Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Costume (21)

Composed of eight vertical panels connected by brass circular links, this bracelet is enameled with large gold dots on a white background. The reverse features gold venous enameling on black. There are no chips or cracks to the enamel; there is no signature, but the bracelet appears to be professionally made, similar to a Kay Denning piece. The fold-over clasp is secure and made of a yellow metal. Connecting links are strong but not soldered. The bracelet measures just over 7 inches, including the clasp, by 1 3/4 inches wide.

This pair of delicate earrings has lovely amber circular tops and teardrop pendants. The stones are highly polished and exhibit an inner world of mineral and plant particles, especially when the drops are exposed to light. They measure about 1 ¾ inches from top to bottom; the widest area measures ½ inch. They bear their original clip backs that are marked only MET, indicating a non-precious white metal. They are probably European.

Here is a lovely necklace of openwork panels, each with a center marcasite, and three prong-set carved carnelians. All are suspended by a white metal chain decorated with embossed links. The beveled carnelians are decorated with carved stylized leaves and stems. The necklace measures 17 1/2 inches; the spring ring clasp appears to be original.

Here is an English-made whistle of copper-plated brass and base metal, that may have been made for the U.S. market. The front is labeled ‘The Acme/Boy Scouts’ with the English registration number for 1914, and ‘Patent’ underneath. The whistle itself measures a little under 3 inches long; the bale adds another 3/4 inch. Circumference is about 2 inches. Weight: 25.8 grams

Renoir of California had an affinity for primitive art, and the design of this bracelet is a good example of that inspiration. Part of the company’s Matisse line of enameled jewelry, this bracelet features oblong copper panels of two lengths decorated with blue enamel with white specks. The fold-over clasp is marked ‘Matisse’ on the top. There are some minor edge chips in the enamel on the back. It measures about 7 inches long by 1 1/4 inches at its widest point.

Here is a nicely designed bracelet with a primitive feel and a classy look. It was made by Renoir of California, and has a secure fold-over clasp and the Renoir signature on the back. It lays nicely on the wrist. It measures 7 1/2 inches long and 1 1/4 inches wide. (See our listings for matching necklace and earrings.)

Here is a copper necklace with a sophisticated look that works for a variety of occasions. Made by Renoir of California, it lies neatly around the neck like a collar of copper fringe. It is nicely designed with alternating groups of graduated flat links, and has a secure fold-over clasp that bears the Renoir mark. Copper is almost as bright as the day it was made, mostly due to Renoir’s special coating to preserve the metal’s luster. Total length is 15 inches; widest links measure 1 inch. (See our listings for the matching bracelet and earrings.)

This delicate white metal chain is studded with bezel-mounted glass faux amethysts. The faceted glass pieces are securely set; there is no clasp. The necklace hangs 15 1/2 inches (in other words, a total 31 inches end to end).

Composed of wood beads that are dyed red, wire-mounted on a pewter bar and from chain swags. The photos show the red as a fire-engine red; the beads actually are darker, more of a maroon. Photo 3 is the closest to the actual color. It is a sizable brooch, but lightweight, and secured on the back by a modified C-clasp. It is signed Aarikka Finland on the back of the pewter bar, which has been highly oxidized. The chains appear to be made of darkened brass. The pin measures 4 ¼ inches at its widest part by 4 ½ inches at the longest point. It is one of Aarikka’s more creative and dramatic designs.

This bracelet is constructed of brass and glass but has the look and heft of a quality piece of precious jewelry. It has a machine-age design of hinged semi-circular pieces connected with concealed pins, allowing it to comfortably hug the wrist without separating. It is set with square-cut pieces of yellow glass resembling citrines; one of the prongs shows some tool marks and looks to have been tightened, but all ‘stones’ are secure. The glass pieces show a few minor scratches. The tongue-and-groove clasp is in good working order, and is reinforced with copper underneath. The original safety chain is attached. The bracelet measures about 7 1/2 inches long and just under 1 inch wide. It is marked ‘Made in France’ on the tongue. Weight: 101.5 grams

This copper pin is hand-constructed with architectural elements and securely set with a copper disc enameled in turquoise. It features a cone at each corner set on intersecting bands that are curled at each end. The square panel supporting all the pieces has a hammered look with slightly curved corners. There is a deep reddish patina to the copper, and some white areas of oxidation. The back bears the impressed name of Jean Augis, a Lyons, France, jewelry designer and master metalsmith most active during the 1930s. The curled C-clasp on the back is a bit distended, and the pin stem is a bit loose, but it still holds securely. The pin measures slightly over 1 3/8 inches square.

This bracelet was made as a souvenir for visitors to the Maria Laach Abbey, a Benedictine abbey in northwestern Germany. It has large, curved links of copper and white metal, from which drops a glazed ceramic disc mounted in white metal. The disc is decorated with a geometrical design in red on a yellow and green background, with a black diamond shape in the center. It is marked on the back of the mount with the abbey’s logo. The large spring ring clasp is very secure. There appears to be a flattened area visible on the back of the mount, probably from hand-setting the disc. The bracelet measures 8 1/2 inches long; the disc measures a little over 1 3/8 inches in diameter. The width of the chain is about 1 inch.

Composed of delicate vertical leaf fronds, this necklace looks to be of fine gold, but is really made of gold-plated metal. The bright surface shows very little wear, due to Krementz & Company’s rolled gold-plating process used on the Newark, NJ, firm’s best lines of costume jewelry. The leaves are textured with detailed lines produced by careful engine-turned engraving. The chain is composed of tiny cylindrical pieces secured to a fine wire so that they are stabilized. There is a spike and drum closure, and the script Krementz signature appears on the back of one leaf. It dates from the 1950s. Each leaf measures a little over 1 1/4 inches long; the necklace measures 15 1/4 inches long.

This necklace is a nice example of Renoir’s early enameled copper line known as Matisse. The mottled red and white enamel is opaque, as opposed to the translucent, glassy work that characterized the firm’s later enameled jewelry. The overall design is reminiscent of the abstract expressionist art of the 1950s. There is some wear to the rounded copper elements alternating with the curved enameled panels, and a bit of loss to small areas of the panels where the copper comes through (the tiny black spots are embedded in the enamel, and are not damage). The back of the necklace shows serious wear to the copper. The necklace is unsigned and measures 15 inches long, including the unusual scored-link chain.

This necklace has a classic form and, in certain light, looks to be plated in two colors of gold. The beautiful surface condition is a result of a rolled gold-plating process used by the Newark, NJ, firm of Krementz & Company. The exotic design is reminiscent of ethnic jewelry, composed of graduated pointed vertical drops alternating with ovular beads. A braided chain with spike and drum closure completes the retro design. The Krementz signature in block letters is on the back of one drop. The longest drop measures 1 1/2 inches; the necklace is 15 inches long, including the clasp.

This graceful necklace was made by the California firm of Renoir, which specialized in copper jewelry. It has a secure hook clasp, with the Renoir signature on the hook. It measures 18 3/4 inches long, including the chain.

A dramatic, wide cuff set with oval pieces of turquoise-colored glass cabochons in beaded bezel mounts. The cabochons alternate with pairs of stud-like protrusions that contrast with the Victorian-like settings. The cuff is unmarked, but looks to be a white base metal on the inside with a good bit of surface wear and bubbling; the outer portion is silverplated and shows tarnish. One of the cabochons exhibits chips at the edge of the mount, but is stable (see Photos 1 and 3). There are indentations at the edges of two other cabochons (see Photos 4 and 5); they look like chips but are smooth and are probably manufacturing flaws in the mold. They are hardly noticeable. The bracelet shape is primarily intact. It has about a 7-inch internal circumference, including the 1 1/8-inch gap between terminals; it measures 1 ¼ inches wide.

Here is a stunning example of California maker Francisco Rebajes’ jewelry designs. The necklace is constructed of stylized leaves linked by folding the top of one over the next, to produce a sinuous movement. The silver-plated finish is brushed to soften the patina, and shows some tarnish. The tongue-and-groove clasp is in good working order, and bears the Rebajes mark. The necklace measures just under 16 inches long by 3/4 inch wide.