded set. All these wonderful pieces courtesy of Cathy Gordon. | HASKELL red glass beads and mirror backs. |
THIRD PLACE was a two-way tie between Hollycraft and Eisenberg. Cathy Gordon’s Hollycraft collection is dazzling. HOLLYCRAFT twisted green glass leaves and rhinestones set. And her HOLLYCRAFT opalescent and purple rhinestones set. EISENBERG mermaid brooch, courtesy of Jane at Morning Glory Antiques. For six more pages of pictures and information about fabulous Eisenberg jewelry, please see our article in Jewel Chat on line Magazine at "EISENBERG JEWELRY and Morning Glory Collects Eisenberg. |
FOURTH PLACE and all running very close to one another in votes were JULIANA, BOUCHER, and SHULTZ. This JULIANA watermelon bracelet and earrings is typical of why these are favorites… terrific color and dramatic presentation. Melt-in-your-mouth
JULIANA pastels brooches. JULIANA in fall colors with the original tag, courtesy of Jane at Morning Glory Antiques. More Juliana pictures and information can be seen in the Jewel Chat article "Juliana, What is it?" and in Morning Glory Collects Juliana. |
The BOUCHER softly and exquisitely enameled pieces, like the SWEET PEA and CHERRY brooches shown above are favorites of Jane Clarke’s. Pat Seal shared her BOUCHER bracelet and earrings in gold tone with aqua and purple cabochons. |
Susan Corwin’s wonderful BOUCHER DECO fur clip. BOUCHER set in clear and montana rhinestones is one of Beth Rowlands’ favorites, and her EAR WRAPS are another. |
Barbara Wood, dealer and collector of SHULTZ bakelite, says, " Well…….I have three pieces of Shultz bakelite jewelry that would hide ‘strategic’ places, so I guess my vote is, Shultz, Shultz and Shultz. Two of mine are in the 12-inch range and one is in the 8-inch range. Wouldn’t hide enough skin but would sure warm the spirits! I have a 12 inch lizard and the palm tree with the Mexican man sitting under it. Also a pelican that is at least 8 inches and an alligator that is probably 8 inches. They are actually too big to wear but the alligator and a smaller 8 inch lizard do have pin backs." More on Shultz at "The Collectors: Shultz" and "Shultz Bakelite Jewelry". |
HONORABLE MENTION was given to CORO DUETTES, UNSIGNED JEWELRY and CZECH jewelry.This early paved Duette shimmers with light, and what a design triumph! View The Queen of Unsigned, and deserving of a big blue ribbon for the most unusual favorite, is Joan Elias’ unsigned swami set, shown above. View About this set, Joan says, "I don’t have the slightest idea who the maker is. It’s a parure with the bracelet, necklace, pin and earrings. The plaques that the steel looking swamis sit upon are Abalone and the bamboo/branch design frames are a soft antiqued gold. There are large red cabs in the bracelet, small red stones in all the turbans and three emerald cuts around the pin. The large necklace has the emerald cuts and a large red round on the top. It is a very heavy set with the back being as beautifully worked as the front. The heads are all fancy riveted to the backs. Beautifully hinged. The set is killer in person, but unsigned. Any ideas? Glad you like it too. It’s one of the few pieces I am keeping." No wonder, Joan! It is a treasure. Also from Joan, a necklace made from huge Czech buttons. View |
Czech necklaces were mentioned often, and Lisa Botsko says of her blue one, shown above, "Jane, here is the one necklace I would take with me on my desert island. It is what I wear even with jeans to the grocery store!" View Elizabeth Armstrong wears her Czech blue enameled and cabochons earrings with joy. View This fabulous Czech collar necklace in aqua glass beads was a favorite of Susan Corwin’s, and no wonder! View |
THE MOST UNUSUAL FAVORITES One of the things I have enjoyed most about doing Jewel Chat Magazine is the opportunity to learn, and collectors are all so generous with their jewelry and information. Although these makers did not top the voting list, they piqued my interest as I was not familiar with them. I thought you might enjoy seeing these, too. From Cathy Gordon, who is a fascinating lady with exquisite taste and a wide range of interests, comes this magnificent ROUSSELET pink and lavender glass bib. The necklace and earrings in the center are also part of her ROUSSELET collection, and she says they are probably made of Lalique glass. And finally, a SELINI set that looks like a native from that deserted island!
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WINNERS! Over half of the voters guessed that Haskell, not Trifari, would be the winner. Only a few predicted that it would be Trifari. Here is the list of jewelry that received the most votes, in order of preference. Trifari Haskell Eisenberg Hollycraft Shultz Boucher Juliana unsigned Coppola e Toppo Czech | These makers all got only a few votes, and are in alphabetical order: Dominique Filigree Har Carnegie Cadoro De Mario Corocraft Hobe JJ Kramer Lisner Margot de Taxco Martha Sleeper Mazer Mexican 1940’s Rebajes | Regency Reja Robert Rousselet Schreiner Selini Vendome Victorian Weiss bakelite bangles de Rosa de la Renta enamel portraits filigree glass beads |
It is also interesting to think about all the makers who received no votes at all! |
Updated survey complied in June of 2003:
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MOST FAVORITE DESIGNERS in order of votes:
Trifari Juliana Haskell Regency Schiaparelli McClelland Barclay Florenza Hollycraft Coro Dominique Eisenberg Hobe Sherman Art Boucher Coppola e Toppo DeRosa Napier KJ Lane Pennino | LEAST FAVORITE DESIGNERS in order of votes: Avon Sarah Coventry Monet BSK Lisner Har Coro Gerry’s Renoir Emmons Haskell Lane Juliana Marvella Trifari Schreiner Les Bernard Eisenberg Weiss Joan Rivers Kirk’s Folly Swaboda Lunch at the Ritz Kramer |
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