BEHIND THE JEWELS


P

Pakula: (pr: PAH koo la) Founded in Chicago circa 1940. Specialized in charms and ID bracelets, pearl jewelry and compacts. Still in business. Used various trademarks including Aloha on pearl jewelry, Enchantress within an oyster shell, Golden Key with a large key between the two words and the letter P in a shield. Not too commonly found on the market. Priced in the low to average range.

Pam: No definitive information on company or its dates of manufacture. Marked PAM with a copyright symbol. The jewelry looks almost identical to average Coro jewelry, but the finds are different from those used by Coro. Not found too often.

Panetta: After working for Trifari and Pennino, Benedetto Panetta and his two sons Amedeo and Armand founded Panetta in 1945 in New York City and began manufacturing costume jewelry. Produced high quality jewelry. Acquired by a Japanese concern in the late 1980s and still in business. Very collectible and priced accordingly.

Pastelli: Trademark of Royal of Pettsburg of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. In business from the mid 1950s to the mid 1980s. When signed, the jewelry is marked Pastelli. Pastelli in script under a crown and the word Royal is found on tags.

Pell: Founded by the Gaita brothers in New York in 1941. Suspended operations during WWII. Jewelry is well constructed with quality material. Still in business. Usually figural pins are found on the market.

Pennino: Founded by Oreste and Frank Pennino in 1921 in New York City. Continued operations until 1961. Produced high-quality costume jewelry employing the best Austrian rhinestones mounted on sterling silver or vermeil. Signed Pennino in script or sometimes with Pat. Pen. mark. Rare on the market, quite collectible and priced accordingly. The prices are expected to continue rising.

Pineda, Antonio: (pr: PEEN yay da) Worked as a designer with Spratling and also Valentin Vidaurreta in Mexico City before opening his own workshop in 1941. Had a number of highly skilled master silversmiths join his workshop. Several marks were used: AP 1941-1949, Jewels by Tono 1949-1953 and ANTONIO in a crown shape. Very collectible and commands high prices.

Pineda, Sigi: Sigfrido Pineda trained as a silversmith in Iguala, Mexico. In the late 1940s he worked in Taxco for Los Castillo and Margot. He opened his own workshop in Taxco in 1952. He is still designing silver jewelry. His designs are modernistic. Marked Sigi. Collectible and priced accordingly.

Polcini: (pr: POL chee nee) Founded in the early 1900s by Ralph Polcini in New York. After WWII the company name was changed to Ledo. Ralph died in 1954 and the name was changed to Polcini circa 1960. High quality jewelry combining excellent metalwork with high quality rhinestones. Ledo jewelry is extremely scarce. Polcini is scarce on the market.

R

Rancho Alegre: (pr: A LAY gray) Founded by Pedro Perez in 1956. Largest and most popular retail shop in Taxco which sold Mexican silver jewelry designed and made at its own workshop and pieces made by other silversmiths. Marked Rancho Alegre or Rancho Alegre and the initials or name of the maker. Perez sold the store in 1985.

Rebajes: (pr: RAY bah hays) Francisco Rebajes was born in Spain in 1906. He opened a shop in New York City in 1934 where he sold jewelry. He returned to Spain in 1967 where he made jewelry until his death in 1990. He was part of the Modernist jewelry movement with bold dramatic pieces. Employed gold tone metals and copper.

Regency: Made from the 1950s to the 1970s by Regina Novelty Company which was based in New York City and owned by the Polowitz family. Quality designs, superior materials and fine workmanship. Usually marked REGENCY. Not rare, but not abundant on the market. Prices are usually a little on the high side due to the desirability of these pieces.

Reinad: (pr: RAY nad) No definitive information regarding location and dates of production. Reinad was a trademark used by the Reinad Fifth Avenue of New York City and also Reinad Novelty Company of New York City during the same time period. Consists primarily of large brooches displaying excellent craftsmanship. Probably ceased operations in the mid 1950s. Very rare on the market and priced accordingly.

Reja: (pr: RAY zha and DAY zha) Deja Costume Jewelry, Inc. of New York was founded by Sol Finkelstein in 1939. Changed its name to the Reja Jewelry Co. in 1941. Ceased production in 1952. Best known for dramatic figural pins. Also made exquisite floral pieces. Most were produced in vermeil sterling silver with enamel, faux pearls, rhinestones and large colored glass stones of American origin. Gorgeous pieces which are not very common and priced accordingly.

Renoir/Matisse: (pr: Ren WAH and Ma TEECE) Renoir of California was founded in Los Angeles in 1946 by Jerry Fels. Specialized in solid copper jewelry produced in the Arts and Crafts style. Fels established Matisse Ltd. as a subsidiary company in 1952. Specialized in copper jewelry with colorful enamel decoration. Production at both companies ceased in 1964. Can be found on the market for reasonable prices, but the prices will probably continue to rise.

Richards Jewelry Company: Founded at the turn of the twentieth century in North Attleboro, Massachusetts. Trademarks included WRE and Symmetalic. The Symmetalic mark is found on higher quality silver pieces often with a gold wash or plating. Not too commonly found on the market and priced accordingly.

Richelieu: (pr: REESH a loo) Richelieu was the trademark used by Joseph H. Meyer and Bros. which was founded in New York at the turn of the century. The Richelieu mark was first used in 1911. Specialized in the production of simulated pearls and other costume jewelry which incorporated pearls. The mark is still used today by Lisner-Richelieu Corporation (with whom they merged in the late 1970s) on gold plated and silver jewelry which uses cultured pearls.

Robbins: Founded by Charles M. Robbins in Attleboro, Massachusetts in 1892. Began by manufacturing campaign buttons. Ralph Thompson assumed ownership of the company in 1920. In 1912 it was incorporated as Robbins Company, Inc. Acquired by Continental Communications in 1963. Still in business manufacturing jewelry for both men and women. Marked Robbins & Co.

Robert: (pr: Row BEAR) Trademark of the Fashioncraft Jewelry Company which was founded in 1942 in New York City by Robert Levey, David Jaffe and Irving Landsman. Changed its name to Robert Originals, Inc. in 1960. Robert jewelry is sometimes confused with Miriam Haskell jewelry due to their similar designs and materials. Marked Original by Robert from 1942 to 1979 when the company became Ellen Designs for Robert Originals. In 1984, the firm became Ellen Designs and is run by Ellen Jaffee Wagman and her husband John Wagman. Ellen is the daughter of David Jaffe. Can be found on the market. Very collectible and priced accordingly.

Ronnie Jewelry Company: Founded in 1958 as the Ronnie Jewelry Company by Luca Razza and Stanley Conheim, head salesman at the Alice Jewelry Company. They soon brought in a third partner, John Manarsian, and started Donna-Lee Manufacturing Company - specializing in key chain promotions. Circa early 1970s, Certified Corporation purchased Ronnie Jewelry. Certified also owned Whiting & Davis and DaVinci Jewelry. Luca and Stanley signed contracts to remain with the company for five years. Unfortunately, Stanley died the first year. Luca began working with Eddy Perrotti, head engineer and director of research, on a two-component liquid polymer called polyurethane. This was to be used in place of metal in rubber molds. This plastic process was used on the new products of Ronnie Jewelry - an Oreo cookie with a bite out of it, the chicken in an egg, etc. Can be found on the market at reasonable prices
 

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