VINTAGE JEWELRY DESIGNERS - V THROUGH Z
VAN DELL: Founded in Providence, Rhode Island in 1943. Manufactured sterling and gold plated jewelry with rhinestones, simulated gemstones and both cultured and faux pearls. Usually of high quality. Marked with company name. Other trademarks used were Precious All and Younger Lady. Found on the market for reasonable prices which are expected to rise.
VARGAS: (pr: VAR gas) Founded in Providence, Rhode Island circa 1945. Specialized in children's jewelry but also produced costume jewelry. Some is in sterling silver, but most is gold plated. Expanded in 1980 by acquiring McGrath-Hamin, Inc. - manufacturers of rings since 1907. Company is still is business. Signed Vargas or with a V over a geometric diamond. Children's jewelry may be marked Cradle Craft.
VENDOME: Established as a subsidiary of Coro to manufacture a superior line of jewelry. Mark used as early as 1944. Principal designer was helen Marion. High quality metalwork, imported rhinestones and faceted crystal beads. Very collectible and should continue to rise in price.
VICTORIA: Victoria was the mark of Ana Maria Nunez de Brilanti and also the name of her silver shop in Taxco which she opened in 1940. She used her background in art (she trained as a painter and taught art in Mexico City before moving to Taxco with her husband and five children) by designing jewelry and having the pieces produced in silver. In 1953 she helped her daughter open a shop which sold silver jewelry produced at the Plateria Victoria. This jewelry was stamped Victoria Cony. The shop was closed in 1975 and the workshop in 1978. Ana later opened another smaller shop which sold jewelry produced by others, some in her own designs. She is still living and working in Taxco and Cony is also in business. The vintage jewelry designed by Ana and produced in her workshop is signed Victoria in semi-circular form. Very collectible and priced accordingly.
VIKING CRAFT: Founded as the Albert Horwig Company using the trademark Viking Craft circa 1940 in New York City. Sterling silver jewelry of high quality with Scandinavian themes.
VOGUE: Vogue was the trademark of the Park Importing Company of New York City on its faux pearl and beaded costume jewelry. The vogue company was founded in 1936 by Harold Shapiro, Jack Gilbert and George Grant. Shapiro family sold their interest in Vogue in 1962. Ceased operations in 1973. Relatively scarce on the market - especially pieces from the 1930s and 1940s.
As a side note, in 1963 Shapiro's son Bernard and craftsman Lester Joy combined their names and founded Les Bernard, Inc.
VOLUPTE: Founded in 1926 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Ceased operations in the late 1950s. Best known for compacts, etc. Also produced a limited quantity of costume jewelry in gold or silver tone metal. Many have a soldered tag stamped Volupte.
WALDMAN: No definitive information. Probably ceased operations in the 1970s. their mark is often illegible, but is Waldman. Scarce on the market.
WARNER: Founded by Joseph Warner in 1953. Ceased operations sometime in the 1970s. The jewelry displays quality workmanship, materials and stones - often mounted on japanned (black) metal. Not common on the market. The most sought after pieces seem to be the open-and-shut mechanicals. Prices will most likely continue to rise.
WEISS: (pr: WICE) Albert Weiss was a Coro employee during the 1930s. In 1942, he established the Weiss Company in New York City. The company did so well that by the 1950-1960 era, some of its work was contracted out to Hollycraft. Albert retired in the 1960s and his son Michael took over the company. Ceased operations in 1971. Their jewelry was high quality with superior Austrian rhinestones. Stones were handset. Weiss introduced the gray rhinestone that started the Black Diamond trend and also started Christmas tree brooches. Pieces are marked Weiss in script or block letters. Albert Weiss or AW Co with the W shaped like a crown. Not all Weiss pieces are signed. They also manufactured jewelry for wholesale to stores such as JC Penney and Sears & Roebuck who sold them in their own presentation boxes. Not uncommon on the market. Prises will continue to rise.
WELLS: No definitive information. Manufacturer of sterling silver jewelry. The signatures Wells and Wells Sterling may have been marks used by the Wells-Jewelart Co. which was out of business by the late 1970s. Lovely, traditional designs sometimes plated with yellow or rose gold. Can be found on the market at affordable prices.
WHITING & DAVIS: CW Whiting worked as a young boy for a chain manufacturing company that was founded in Massachusettes in 1876 by William Wade and Edward P Davis. he soon became a partner and eventually owner in 1907. They were primarily known for their beautiful, finely woven gold and silver mesh evening bags. In 1907 they began producing jewelry, including high quality reproductions of antique jewelry. Often used silver or silver plated metal as a base. Signed Whiting & Davis (sometimes in a cartouche), WC Co and W&D. Not uncommon on the market and currently at affordable prices.
WIESNER: (pr: WEEZ Ner) No real definitive information. There were several firms with similar names. Wiesner of Miami and Joseph Wiesner of New York. Possibly in business for a short period of time. Jewelry is generally of better than average quality.
YSL: Yves Saint Laurent was a protege of Christian Dior. he established his own fashion house in 1962. He introduced his jewelry line in 1970s.