Posts Tagged ‘costume jewelry signed’
Marino Vintage Jewelry
Marino vintage jewelry is rather hard to pin down, age-wise. Why?
It's primarily because there were two different companies using the Marino mark! One was Marino Manufacturing Company, based in Providence, Rhode Island. They appear to have been making costume jewelry in the late 1950s to early 1980s timeframe. The jewelry is signed "Marino" in all capital block letters.
But there's a second player in the Marino jewelry search. The second company was Marino Jewelry Company, Inc. and they were located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. They made costume jewelry starting in 1932, and it's unknown when they stopped (or indeed if they actually have stopped). Their mark is "Marino" in script. However, they were in business at least until 1978, when an ad for their jewelry appeared in the magazine Vogue.
My guess is that most of the jewelry found for this company is for Marino Manufacturing (as that's what I've seen the most of.) I've not been able to identify a particular signature look for it, and it does seem to span several decade styles.
At any rate, here is some Marino jewelry for you to browse. Happy hunting! 
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My Fair Lady Pin
The My Fair Lady costume jewelry collection is arguably the best known of the B.S.K. jewelry line. There are several brooches, each related to the movie the line was named after, My Fair Lady.
The My Fair Lady pins are quite lovely. They are enameled in colors of pinks, yellows, whites and more. The most popular of the pins is the floral hat. But if you can find the wheelbarrow loaded with flowers -- grab it if the price is reasonable.
Below are some My Fair Lady brooches. And if you're curious, here's some more information on the jewelry manufacturer, BSK.
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 Vintage BSK My Fair Lady Rhinestone Enamel Parasol Umbrella Pin Brooch  US $9.95
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 Vintage BSK Hat Brooch Set My Fair Lady Metal Pins Red Orange Ribbion Flower US $5.99
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B.S.K. Costume Jewelry
B.S.K. costume jewelry doesn't get enough respect, in my opinion. Sure, B.S.K. made medium-quality jewelry and aren't in the league of Weiss or Eisenberg. But they still made some lovely pieces that are worth collecting.
Costume Jewelry Brooch by B.S.K. (Click to Enlarge)
On the other hand, the fact that B.S.K. costume jewelry isn't highly sought after means that the prices are quite affordable! And this translates to more pieces of jewelry for your collection.
I found the piece shown in this post this past weekend. Before I turned it over to see if it had a signature, I was thinking maybe a Coro piece. To my delight, it proudly proclaimed B.S.K. for the mark! It's well-made, with amtique white enameled leaves and rhinestones in AB, rose and light yellow. The three large AB stones are set in a rose-type setting. Some of the other stones are also set in tiny floral settings. It's a very pretty piece.
A Little ABout B.S.K.
The name B.S.K. came from the three main owners of the company -- Benny Steinberg, Hy Slovitt and Kaslo (not sure if that is a first or last name). The jewelry was made between 1948 and the early 1980s.
B.S.K.'s claim to fame involves their "My Fair Lady" line of jewelry, which commemorates the movie by the same name. It's the most collectible of the B.S.K. jewelry.
The B.S.K. Marks
There are just two marks used by B.S.K. for their jewelry.
- B.S.K.
- B.S.K. My Fair Lady
Every piece I've ever seen has a copyright symbol, but that doesn't mean there might not be some without the copyright symbol floating around out there.
Buying B.S.K. Costume Jewelry
There usually isn't a ton available at any given time, but you can find it. Here's a for your perusal, as well as a small sample listed below. Have fun shopping!
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Ledo Costume Jewelry
Ledo costume jewelry is rather rare, or at least the mark is not often seen. Possibly it's because Ledo was only used as the mark from about 1948 through roughly 1963.
Vintage Costume Jewelry Earrings by Ledo (Click to Enlarge)
In 1960 or thereabouts, the company was re-named Polcini. Jewelry made for several years after, but it's rather unclear how long the company kept manufacturing jewelry after the founder, Ralph Polcini, died.
A Little More Background
Ledo/Polcini jewelry was founded by Ralph Polcini, an immigrant from Italy in about 1911. The company was originally named "Leading Jewelry Manufacturing Company". I'm not quite sure where "Ledo" came in as the name, but it didn't seem to be used before 1948.
Ledo costume jewelry designed generally used a lot of rhinestones, but that wasn't always the case; there is nary a rhinestone to be seen in the earrings shown here; I guess in a way it makes this pair even more of a rarity!
Ledo Marks
There are basically two marks used; "Ledo" and "Polcini". The earrings you see above are marked "Ledo" in a script style of writing.
Anything Else About Ledo Costume Jewelry?
There isn't a whole lot of information on this designer, but the jewelry I've seen bearing this mark seems to be quite well-designed and well-made. It's a rare enough mark that it's worth picking up a piece if you can find one that you like at a reasonable price.
That being said, I'll leave you with a look at some Ledo offerings. You can see the here. Below is a small selection.
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 FINE Vintage ART DECO Polcini Ledo Rhinestone Brooch US $89.99
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 VTG LEDO FANCY RHINESTONE PINEAPPLE BROOCH US $53.99
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 Ledo Clear Baguette Rhinestone Rhodium Plated Brooch US $89.99
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LISNER MULTI COLOR RHINESTONE VINTAGE EARRINGS US $12.88 |
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VINTAGE BLACK FLOWER RHINESTONE CRYSTALS GOLDTONE CLIP ON EARRINGS EUC $79 US $9.99 |
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VINTAGE AVON Emerald Green Glass Rhinestone Necklace US $8.99 |
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VINTAGE HATTIE CARNEGIE CLIP ON EARRINGS RHINESTONE BEAD PRESTINE ESTATE US $24.00 |
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VINTAGE BLUE AQUAMARINE RHINESTONE CLIMBER EARRINGS US $17.99 |