Stanley Hagler Jewelry

Stanley Hagler  Jewelry 

part one

Stanley Haglcr described his elaborate and vivid costume jewelry designs as "just plain pretty." Adorning the decolletage, wrists, or earlobes of the rich, famous, and beautiful, his work is so much more than "pretty."

Hagler was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1923.





 A veteran of World War II, he graduated from the University of Denver with a law degree in 1949. His design career began in the early 1950s on a dare, when he designed a bracelet "fit for a queen" for Wallace Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor . He established the Stanley Hagler Jewelry Co. in New York's Greenwich Village 1953 with Edward Nakles.



Vogue magazine followed his work with enthusiasm, and the Denver Post described it as "opulent and provocative" in 1956.

He had worked as a business advisor to Miriam Haskell in the late 1940s, and his jewelry was heavily influenced by Frank I less's designs, with both designers favoring intricate floral motifs. Hagler also produced Oriental-inspired pieces and figural work, such as butterflies. However, he is perhaps best known for another Haskell theme—his faux baroque pearls, which displayed exceptional luminosity.



 Hand-blown beads were dipped up to 15 times in pearl resin, and individually strung to emphasize their quality.

Haglcr's choice of other components was no less exacting: hand- blown "art glass" stones from Murano; Swarovski crystals in clear, vibrant pinks, coral, purples, and greens; rose montees; seed pearls and seed beads; and exceptional Russian gold-plated filigree all feature, as do more unusual materials such as earved-bone flowers.




 His work was hand-wired—"manipulated jewelry," as he described it to the Vintage Fashion and Costume Jewelry Club in 1995.

Hagler's attention to detail made his designs exemplary. To this end, ₍₎jeces were adaptable: accessories could be added to change the look earrings; necklace clasps doubled as hair clips or pins; necklaces used to be worn as bracelets; and pieces were designed to look as ncjining from the back as the front.

Through the 1950s and 1960s, he designed collections for New York's biannual Press Week fashion shows, which he described as "Shocko" pieces, as opposed to the more feminine designs lie favored normally. In 1968, Hagler won the Sv\aro\ ski-sponsored "Great Designs in Jewelry" award for the first of 11 times. In the 1950s, many costume jewelry companies produced Christmas tree pins, of which Hagler's are considered exceptional. Also immensely popular was his range of jeweled crosses, as worn by Madonna.

In the 1970s, Hagler used found metal off-cuts from instruments to create a structural, modern range, called "Tomorrow." Although appreciated for its originality, it did not sell well.

Hagler later moved to Europe for a time, where he worked in precious stones, gold, and silver. However, he found that his clients still demanded his characteristic jeweled and beaded pieces and he returned to New York.

In 1989 lan St Gielar  joined the company as chief designer and in 1993 the business relcoated to Florida. After Stanley Hagler's death in 1996, the company was continued, with St Gielar at its head.

Marks include "Stanley Hagler" straight across an oval disk, from the 1950s until 1983; "Stanley Hagler N.Y.C." on the curve of the oval from 1983 until cl993; while "Stanley Hagler N.Y.C" was used from 1993 onward for designs by Ian St Gielar, who also used tags bearing his own name from this date. Reproductions made by former employees of I lagler's are also on the market, bearing Hagler marks.

Stanley Hagler Jewelry

Stanley Hagler Jewellery review  

Part two

Hlagler's attention to detail made his designs exemplary.

 To this end, pieces were adaptable: accessories could be added to change the look of earrings; necklace clasps doubled as hair clips or pins; necklaces could be worn as bracelets; and pieces were designed to look as stunning from the back as the front.

 A design classic, his "wardrobe necklace" consisted of three necklaces made up of two strands of pearls, held together with a large, oval, gold vermeil pin. Each element could be worn separately or in a range of combinations.

Hagler also designed non-jewelry items, such as boudoir clocks, and gold filigree box bags, as part of his "boutique" collection, and created a collection of Obi sashes, bedecked with large pendants, for Japan's Seibu department stores.

Through the 1950s and 1960s, he designed collections for New York's biannual Press Week fashion shows, which he described as "Shocko" pieces, as opposed to the more feminine designs he favored normally.

 In 1968, Hagler won the Swarovski-sponsored "Great Designs in Jewelry" award for the first of 11 times. In the 1950s, many costume jewelry companies produced Christmas tree pins, of which Hagler's are considered exceptional. Also immensely popular was his range of jeweled crosses, as worn by Madonna.

In the 1970s, Hagler used found metal off-cuts from instruments to create a structural, modern range, called "Tomorrow." Although appreciated for its originality, it did not sell well.

Hagler later moved to Europe for a time, where lie worked in precious stones, gold, and silver. However, he found that his clients still demanded his characteristic jeweled and beaded pieces and he returned to New York.

In 1989 Ian St Gielar  joined the company as chief designer and in 1993 the business relcoated to Florida. After Stanley Hagler's death in 1996, the company was continued, w ith St Giclar at its head.

Marks include "Stanley Hagler" straight across an oval disk, from the 1950s until 1983; "Stanley Hagler N.Y.C." on the curve of the oval from 1983 until cl993; while "Stanley Hagler N.Y.C" was used from 1993 onward for designs by Ian St Gielar, who also used tags bearing his own name from this date. Reproductions made by former employees of Hagler's are also on the market, bearing Hagler marks.

Trifari

Trifari

Trifari is probably the most successful and best known costume

jewelry manufacturer. Under the aegis of talented designer Alfred Philippe, the Italian-American company produced a vast range of finely crafted, innovative styles in the mid-20th century.

Trifari

Born in Naples in 1883, Gustavo Trifari trained as a goldsmith under his grandfather.

 He emigrated from Italy to New York City in 1904 and worked with his uncle making costume jewellery. In 1910, they set up a company together called Trifari & Trifari, but Gustavo soon went his own way, establishing Trifari in 1912 to produce high- quality pieces.


In 1917, Leo Krussman joined as sales manager and a year later, having achieved some commercial success, the company became Trifari & Krussman. Karl Fishcl was hired as a salesman in 1923 and helped the company grow further. By 1925, it had become Trifari, Krussman & Fishel (TKF), but was still known as Trifari.

Trifari

Trifari became a success story thanks to the quality and range of its jewelry. In the 1930s, the public's attention was captured by the company's designs for Broadway shows such as Roberta, and the Trifari pieces worn by many Hollywood and Broadway stars.





 Alfred Philippe had joined as head designer in 1930, taking Trifari to new heights with his imaginative designs and quality of production. It became the second largest costume jewelry firm in the United States, after Coro. Under Philippe, the company produced two of its most successful lines—"Crown" pins and "Jelly Bellies."

Trifari

The "Crown" pins, produced from the late 1930s to the 1950s, included a special series for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Some designs featured brightly colored cabochons, others used clear rhinestones for a sparkling, monochrome effect.


 Alfred Philippe's "Crown" designs from the 1940s feature large cabochons set on heavy vermeil silver, enhanced with rows of colorful rhinestones. These icons of design are avidly sought after and fetch high prices.

Appearing on the market in 1940, the "Jelly Bellies" had a Lucite "pearl" as their feature stone and were set in sterling silver or gold plate. The rarest designs, which include seals, roosters and poodles can command high prices.

Trifari

Due to wartime metal restrictions, Trifari was obliged to use sterling silver, as opposed to base metals, from 1942. This tripled prices but did not have an impact on sales. After the war, Trifari attempted to revert to less expensive metals, but the market now demanded silver. To counter this, in 1947 the company introduced "Trifanium," a special alloy which it used to create cast settings. It was filed, polished, and plated before being set with "gems."

Key designs under Philippe's direction include enameled floral pins from the 1930s. Eye-catching patriotic pins from the 1940s, which promoted the war effort, feature American flags and eagles, and appeal to collectors both of patriotic and co

 SEE PART 2 for more on Trifari

Trifari Jewelry

Trifari  Jewelry

Trifari  Jewelry

Also from the 1940s are Philippe's "Fruit Salad" or "Tutti Frutti" designs: glass stones molded in leaf or fruit shapes, usually in primary red, green, and blue but also in moonstone, eoral, and turquoise, set into white metal and highlighted with pave-set crystals.

 Philippe's "Fruit Salads" were inspired by Carrier's revival of the Egyptian "Tree of Life" style.

 Collectors seek out Trifari's fruit and vegetable pieces too, especially the miniature fruit pins, released from the late 1950s through the 1960s.

 Finished with matte gold- or rhodium plate, these pins were charming worn singly or highly effective in a group. In 1950,

Trifari  Jewelry

 Alfred Philippe released a collection of patented designs, "Clair de Lune," featuring moonstones. He also created "Moghul" jewelry, a range of heavy pieces designed after the abstract forms of royal Indian jewelry, in ruby, sapphire, and emerald colors, set in gold.

During the 1950s, many companies were quick to emulate the successful lines of their rivals but in 1952, Trifari took Coro to court over design copyright infringement. Trifari won its legal battle against

Trifari  Jewelry

Frenchman Alfred Philippe was Trifari's most influential designer. Philippe had previously designed pieces for William Scheer, who produced fine jewelry for Van Cleef & Arpcls and Carder. He drew on this experience, using the best materials and exacting methods, including the invisible setting technique.




Developed for Van Cleef & Arpcls by Philippe, this method was normally reserved for fine jewelry and required an extraordinary level of craftsmanship. It involved fixing stones from the back, so that from the front it appeared as if there were no mount.

Trifari  Jewelry

Philippe's favorite materials included Swarovski crystals, which resulted in the company being nicknamed the "Diamante Kings." Wartime restrictions meant that non-precious metals could not be used, so Philippe used sterling silver, often plated with gold.

His design flair led to the creation of market successes such as his "Crown" pins from the late 1930s to the 1950s, which led to the crown motif being incorporated into the company's logo from cl937, and the widely emulated Lucite "Jelly Bellies."

Trifari  Jewelry

Coro in 1954, establishing copyright for costume jewelry designs as works of art and, from this point onward, Trifari pieces bore the copyright mark.

Trifari's success was so complete that Mamie Eisenhower, the new First Lady, broke with the tradition of wearing tine jewelry at the presidential inauguration, and commissioned costume jewelry designs from Philippe for the inaugural ball in 1953.

Trifari  Jewelry

 To complement her pink satin gown studded with 2000 rhinestones, he designed an "Orientique" pearl choker, bracelet, and earrings. Mamie Eisenhower was delighted with the result and commissioned Trifari again for her second inaugural ball in 1957.

Through the 1950s and early 1960s, Trifari produced parures in textured gilded metal, set with pearls and rhinestones.

Trifari  Jewelry

 They were ideal for daywear and sold in huge numbers. In 1964, Gustavo In fa, Jnr, Louis Krussman, and Carlton Fishel succeeded their fathers as owners of Trifari. Alfred Philippe retired in 1968, handing over to other designers such as Andre Boeuf. Diane Love designed for the company from 1971 to 1974.






In 1975, the three sons sold Trifari to the Hallmark corporation. Liz Claiborne, Inc. has owned it since 2000.

Marks include "Jewels by Trifari,"

"TKF," and "Trifari." All pieces are marked.

Those made after cl937 feature the crown motif, and those after 1952 bear a copyright symbol, too.

Marcel Boucher designer

Marcel Boucher

part one




Known as one of the finest costume jewelry makers of the 20th century, Marcel Boucher was trained at Cartier in Paris. His skills as a precious jeweler can be seen in his costume pieces.

Boucher was born in Paris, France, in 1898 and was an apprentice model-maker at Cartier by the late 1910s. In 1922, he was transferred to the company's New York City office, where he honed his skills.



 However, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 forced him to find work with other firms, many of which were working in costume jewelry, a growth industry thanks to its more affordable materials and products.





He began designing buckles and jewelry pieces for Mazer Brothers on a freelance basis and designed his first line of costume jewelry in 1936, before starting his own company, Boucher et Cie, in 1937.

Boucher got his break in 1939, with a lucrative order from Saks Fifth Avenue for a series of six three-dimensional bird pins.


 The designs were a departure from the rigorous geometry of the Art Deco period, taking sweeping, organic forms, and highlighting them with rhinestones and bright enamels.

Subsequently the company became known for producing innovative designs of exceptional quality.





Typical features include intricate metalwork; the use of rhinestones selected for their similarity in hue and cut to that of real gems as well as top quality faux pearls; and bright, almost translucent, enamel work.

Boucher's often unconventional animal pins have always been 









popular. His early pieces arc rare, and include highly stylized birds of paradise, praying mantises, and other natural forms, such as flowers




. A series of'night and day' flowers that open and close their petals is particularly desirable.

 Also sought after are Boucher's clown pins and a pelican pin, with its articulated beak opening to catch a fish. More common designs include poodle and kitten pins from the 1950s, and the birds and turtles of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

SEE PART 2 OF THIS REVIEW