Vintage Miriam Haskell Costume Jewelry

Miriam Haskell established her Miriam Haskell Company in New York City in 1926. From the get-go, her handcrafted floral-themed costume jewelry was a hit with the stylish women of Manhattan, who adored her intricate necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and pins. Haskell loved gilt findings and filigree, faux pearls, Austrian crystal beads, blown glass beads from the island of Murano, and, above all, rose montées

Unlike many of her contemporaries, Haskell was not a designer herself, but she was an excellent talent scout. Frank Hess was her first find. Where Macy’s saw only a hired hand to create its window displays, Haskell saw her young company’s first chief designer, a position Hess held from 1926 until 1960, when Robert F. Clark took over.

Perhaps because Haskell was not a designer, she almost never signed her pieces. Indeed, until 1950, when her brother Joseph took over the company due to Haskell’s health, about t...

Some of the stars who loved Haskell jewelry included Lucille Ball, who wore Haskell pieces on her TV show. Joan Crawford was another loyal customer. She collected Haskells from the late 1930s through the 1960s. In 1978, a year after the actress’s death, her collection of vintage Haskell costume jewelry was auctioned off to great fanfare, partly because of Crawford’s reputation, of course, but also due to the quality of the pieces themselves.

Like a lot of collectibles, the value of a vintage piece of Miriam Haskell costume jewelry depends a great deal on its condition. Because her pieces are so intricate, it is difficult to replace a missing rhinestone or faux pearl. Look for metal that has not corroded and avoid pieces that have been chipped due to careless handling or wear.

Vintage necklaces are among her most sought work. Some have only a single strand of faux pearls. Others have multiple strands in matching or different sizes and hues — from traditional white to smoldering dark brown. Even the clasps are opportunities for embellishment, with pearls, rose montées, and filigree decorating their ends.

Bracelets are another favorite. Vintage Haskell bracelets often feature beaded flowers and leaves mounted on gilt or silvered hinged bangles. Other bangles are open at the back and many Haskell bracelets dispense with an armature altogether to remain loose and alluring.

Vintage Haskell earrings, either on their own or as matching pieces for a necklace, continue in the floral vein. The gilt, crystal, and pearl combos are considered the classics of this form. Finally, Haskell pins are perhaps the freest of all Haskell jewelry types. Besides the floral themes, Haskell pins incorporate a number of animal and shell designs.

Key terms for Vintage Haskell Costume Jewelry:

Rose montée: A precut crystal (the rose) mounted in a silver setting (the montée) that has either a tab with a hole in it or a channel in its back so that the mounted stone can be sewn to a garment or attached to a piece of jewelry. Comes in wide range of colors.

Finding: The functional part of a piece of jewelry such as the clasp on a necklace.

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Interviews & Articles

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I started out with general antiques and collectibles... I was a dealer for a while and bought and sold all kinds of things. Gradua… [more]



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Recent News: Miriam Haskell Costume Jewelry

Source: Google News

Grace Centers Of Hope Partners With Glam4Good For A Powerful Fashion Show ...
Huffington Post, May 15th

Shoes from Jimmy Choo, Brian Atwood and Alejandro Ingelmo and jewelry from designers Miriam Haskell, Kara Ross, Alexis Bittar and Swarovski complete the runway-ready outfits. The women receive full hair and makeup to prepare for the catwalk...Read more

Thrill of the Find lives up to its name with hard-to-find designer vintage
Toronto Star, May 14th

Wilson carries a fabulous line of costume jewelry in the $300 to $400 range by Lawrence Vrba, who designed for iconic Miriam Haskell, maker of bijoux worn by Joan Crawford and the Duchess of Windsor. I covet all the pieces. I am told that if Watson...Read more

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Elle (blog), April 25th

In the scene of fashion fads, right now punk is trending—and as we like to say in the style world, it's pretty major. Primarily, is it the theme of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's spring spring 2013 Costume Institute exhibition (titled: Punk: Chaos...Read more