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VINTAGE JEWELRY DESIGNERS - T AND U TARA: Tara is the trademark of Tara Jewels Co. located in Los Angeles, CA. Wide variety of jewelry and wide range of quality with rhinestone pieces usually displaying the better quality. probably sold through home parties. Usually marked Tara on a metal tag attached to a necklace chain or back of each piece. TERAN, SALVADOR: Salvador Vaca Teran trained at William Spratling's Las Delicias. He left there, along with his four cousins the Castillo brothers, and designed jewelry for Los Castillo. He opened his own worksho in Mexico City in 1952. His jewelry displays pre-Columbian motifs and is of very high quality, often enhanced with intentional oxidization. Marked Salvador in script. Still being made. Very collectible and priced accordingly. TORTOLANI: Founded by Francisco Tortolani circa 1950. Ceased operations circa 1976. Jewelry was hand-cast in pewter and finished in gold or silver plate. Sometimes enameled, seldom used ornamental stone. Signed Tortolani. Can be found on the market. Tortolani is currently making reissues of some of their old designs. The thing to remember is that the copyright sign is BELOW the signature on re-issues. The older pieces have the copyright symbol in front of the T in Tortolani. Also, they have added a "pimple" to the new signature - a bump that you can feel rather than see. TOWLE SILVERSMITHS: Anthony Towle apprenticed with the descendants of William Moulton who was the first recorded American silversmith. In 1857, Anthony Towle established a partnership with William Jones, founding the Towle and Jones Company. He and his son founded AF Towle & Son in 1873 which later became the Towle Manufacturing Company and finally Towle Silversmiths. Acquired by Syratech Corporation in 1990 and continues operation. TRIFARI: Gustavo Trifari was born in Naples, Italy in 1883 and trained as a goldsmith under his grandfather, Luigi. In 1904 he emigrated to New York and began working with an uncle making costume jewelry. Circa 1910, he and his uncle founded Trifari and Trifari. Circa 1912, Gustavo branched out on his own and began to make high-quality pieces under the name Trifari. In 1917, sales manager Leo Krussman came on board and in 1918 they founded Trifari and Krussman. In 1925 the company becomes Trifari, Krussman and Fishel (TKF) after Carl Fishel joins as a salesman. In 1930 designer Alfred Phillippe joins as chief designer. Phillippe retired in 1968. He initiated the practice of using multi-colored Swarovski rhinestones which were hand-set. Trifari was purchased by Hallmark in the late 1970s. Produced a wide range of jewelry and a wide range of quality. The most sought after pieces are the early Trifari and pieces designed by Alfred Phillippe. They used many different signatures. T under a crown since 1939, KTF since 1935, KTF with the T saddled with a crown since 1954. TRUEART: Founded circa 1940s in Providence, Rhode Island as Hingeco Vanities. Primarily floral designs in Sterling and vermeil. Possibly ceased operations circa 1950s. UNCAS: Founded by Vincent Sorrentino and John E. Lanigan in Providence, Rhode Island in 1911 as the Sorrentino & Lanigan Company which was later acquired by Vincent and renamed Sorrento Ring Company. Became Uncas Manufacturing Company in 1915. Manufactured a wide variety of jewelry, but best known for rings. Signed Uncas or a U with an arrow through it. Also see under Sorrento. Other trademarks used were Coronado, Christian, Heritage, Vincenzo, Sorrento, Corsini. UNGER BROTHERS: Founded in 1872 for the production of fine silverware. Circa 1890, the company began manufacturing sterling silver jewelry in the Art Nouveau style featuring floral or foliate motifs, cherubs, animals, females or American Indian images. Ceased operations in 1914. |
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