1960s

  • Asymmetrical Bow

    This brooch is by the Swedish designer Rey Urban.  Rey was born in Stockholm Sweden on 14th September 1929 to Gustav and Sirri.  In 1947 he went to Konstfackskolan, the largest independent university in  Sweden for the study of art, design and crafts opened in 1844.  At Konstfackskolan he studied metal work and graduated in…

  • Sail Boat

    This silver brooch is smaller than my usual brooches.  But the reason I have it in my collection is the simplicity of the design which conveys perfectly the image and idea of a sail boat.  In the design there are just two shapes, one smooth (the sail) and one textured (the boat hull), together they…

  • Circus Horse

    Dan Kasoff began making jewellery in New York just after WWII ended.  In the beginning Dan Kasoff Inc manufactured pieces which were supplied to the wholesale trade.  It was not until 1950 that the company began marking its pieces with the name Florenza and marketing in their own right.  The name Florenza does not come…

  • Circle with Holes

    This brooch is made of 14ct gold by the Finnish designer Liisa Vitali. Liisa Vitali was born on 9th November 1918 in Helsinki.  The family moved to a farm in the small village of Viluksela in southern Finland when Liisa was two. Following the death of their parents Liisa and her brother Väinö continued to…

  • Stone with Two Leaves

    This brooch is by Kramer.  It is made of gilt metal, caste as two finely defined leaves with a large piece of moss agate at its centre.  The company was started in 1943 by Louis Kramer in New York.  Once WWII was over Louis was joined by his two brothers Morris and Harry.  Christian Dior’s…

  • Star Burst

    This is very much a ‘statement’ piece, measuring  8cm by 10cm.  As well as being a brooch it also has a hook on the back so it can be worn as a pendent. This brooch is by Panetta, an American costume jewellery firm, prominent between 1945 and the late 1980s.  Benedetto Panetta emigrated in 1901…

  • Flower

    The main body of this brooch is made from opaque glass. In its centre is a small cluster of seven garnets forming the stamens of the flower.  The glass has been carved to give texture to the petals.  I bought this brooch from Hanson’s auction.  Hanson’s is run by the charismatic auctioneer Charles Hanson, whose…

  • Cortina

    This brooch is by one of the preeminent British jewellery designers of the 1960s.  It is known as a ‘Cortina’ and my version is made of 9ct gold.  The brooch was designed in 1965 by Ernest Blyth for the Leicester Jewellers George Tarratt.  The brooch is made up of three separate but fused plates of…

  • Lion’s Head

    This brooch is by Vendome.  Vendome was a subsidiary of Coro (Fuji Man & Mr & Mrs Squirrel) set up in 1944, taking over from Corocraft.  Both Corocraft and Vendome were the high-end divisions of Coro.  Vendome was popular during the 1960s when Helen Marion became their principle designer. Following the Second World War, Vendome…

  • Braille

    This set of brooches is by the Norwegian designer Rasmussen (sometimes you will see it written as Knut A Rasmussen or Knut Andreas Rasmussen).  The KA Rasmussen company was started in 1872 as a goldsmith’s workshop.  I cannot find out much about Rasmussen jewellery but the company is still going today and are the largest…