International and Europe Signed Vintage Jewellery

Worldwide signed vintage jewellery information and guide - Companies and manufacturer that originated from outside the UK information

We are refering to vintage jewellery that is signed or how to recognise unsigned pieces.

Information that we will add to gradually for general reference

To buy signed vintage jewellery

Avon - Company started around the 1880s. A door to door bookseller hit on the idea to also sell fragrances - and the company was in business. First called The California Perfume company. In 1939 the company became Avon Products. In 1965 the company produced its first vintage jewellery. They were pieces that also had solid perfume compartments. The first ones were - an bow brooch/pendant, cameo pin, solid perfume locket, owl, leaf. As well as rings, tie tack (Bue Blaze), pillbox and wishing charm necklace.Many other pieces followed and they still produce jewellery today. Famous designers for Avon have been: kenneth J Lane, Elizabeth Taylor, Coreen Simpson, Jose Barrera, Celia Feraud, Shaill Jhaveri with many collections including the collectible Egyptian Revival. Signature AVON with or without the ©. The initials some times seen are not the designer but an internal code used for the company who manufactured the piece. Eg SH, NR, MR, etc        

BJ

Unknown manufacturer  - would suggest imported from China during the eighties and nineties. Seemed to have produced a wide range of jewellery from the whimsical, animal, cameo and floral. In brooches and necklaces

Capri Jewelry Inc - This company was based at 392, 5Th Avenue, New York, USA. They were in production from 1952 until about 1977. One source sites that the owner was a Sol Smith. The jewelry company called DelNicola was incorporated into the Capri company around the sixties. Underrated beautiful and well made. They produced the usual pieces: necklaces, bracelets, earrings and brooches from rhinestones, mock pearls and art glass. Jewelry advertisements can be found on the Internet. Signed Capri and ©Capri in block capitals.  

Cardin Pierre Italian born designer who lives and works in France.Renowned for his space age and Avant Garde designs. Originally working with Elsa Schiparelli and then head of Christian Dior. Founding his own empire in 1950s, he went on to design not only vintage jewellery but couture clothing, accessories, perfume, cars and he purchased Maxim's restaurant chain. Prefering geometric shapes and motifs and showing such an elegance in design. Pierre Cardin also holds theatre for show casing his creations. as well as music festivals. Logo is a curved P signature. 

Coro

Coventry Sarah Started in 1949 by the C H Stuart company. Selling at fashion and home parties, with department stores in the late eighties to early nineties. In the 1960s the company expanded and began home selling in England, Scotland, Canada, Belgium and Australia. Reaching its peak in the 1980s the company went into decline and stopped trading in the mid nineties. However had a brief revival in 2003 in the US.

Huge amount of vintage jewelry and accessories can be found today still - brooches, necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, men's jewelry, children's jewelry, scarves and key rings. 

Each collection was advertised in brochures which helps dating. Several books have also been written which are also invaluable for the name of each piece and matching items. Advertisements in magazines can be found.   

Jewelry signed Sarah Coventry or an abbreviation: S C, Sarah Cov, Also marked targeted country on some jewellery i.e GB and Canada.    

Emmons See Sarah Coventry. Emmons started in 1949 in the US by the same company C H Stuart Co. The jewelry was most of the times the same but marked differently. Sarah Coventry name became the main line selling at home parties.

Marked signature Emmons

Frey Michaela Vienna enamel artist founded her company in 1851 in Austria. She made beautiful enamelled vintage jewelry. Brooches, bracelets, bangles, earrings, etc. The international company is now under the ownership of Friedrich Willie, a partner in 1972 who took over sole ownership in 1992. In 2002 the company became known as Frey Willie. Michaela died in 1980. The company is known in the international airport stores as well as shops world wide and selective stores. Michaela Frey's early made vintage jewelry is highly sought after

Hong Kong Following the ceasation of the British Empire in the sixties , Hong Kong began to import vintage jewelry across the world. Cheaper than most of the established manufacturers, this contributed to many of them closing. Signed Hong Kong on the clasps. Now collectible in their own right.

Jewelcraft - see Coro

Jonette Jewelry - JJ

Lane Kenneth J

Mali Hand crafted jewelry from the African continent. Well made and signed Mali. Similar to JJ in pewter. 

Monet

Napier

Sherman 1947 - 1981 Canada's finest vintage costume jewelry producer. Gustave Sherman in Montreal. Produced gorgeous rhinestone and crystal jewelry including earrings, necklaces, bracelets and brooches. Aurora borealis effect on his stones is thought to predate the stated start date of use in 1956. Used Swarovski crystal in his vintage jewellery and rhodium plating especially to the back of the vintage jewelry. Unfortunately many of his pieces were not signed. Those that were can be dated from the type of signature

Sherman in script on an oval plaque is the earliest for the 1950s. In a rectangle the 1960s.

Identification - a square rhinestone tag at the very end of the necklaces.

They do sparkle is one of their characteristic features due to the Swarovski stones

If you like very sparkling vintage rhinestone vintage jewelry then this is one to collect.

Taylor Elizabeth

Trifari

Vendome - see Coro

West Germany - Western Germany vintage jewellery will only date between the years 1949 to 1990 when the republic of Western germany was in existance.

Willie Frey - see Michaela Frey