Joseff of Hollywood (1905 – 1948)
3-row chain bracelet
1930s/1940s
sign. Early signature
Special matte alloy, the composition of which Joseff, who died in a plane crash, took with him to his grave.
Joseff of Hollywood was founded by Eugene Joseff. The firm was particularly noted for creating costume jewelry for many of the biggest films and movie stars of the 1930s and 1940s, including Shirley Temple in The Little Princess, Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind and Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra.
Much of the jewelry seen in the movies was rented to studios, rather than being sold outright. For example, the bracelets and necklace worn by Marilyn Monroe in "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" were made by Joseff's and rented to the studio. Many were designed for film studios out of a copper–gold alloy called Russian gold (rose gold), which was less reflective than polished gold and therefore not as likely to create unwanted reflections under studio lighting conditions.
Joseff was instrumental in convincing film studios in the 1930s to use more costumes appropriate to the historial period, including jewelry that was historically relevant
About Vintage Costume Jewelry:
Costume jewelry– also known as Fashion Jewelry– was especially made popular in the mid-20th century. While their materials were less precious than real gold and diamonds, using glass stones, semi-precicious stones and lead and brass, many big fashion houses and designers produced highly complex pieces of jewelry that stand for craftmanship that today can only be found in so-called Haute Joaillerie. Most famously, Coco Chanel popularized the use of “faux jewelry”, bringing costume jewelry to life with gold and faux pearls. Chanel's designs drew from various historical styles, including Byzantine and Renaissance influences, often featuring crosses and intricate metalwork. Her collaboration with glassmakers, such as the Gripoix family (Maison Gripoix), introduced richly colored glass beads and simulated gemstones, which added depth to her creations without the high cost of traditional precious stones.
Elsa Schiaparelli– Chanel’s lifelong rival– brought surrealist influences into costume jewelry design, famously collaborating with Salvador Dalí and Jean Cocteau. She created the House of Schiaparelli in Paris in 1927, celebrating Surrealism and eccentric fashions. Her collections were famous for unconventional and artistic themes like the human body, insects, or trompe-l'œil, and for the use of bright colors like her "shocking pink". While Schiaparelli had to close her avant-garde business in the late 1950s and was forgotten for decades, her designs have recently been rediscovered and are celebrated for their bold design.
In many instances, high-end custome jewelry has achieved a "collectible" status and increased value over time. Today, there is a substantial secondary market for vintage fashion jewelry. The main collecting market is for 'signed pieces', which have the maker's mark, usually stamped on the reverse. Amongst the most sought after are Miriam Haskell, Sherman, Coro, Butler and Wilson, Crown Trifari, and Sphinx.
The term signed however is an invention that only reached European production in the late 1950s- when American buyers started to ask for authentification to distinguish high class designers from mass-produced pieces, while in Europe all costume jewelry had been issued by the fashion houses themselves and hence remained somewhat exclusive from the start.
Joseff of Hollywood (1905 – 1948)
3-row chain bracelet
1930s/1940s
sign. Early signature
Special matte alloy, the composition of which Joseff, who died in a plane crash, took with him to his grave.
Joseff of Hollywood was founded by Eugene Joseff. The firm was particularly noted for creating costume jewelry for many of the biggest films and movie stars of the 1930s and 1940s, including Shirley Temple in The Little Princess, Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind and Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra.
Much of the jewelry seen in the movies was rented to studios, rather than being sold outright. For example, the bracelets and necklace worn by Marilyn Monroe in "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" were made by Joseff's and rented to the studio. Many were designed for film studios out of a copper–gold alloy called Russian gold (rose gold), which was less reflective than polished gold and therefore not as likely to create unwanted reflections under studio lighting conditions.
Joseff was instrumental in convincing film studios in the 1930s to use more costumes appropriate to the historial period, including jewelry that was historically relevant
About Vintage Costume Jewelry:
Costume jewelry– also known as Fashion Jewelry– was especially made popular in the mid-20th century. While their materials were less precious than real gold and diamonds, using glass stones, semi-precicious stones and lead and brass, many big fashion houses and designers produced highly complex pieces of jewelry that stand for craftmanship that today can only be found in so-called Haute Joaillerie. Most famously, Coco Chanel popularized the use of “faux jewelry”, bringing costume jewelry to life with gold and faux pearls. Chanel's designs drew from various historical styles, including Byzantine and Renaissance influences, often featuring crosses and intricate metalwork. Her collaboration with glassmakers, such as the Gripoix family (Maison Gripoix), introduced richly colored glass beads and simulated gemstones, which added depth to her creations without the high cost of traditional precious stones.
Elsa Schiaparelli– Chanel’s lifelong rival– brought surrealist influences into costume jewelry design, famously collaborating with Salvador Dalí and Jean Cocteau. She created the House of Schiaparelli in Paris in 1927, celebrating Surrealism and eccentric fashions. Her collections were famous for unconventional and artistic themes like the human body, insects, or trompe-l'œil, and for the use of bright colors like her "shocking pink". While Schiaparelli had to close her avant-garde business in the late 1950s and was forgotten for decades, her designs have recently been rediscovered and are celebrated for their bold design.
In many instances, high-end custome jewelry has achieved a "collectible" status and increased value over time. Today, there is a substantial secondary market for vintage fashion jewelry. The main collecting market is for 'signed pieces', which have the maker's mark, usually stamped on the reverse. Amongst the most sought after are Miriam Haskell, Sherman, Coro, Butler and Wilson, Crown Trifari, and Sphinx.
The term signed however is an invention that only reached European production in the late 1950s- when American buyers started to ask for authentification to distinguish high class designers from mass-produced pieces, while in Europe all costume jewelry had been issued by the fashion houses themselves and hence remained somewhat exclusive from the start.
