The Fashioncraft Jewelry Co. was founded by Robert Levy, David Jaffee and Irving Landsman in New York in 1942 and this is when the mark Original by Robért is first recorded. In 1951 Irving Landsman left the company and the name was changed to Robert Originals Inc.
The company’s early pieces are very reminiscent of Miriam Haskell designs. I have a number of Miriam’s brooches in my collection and one of her ‘Dangle’ designs featured as a Brooch of the Month in April 2020 , written by my dear friend Jacqueline Rehmann. Jacqueline’s book is one of my regular ‘go to’ reference texts.
Jewellery from Original by Robért are known for their enamel designs, one I particularly like is an apple with a maggot crawling out, it’s quirkiness appeals to my sense of fun. A wide variety of fruit and vegetables were made along with more conventional imagery – flowers, insects and birds.
Robert Levy was the main designer for the company, his background was in art, working in watercolours and oils. This is why the logo is in the shape of an artist palette, an unusual design for a logo which are traditionally in an oval, circle, square or simply stamped into the piece of jewellery.
In 1975 Robert Jaffee, one of the original founders, retired and his daughter Ellen and her husband John Wagman took over the business in January 1976. At first pieces were marked ‘Ellen Designs for Robért Originals’ but by 1979 the name had been simplified to ‘Ellen Designs’. By the early 2000s the business had ceased and Ellen was working as a real estate (estate agent) in New York. Ellen mainly produced clip-on earrings. I found one called ‘Grape Cluster’ which would work very well with my Miriam Haskell Dangle brooch.
I have one other Original by Robért in my collection, an enamel strawberry which was used as part of the TubeFlash project with Transport for London. The strawberry brooch represented Wimbledon, where the world-famous tennis championships are held each summer, the story ‘Dedicated Follower’ was written by Jennifer Ray and read by Tim Heffer.
Story ‘The Dedicated Follower‘ by Jennifer Ray
Podcast ‘Engineering Works‘ read by Tim Heffer