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VINTAGE JEWELRY DESIGNERS - H AND I Hagler, Stanley: (pr: HAY gler) Born in the United States in 1923. In the late 1940s he briefly worked as a business advisor to Miriam Haskell. He began creating his own designs in the late 1950s. There are two designers associated with this company: Stanley Hagler from the 1950s and Ian St Gielar from 1989. Stanley Hagler retired in 1993 and died in 1996. Jewelry continues to be produced under Stanley Hagler & Company. His jewelry employed the finest materials and Russian gold plated filigree. They were handwired and stones and crystals were prong-set. His jewelry was often multi-purpose. Necklace clasps could be used as brooches, necklaces could be used as double bracelets. The marks from the 1950s are Stanley Hagler printed straight across an oval disc. After moving to Florida in 1983, the signature changed to Stanley Hagler N.Y.C on the curve of the oval. Jewelry with the tag Stanley Hagler NYC (with no periods) was designed by Ian St Gielar since Hagler's death in 1996. Very collectible, scarce on the market and priced accordingly. Halbe: Pat Seal of Illusion Jewels states that she has ads dating back to 1950 and knows they were still in business in 1963. Had addresses in New York and with the Bond Boyd Co. of Toronto, Canada. Nice quality jewelry. Hand & Hammer: Founded in 1979 by Bill and Chip deMatteo and a small group of other craftsmen including Philip Thorp in Williamsburg, Virginia. Produce silver jewelry of high quality. Collectible and the price will probably rise. Har: The mystery jewelry! There is no information on the company that made Har jewelry other than the fact that it was made in New York in the 1950s to the mid 1960s. Har jewelry shows quality workmanship and fine metalwork. Very distinctive range of exotic, fantastical designs. Scarce and highly collectible. Haskell, Miriam: Born in Cannelton, IN in 1899. She moved to New York in 1924 and opened a costume jewelry shop in the McAlpin Hotel. She was not a designer herself, but was able to spot the potential in others. She established the Miriam Haskell Company in 1926. She appointed Frank Hess, a window-dresser at Macy's, her chief designer. She started trademarking her jewelry in the 1940s. In 1960 Robert F. Clark became the chief designer and in the 1970s Larry Vrba became the chief designer. In the 1980s, Millie Petronzio was the chief designer. Miriam Haskell died in 1981. Haskell and hess, and later designers, traveled abroad to find the best materials. Notable are glass beads from Murano, Italy, faceted crystals from Austria, faux pearls from Japan. Her jewelry was handwired often with filigree antiqued gilt metal. Can be found on the market and are highly collectible and priced accordingly. Early pieces are unsigned. When signed, they are marked Miriam Haskell. Jewelry is still being produced today, but of a much lesser quality. The new jewelry is either privately labeled (such as J-Lo) or signed Haskell or M. Haskell. Hickok: Hickok Manufacturing Company Inc of Rochester New York has been in operation since the early 1900s. Major manufacturer of men's jewelry and accessories. Often marked in hard to see places. Used signature Hickok and also HMCO, Savoy, Dristol and a dozen others. Hobe: (pr: HOE Bay) Jacques Hobe, a mid 19th century Parisian goldsmith, was recognized throughout Western Europe as a producer of fine jewelry. He had three sons who continued the tradition. One son, also named Jacques, saw great potential in the use of machinery and automation brought about by the Industrial Revolution. His son, William, made the name Hobe famous for its mass-produced costume jewelry. The legend perpetuated by the Hobe family is as follows: William Hobe worked as a representative of a German company selling theatrical costumes. He came to New York and approached Florence Ziegfeld, of the famed Ziegfeld Follies, to purchase their costumes. Florence placed a large order and also asked William to create inexpensive but real looking jewelry to complement the showgirls' costumes. According to this legend, the term"costume jewelry" was coined by Florence Ziegfeld when he referred to the jewelry purchased from William for his showgirls. Also according to the legend, this was how Hobe began producing costume jewelry. Hobe jewelry employes excellent designs with high quality stones and superior silver or gold plated metalwork. Hobe advertisements of the 1950s claimed tha the jewelry was handmade in its entirety. Post WW II jewelry is usually signed Hobe, registered in 1948 and in use since January, 1926. Hobe inside a geometric frame such as an oval (1958-1983), a triangle (1933-1957), Hobe in a crown and Hobe under crossed swords which are pre 1900s were also signatures that were used. From 1903 to 1917, Hobe written with an accent mark in an oval cartouche. From 1918-1932 a house-shaped outline has Hobe in the first line and second line is Design Pat. Hollycraft: In 1948, Joseph Chorbagian, his cousin Archie and friend Jack Hazard formed the Hollycraft Jewelry Company on Broadway in New York City. During their first two years of business, all jewelry was signed Hollycraft. In 1950 the company began marking their pieces with the year of manufacture. Their jewelry is known for excellent designs, a rainbow of rhinestones and occasional enameling. The rhinestones are usually pastel in color. Discontinued business in the 1960s. Very collectible jewelry with rising prices. Howard & Co: Established in Providence, Rhode Island in 1878. Changed name to Hward Sterling Company in 1891. Plated and sterling jewelry signed with an ornamental lower-case h and a four-leaf clover. Ceased operations circa 1902. Very collectible. Iskin Manufacturing Company: Founded by Harry Iskin in Philadelphia circa late 1920s. Focused on production of specialty silver jewelry. Most of the jewelry found on the market dates to the 1930s and 1940s. Signed in an oval with an I superimposed on an H and sterling on the second line. |
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