Resources A-K
JEWELLERY RESEARCH CENTRE
This research page is dedicated to the names and terms you might come across in your search for the perfect vintage jewellery piece. Specialising in gentlemen’s accessories, you will also find some descriptions that relate to women’s jewellery. Use the links below, or just scroll through. Grab a cup of coffee and get comfortable. Enjoy your research!
(search hint: if you think the name you are looking for might be a marketing line, rather than a maker, use Control-F to search the whole page for a single word)
MAKERS
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ITEMS
Ascot Pin – Ascot Tie – Bow Tie – Brooch/Pin – Buckle – Cape Pins – Chatelaine – Collar Bar – Cravat – Cravat Holder – Cravat Pin – Cuff Links – Four-In-Hand – Kum-A-Part – Lingerie Clasps – Money Clip – Mourning Brooch – Necktie – Nippy Clip – Pendant – Pocket Watch – Shoe Clips – Sweater Guard – Tie Clasp – Tie Clasp with Chain – Tie Pin/Tack
ERAS
LIST OF ERAS – ANTIQUE – VINTAGE – COPYRIGHT – VICTORIA & ALBERT – VICTORIAN – EDWARDIAN – ART NOUVEAU – ART DECO – ART MODERN
MATERIALS
Abalone Shell – Damascene – Electroplate – EPNS – German Silver – Gilded – Gold – Gold-Filled – Gold-Plated – Gold-Tone – Gold-Wash – Imitation – Karatklad – Mexican Silver – Nickel Silver – Rolled-Gold – Silver – Silver-Tone – Sterling Silver
ABALONE SHELL
Abalone are molluscs with flattened, spiral-shaped shells, that are found clinging to rocks beneath the ocean’s surface. The innermost layer of abalone shell is composed of nacre, or mother-of-pearl, which is highly iridescent, making it ideal for decorative purposes. Exceptionally strong, nacre is made of microscopic tiles of calcium carbonate, stacked like bricks with organic polymers between the layers. As the layers shift, the polymer stretches. The iridescent appearance and the varying colours are produced when light bounces between the layers of calcium carbonate. Some examples of abalone shell are extremely colourful and much sought-after.
E.A. ADAMS
E.A.Adams & Son Inc, of Rhode Island, US, used to supply jewellery parts to many of the major jewellery houses of America, but went out of business in the early 1980s.
ANSON
Olof Anderson, a Swedish immigrant to USA, founded the Anderson Tool & Die Company in 1938, making items for jewellery manufacturers. During WWII the machinery was adapted to milling machines and entered into war production work. In 1945 Anderson formed Anson Incorporated and began men’s jewellery production. The company was purchased by the C&J Jewelry Group in 1993.
Anson also marketed jewellery lines in the names of Glider, Curvo-gram, Golden Weave, Grip Clip, Kuff Loop, Midg-ette, Nife Slide, Pin-ettes, Sir!, Tri-Slide.
ANTIQUE
In jewellery terms, the word antique can be used to describe items that are 100 years or older.
ASCOT PIN
A decorative stick pin or tie tack used to hold an Ascot Tie in place. Immensely popular in the Edwardian Era, and still worn today.
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ASCOT TIE
A narrow neckband with wide pointed wings. This wide, formal tie is usually patterned, folded over, and fastened with a stickpin or tie tack. The modern Ascot is usually reserved for wear with morning dress for formal daytime weddings. There is also a popular following who wear Ascots outside of weddings to signify sophisticated dressing.
AVON
Avon was founded in New York in 1886 as California Perfume, changing its name in 1939 to Avon Products Inc. Avon commenced selling jewellery as individual items with their signature logo in 1970. Avon has been associated with names such as Krementz, Trifari, Tiffany, Kenneth J Lane, Nina Ricci, and more. Avon jewellery has become much sought-after collector’s items due to its limited nature. Once Avon has run a jewellery line, it is discontinued.
BAB
BAB is a mark of Ballou Jewelry, established in 1873 by Barton Ballou and currently in its 5th generation of jewellery designers. The BAB stamp was first used in 1949.
BAER & WILDE
The Baer & Wilde company was incorporated in 1919, having previously been a subsidiary of the Attleboro Manufacturing Co (which later became Swank Inc). In 1918, Baer & Wilde introduced the KUM-A-PART Cuff Buttons that were such a huge success, they stopped producing all other lines of jewellery and specialised on the Kum-A-Parts. The Company may have ceased in 1931 (this has not been confirmed).
Jewellery marks include Baer & Wilde, B&W, Kum-A-Part.
BALLOU
BAB is a mark of Ballou Jewelry, established in 1873 by Barton Ballou and currently in its 5th generation of jewellery designers. The BAB stamp was first used in 1949.
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BINDER BROS
BB, with the two B’s inside interlocking circles. This is the mark of Binder Brothers Inc, of New York, established in 1922.
BOW TIE
Described in the Ralph Lauren Style Guide as “A necktie worn around the collar of a shirt that is knotted like a bow. Bow ties date back to the 1800s when visiting Croatian cavalrymen introduced the look to the French regency. Today the more tailored version has come to show distinguished elegance, especially in black-tie dressing.”
BROOCH
Brooches have been around for many centuries. Usually made from metal, with a fastening pin to attach to clothing. Often decorated with enamel or gemstones. A brooch can be purely decorative, or it can also have a practical purpose, to fasten articles of clothing.
BUCKLE
Belt buckles date back to the Bronze Age, and over the years were mostly used in the Military. During Roman times, the buckle became a decorative item for the wealthy. It was not until the 15th Century that cheaper buckles became available to the general population. Buckles have been made from various materials: metal, wood, glass, celluloid, bakelite. Anything that can be moulded or carved has been used.
CAPE PINS
In the 1800s, women wore capes. The cape was held together at the front by a pair of pins (like safety pins) joined together with a chain. Often the pins were decorative, joined by a simple chain.
CHATELAINE
A chatelaine was the original tool belt – for women. A chatelaine contained a series of chains connected to a hook and worn on the waistband. Each chain held a useful tool – scissors, thimble, watch, needle and thread, etc. The chatelaine was designed to have all the tools necessary for the woman of the household to sort out any problem she may encounter in her day, like a fraying curtain.
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COLLAR BAR
A collar bar is usually between 3 to 5 centimetres in length. It holds the two sides of a collar together and sits underneath the knot of a necktie. There are three types of collar bars:
♦ barbell, the ends unscrew and pass through eyelets in the collar;
♦ pin, similar to a safety pin, that pierces the ends of the collar;
♦ bar, with clips on both ends that grasp the ends of the collar.
Collar bars were immensely popular in the 1920s and 1930s.
The Ralph Lauren Style Guide describes collar bars as “Originating in the early 1900s, collar bars now reflect the ultimate in sophisticated men’s dressing.”
COPYRIGHT
Although copyright laws already existed in many countries, the copyright symbol © was introduced internationally in 1955. This is useful for dating pieces of jewellery. Whilst the absence of a © tells you nothing, the appearance of a © tells you the piece is dated some time from 1955 onwards.
CRAVAT
A cravat is a length of decorative fabric, usually either linen or silk, designed to adorn the neck area. Originating in 1630 in Croatia, the cravat was introduced to France in the 1800s by visiting cavalrymen. The French aristocracy embraced this new fashion.
1. A modern cravat is true to its early origins – decorative neckwear.
2. In vintage terms, a cravat is what we know today as a necktie. There were many patents issued in the early 1930s with the title of Cravat Holder that are, what we would call today, a tie clasp.
CRAVAT HOLDER
In the early 1930s, the term cravat referred to what we know today as a necktie. The cravat holder was similar to a tie clasp, but with a length of decorative chain from one end to the other, often with some form of pendant. The idea of the vintage cravat holder is that it slides onto your shirt and only the chain is visible around the front of your tie. Generally with these tie clasps, the chain is slightly longer on one side of the pendant to account for the clasp being slightly off-centre when clipped onto the shirt. In more modern times, the clasp is often clipped onto your tie, just like any other tie clasp, with the chain dangling below for decorative effect.
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CRAVAT PIN
A decorative stick pin or tie tack used to hold a Cravat in place. Immensely popular in the Edwardian Era, and still worn today.
CUFF LINKS
A cufflink is a decorative fastener, worn by men or women, to fasten the two sides of the cuff on a dress shirt or blouse. With a history of elegance, cufflinks date back to the seventeenth century. Men wanted something more elegant than ribbons or ties to hold together their cuffs. Men began using small chains that were fastened to the end of a gold or silver button and fed through the holes of the cuff to keep them together. Hence, the first cuff link was born!
Over time, the cuff link developed and became a more sophisticated part of a man’s wardrobe, especially for tuxedo and formal attire. Today, cufflinks are not just for men. Women often use them as well, to uniquely accessorise long sleeved blouses!
The Ralph Lauren Style Guide describes cuff links as “Coming in all shapes and sizes, cuff links have come to define sophisticated men’s dressing.”
DAMASCENE
Damascene, or Japanese Damascene, is a centuries-old art, first brought to Japan about 2,000 years ago, reputedly form Damascus. Steel is the usual foundation metal, and articles are produced through a lengthy process. A design is drawn and transferred onto the metal surface with a fine chisel. The outlines are cut and undercut, before gold or silver threads are hammered into the tiny grooves. It is then corroded with acid, cleaned with soda water, washed in salt water and baked over a fire. Repeating eight or nine times a day for at least five days.
Washed and baked until all the rust in the steel has been conducted out. The clean surface is then dipped into thick red-clay mud and baked again. This is repeated from 50 to 100 times. Then the surface is coated with powdered charcoal and oil, baked, and repeated from 10 to 20 times. Once cleaned of black powder, it is rubbed to a polish. The last step is to add any necessary carvings, monograms or handwritten names of the purchasers, if desired.
To retain the original polish, the article should be rubbed once a month with a soft cloth dipped in olive oil.
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DANTE
Pronounced don-tay. Dante Inc primarily manufactured men’s jewellery and accessories. The company ceased operations in the 1970s. Their jewellery was of exceptionally high quality and was not always marked.
DOLAN & BULLOCK
Established in 1917, Dolan & Bullock has been one of the most respected names in men’s precious jewellery characterised by innovative styling, superior craftsmanship and unsurpassed quality.
Also marketed jewellery lines in the name of Dolan & Bullock, D&B, Correct Quality.
E.A. ADAMS
E.A.Adams & Son Inc, of Rhode Island, US, used to supply jewellery parts to many of the major jewellery houses of America, but went out of business in the early 1980s.
ELECTROPLATE
Electro-plating is a process of using electrical current to coat a thin layer of one metal over another. The first patents for electroplating were granted in Birmingham UK in 1840.
EPNS
Electro Plated Nickel Silver. Electroplating is a process of using electrical current to coat a thin layer of one metal over another. Nickel Silver (an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc) is the base metal, with an outer layer of silver. Electro-plated nickel silver is popular for silver plated cutlery and other silverware. Usually stamped EPNS.
ERAS
♦ 1840-1860 → Victoria & Albert
♦ 1861-1889 → Victorian
♦ 1890-1915 → Edwardian
♦ 1895-1915 → Art Nouveau
♦ 1920-1939 → Art Deco
♦ 1940-1960 → Art Modern
The above dates refer to the high point of the styles. The eras may be wider-ranging in years and overlap with other styles.
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FORSTNER
The Forstner Chain Corporation was established in 1922 in Irvington, New Jersey. Renamed to Forstner Jewelry Manufacturing Corporation in 1950. Initially using block lettering, the logo was changed to script lettering in 1937.
Forstner also marketed jewellery lines in the name of Fortune, Snap-Lock, Trustyle, Dapper, FCC, Forsit, Dubl-Lock, and Radio (1920), Numum (1923), Image of a Carosel (1935), Climatest (1949), Bolita (1950), Forstar (1950), Remembrance (1954), Teenette (1958), backward F with arrow through centre (1962), Token of Love (1965).
FOSTER
Foster Metal Products Inc was an American manufacturer of men’s jewellery. They were registering patents in US & Canada from 1954 to 1966, and were known to still be trading in the late 1970s. Beyond that, is unclear. Foster also marketed jewellery lines in the name of SIDEWALK SUPERINTENDENT.
FOUR-IN-HAND
Named after the English coach drivers, who were called four-in-hands because they operated vehicles by holding the reins of four horses in one hand. The four-in-hand knot is a method of tying a necktie. Also known as a simple knot or schoolboy knot. Popularized by college students, the four-in-hand is now the most common tie knot.
FREEMAN DAUGHADAY
The Freeman-Daughaday Company was a manufacturer of quality men’s jewellery in Chartley Village, Norton Massachusetts. They were registering patents as early as 1919. The company stayed in Chartley up until 1946, when they moved to Providence, Rhode Island.
GERMAN SILVER
German silver is an alloy of 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc. It is named for its silvery appearance, but contains no silver at all, unless plated afterwards. Also known as Nickel Silver, Paktong, New Silver and Alpaca.
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GIANT GRIP
Giant Grip Manufacturing Co in Wisconsin, USA, were registering patents in the 1910s and 1920s.
Other name associated with Giant Grip – Chain Klik-It.
GILDED
Gilding is the process of affixing thin gold foils to the surfaces of objects. Gilding dates back to ancient times in China, Egypt and many other countries.
GLP Co
G.L.P., or G.L.P.CO, is the hallmark for George L Paine & Company. Founded in 1909 in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, and last known in business in 1922. Their products were mostly solid gold, 10k gold front and gold-filled jewellery. Marks used on jewellery – G.L.P., G.L.P.CO, GLP, GLP CO.
GOLD
Solid, pure gold is 24 Karat. Any rating less than 24K means there is another type of metal mixed into it. Pure gold is a very soft metal. Mixing with other metals helps to strengthen it. The lower the number, the stronger it will be. 10K gold is stronger than 14K gold, which is stronger than 18K gold.
24K is pure gold. 18K is 18 parts gold, and 6 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 75% gold. Similarly, 12K is 12 parts gold, and 12 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 50% gold.
GOLD-FILLED
An item that is labelled gold-filled means that it has a layer of gold over the top of another non-precious base metal. A marking that says 1/20 12K G.F. means that the gold layer is 12K gold, and that the gold makes up at least 1/20th of the item’s weight. Gold-filled is typically a thicker layer of gold than in gold-plated jewellery, meaning it will last better.
GOLD-PLATED
An item that is labelled gold-plated means that it has a layer of gold over the top of another non-precious base metal. Gold-plating is typically a thinner layer of gold than in gold-filled jewellery.
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GOLD-TONE
Gold-tone is a term used to indicate the colour of a metal. Often used on auction sites, such as eBay, where an item has not been tested for gold content by a jeweller. If a manufacturer has not stamped an item, you can not be sure of its quality unless it is checked by a professional, and it should not be marketed as real gold without some form of evidence. This is not to say that goldtone items are worthless. They could even turn out to be real gold.
GOLD-WASH
The term gold-washed is used to describe a very thin layer of gold – one that won’t be very durable.
HADLEY
The Hadley Jewelry Co was established in 1913, Rhode Island, USA. Arthur Hadley, the company’s founder, died in 1941. The Company appears to have continued beyond its founder’s death. The Company may have become part of the Hadley-Roma Corporation, who specialises in watch straps, but this information is not confirmed yet.
HAYWARD
The Walter E Hayward Co was founded in 1851 and is considered one of the oldest fine jewellery manufacturers in the US. The company merged with the A&Z Chain Co in 1970 to form the A&Z Hayward Co.
HICKOK
The Hickok Manufacturing Company was founded by S.Rae Hickok in Rochester New York in 1909. The company was a major manufacturer of men’s jewellery, belts, wallets, and other accessories. When the founder died in 1945, the company was inherited by his son, Raymond Hickok. The company was purchased by the Tandy Corporation in 1971.
Hickok also marketed jewellery lines in the name of HMCO, Savoy, Kristol, Hi-Art (since 1953), Capri (since 1954). Hickok uses a “shield” mark on small items. The slogan “positively finer” was being used in 1956.
IMITATION
You may come across items stamped with the word “imitation”. This does not imply that the item is a rip-off, or a fake. Imitation is the European term for fashion jewellery, ie not precious metal.
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KARATKLAD
Karatclad is a term, used by various jewellery designers, meaning heavy gold plate.
KREISLER
Kreisler was making jewellery from 1914 to 1952, when the jewellery line was discontinued. The Stern-Kreisler Jewelry Company was founded in 1914 in New York by Jacques Kreisler & Marcus Stern. In 1928 Tobias Stern (Marcus’ son) and Jacques Kreisler formed the Kreisler Manufacturing Corporation. The Corporation closed its doors in 1932. In 1933 Tobias and Jacques restarted the business of manufacturing watchbands. In 1948 Kreisler expanded its product line to include men’s and women’s jewellery. In 1952 the men’s and ladies jewellery line was again discontinued. Kreisler also marketed jewellery lines in the name of Gold Klad (in 1921).
KREMENTZ
Krementz & Co was founded by George Krementz in 1866 in Newark, New Jersey, USA. Originally manufacturing men’s jewellery, Krementz started making women’s jewellery in the 1930s. In the 1950s, the Krementz hallmark changed from block lettering to script lettering. The Colibri Group purchased the company in 1997, and continues to produce jewellery with the Krementz name written in script, instead of block.
Krementz also marketed jewellery in the name of Correct Jewelry For Men (1900s-1920s), Diana (with three dots underneath), Heraldic (on a shield 1930), Kremaloy, Krementz, Krementz Made In USA, Krementz Plate, Krementz USA, Nu-Kay (1907), Snap-Bar (1940).
KUM-A-PART CUFF LINK
The Baer & Wilde company was incorporated in 1919, having previously been a subsidiary of the Attleboro Manufacturing Co (which later became Swank Inc). In 1918, Baer & Wilde introduced the KUM-A-PART Cuff Buttons that were such a huge success, they stopped producing all other lines of jewellery and specialised on the Kum-A-Parts. The Company may have ceased in 1931 (this has not been confirmed).
Jewellery marks include Baer & Wilde, B&W, Kum-A-Part.
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This information has been obtained from a variety of sources. It is, to the best of our knowledge, correct. However, Vintage Cove (and Vintage Cufflinks) accepts no responsibility regarding its accuracy, or any adverse occurrences resulting from the use of this information.
