Charming brushed silver Christmas tree pin by Tortolani.  Metal branches are decorated with a metal pine cone, star and bell sprinkled with red and green rhinestones topped off with a candle.  This three dimensional brooch can also stand up on the flat round base and prove to be a tiny decoration around the house each December in addition to it’s wearability.

Measurements

Brooch measures 2 ^5/8 inches tall by 1 ^5/8 inches at it’s widest.

Condition

Some surface scratching.

Grade: Excellent

Hollycraft made excellent rhinestone pieces and this brooch in varying shades of purple is no exception. Hollycraft was among the very few costume jewelry companies to date their jewelry. This piece is from 1952. Tiered three dimensional pin has round, marquise, and oval stone in a variety of sizes. Colors range from a light lavender to a deep amethyst.

Measurements

Brooch measures 2 inches by 2.25 inches

Condition

Just a little glue residue and some loss of plating to the pin back.

Grade: Excellent

Ribbons of pavé set rhinestones and baguettes create a pinwheel design. This 1940s brooch is very much in the design of Bogoff although it is actually marked ALBION.

Measurements

This brooch measures over 3 inches in diameter.

Condition

This brooch is in very good condition with very few flaws. One baguette appears to have come loose and been glued back in upside down. It is visible in the last photo. There are some points of wear to the plating on the reverse. Just a couple of very small spots where the plating is missing.  Rhinestones have a hint of yellowing, but it appears far worse in photos than in reality.

Grade:Very Good

This striking flower basket necklace by Hollycraft is dated 1950 on the reverse. It has a gilt metal chain and castings, the latter set with blue and clear crystal rhinestones. The smaller flower has citrine colored, crystal rhinestone petals. A similar necklace by Hollycraft (only in pink) can be found on page 167 of Judith Miller’s 2003 book, Costume Jewelry. It was given a value at the time, of $280-$320.

Measurements

16.5 inches in wearable length

Center piece is 1.75 in length and 1.25 inches in width.

Condition

There is a small amount of foil loss on the rhinestones near the clasp of this necklace. The stones are cut to a fine point and are in an open backed setting. The foil has just barely worn off the very tips.

Grade: Excellent

Tailored earrings in gold toned metal with faux pearls by Marcel Boucher. Quality design and construction are evident. Faux pearl spray is riveted to the leaf’s center. Each earring is marked several times including the © BOUCHER mark, indicating it was manufactured post 1955.  One earring also carries the inventory number 7398. They sit at an angle on the ear with the pearls up against the face and the leaf running up the ear lobe.

Measurements

Leaf is over 1.5 inches in length and the earring is 1 inch at it’s widest.

Condition

On the tips of the leaf stem, some of the gold toned plating has come off. It is visible in the photo.

Grade: Very Good

Earrings with small clear rhinestones accenting a bright red cabochon of considerable depth. Set in gold toned metal. Back of each clip is marked KARU Arké INC. KARU is a contraction of the two founders names, Kaufman & Ruderman, Inc. of New York City.

An interesting side note, The Man In the Moon, comedian Andy Kaufman was the son of one of the founders of this company.

Measurements

7/8 inch tall 3/4 inch in width Cabochon is 3/8 inch high

Condition

Only minimal wear to the plating on one earring.

Grade: Excellent

Absolutely magnificent drop earrings and enormous floral brooch in pastel rhinestones marked Hollycraft 1953. Brilliance is the hallmark of this set! Classic example of the traditional Hollycraft style. Gold toned metal.

Measurements

Earrings measure 2 1/8″ long and 1 1/4″ at their widest. Brooch measures 2 1/2″ in diameter.

Condition

The finest set of Hollycraft I have had the pleasure of selling in quite sometime. The brooch is Near Mint with slight wear to the metal on the reverse. The earrings are in Very Good condition. On each earring the lavender stones on either sides of the center pink tear drop stone look a little foggy. There is also a little wear to the metal on the reverse.

Brooch Grade: Excellent

Earring Grade: Very good

Call it what you like. Black faceted glass, French Jet or sometimes it even looks like hematite. Graduated, three strand choker necklace appears to have originally had a hematite style coating that has worn away a bit. Cut steel spacers. Center piece is silver toned filigree heavily accented with wire work a la Miriam Haskell. Metal leaves, wired prong set rose montees, faceted black glass prong set stones in pear, emerald and round cut shapes. The reverse of the center piece is covered with a piece of filigree. Attached is an oval cartouche that reads DeMario NY.

Measurements

Necklace adjusts in length from 14 inches to 15.5 inches. Centerpiece measures nearly 1.5 inches in length and 1.75 inches in width.

Condition

This necklace has wear from use. The sliver colored coating has worn down to the brass beneath in several spots. Including the metal leaves in front, the fish hook clasp and also the reverse of the centerpiece. One spot is clearly visible in the photo of the signature. One of the centers of the flowers has movement, but does not appear to be truly loose or in danger of coming undone. There are knicks to many of the beads. They are small, but none the less they’re there. There are some very small spots where there is a little verdigris. Several cut steel spacers are a little rusty. These are all things I did not notice until I went to carefully inspect the condition of this necklace before listing here. A thorough, careful cleaning would do wonders. Someone loved this necklace and wore it often.

Shown with a 1976 bicentennial quarter to give a size reference.

Grade: Good

Ah, the delight of Hollycraft, one of the very few vintage costume jewelry companies to actuallry date their jewelry.  Spectacular and large rhinestone earrings are signed HOLLYCRAFT CORP. 1957. These earrings begin, at the bottom in a floral motif and scroll up the ear in light blue rhinestones with sapphire colored rhinestones falling through the middle. Only one earring is marked. Set in antiqued gold toned metal. Perhaps you have the matching necklace or bracelet. Make your own parure!

Measurements

1.25 inches in height, 1 inch wide and 1.25 inches on the diagonal.

Condition

These earrings have no found flaws.

Grade: Excellent

Magnificent three dimensional brooch of black facet glass in marquise and pear shapes set in dogtooth prongs. The pièce de résistance is the large black glass tear drop that is uniquely attached on the reverse. Regrettably, every photo shows the reflection of my camera/hands in this stone. I assure you it is clear and simply a dark pool of reflection. Another layer of prong set stones is wired on top of the tear drop. Back of brooch has applied oval plaque that reads SCHREINER NEW YORK.

Measurements

2.5 inches at it’s widest 1.75 inches in length 1 inch in depth

Condition

A few of the prongs are not set on the stones perfectly straight. The pin back is not the same color metal as the rest of the brooch. I cannot tell if it has been replaced. It fits into the clasp quite nicely and the lock mechanism turns freely. It’s really neither here nor there as no one will even be able to see it while you are wearing this high style brooch. They’ll be too busy asking questions and trying not to drool on your black beauty.

Grade: Very Good