A special collection of COSTUME JEWELRY can be found at Droomfabriek de Groot & de Jong (the first shop in the netherlands where you cold buy luxury vintage costume jewelry). Actress Trudy de Jong daughter of art and antiques collectors and actor Theo de Groot son of a goldsmith will let you enjoy an eye-catching collection. Beauty nothing but beauty they collected on their worldtrips.
Unique in Amsterdam, Coco Chanel, Dior, Lacroix, Yves St Laurent, we all know them. Less known here in Europe are the American designers who, from the beginning of the last century, turned their imagination and craftsmanship and good taste into stunning Costume Jewelry. This is not justified because Miriam Haskell, Kenneth Jay Lane, Marcel Boucher, Iradj Moini, Larry Vrba, Stanley Hagler, Eugene Joseff, the Mazer Brothers, the designers at Trifari, Juliana, Selro and Coro/ Vendome, Weiss, Alice Caviness, Alexis Kirk, Carolee, Eisenberg, Henry Schreiner, Judy Lee, Kramer, the Pennino Brothers, Robert DeMario, Sarah Coventry, they enriched the world with dazzling beauty.
The Droomfabriek de Groot & de Jong founders have strong involvements in protecting the environment. They want to create an eco-friendly business in order to reduce their impact on the planet.
Thanks to the resale of pre-owned products, they take part in the circular economy and give a second life to products. Through their approach, they encourage consumers to adopt a more mindful and responsible consumption. Much has been preserved, because every season these firms launched a new line. New shapes, new colours. Although… some items are hard to find. Many brooches, earrings, necklaces and bracelets are signed, and many are not, but the connoisseur immediately sees the hand of the maker. Each era has its own signature, its own stamp, and from the literature, mostly American, these are easy to pinpoint. Costume Jewelry are dazzling fake jewellery. Mamy Eisenhower, for example, the wife of former President Eisenhower, had her diamond tiara exactly replicated and wore her fake tiara on official occasions and balls, no one seeing, while her precious real tiara remained in the vault. The gold and silversmiths who worked with these less precious materials could experiment wonderfully, because if a fake stone was wasted, it was not a financial disaster. Hence, in fake jewellery, the shapes are often “over the top” and much more exuberant, exotic and grotesque than in `precious jewellery’. Americans, like Italians, love big “bigger than life”, so extravagantly large brooches and necklaces were sometimes designed, made and … worn. Costume Jewelry is mostly not modest. This is also due to the fact that the fake jewellery made for the big shows on Broadway also had to be seen on the back rows. The jewellery for the film industry had to meet different conditions again i.e. studio light etc. Eugene Joseff called himself Joseff of Hollywood. The studio bosses were gilded by his development of a metal that had a matte appearance and was indistinguishable from gold. Joseff thus became the main supplier of Costume Jewelry in Hollywood, including Audrey Hepburn wearing his jewellery in Breakfast at Tiffany´s and Liz Taylor in Cleopatra. With the industrialisation that originated in England, machines were created that enabled mass production of Costume Jewelry. Jewelry was thus no longer affordable only to the upper class. The quality of stone cutting and metal setting production came to a higher level. During Queen Victoria’s reign (1837-1901), beautiful jewellery was already being designed. Open settings allowed light to play enchantingly through the stones. Fantastic colours were introduced. Love and sentiment became the hallmark of Victorian jewellery. Hearts, cupids and lovebirds were the usual motifs, while the anchor symbolised hope and snakes, especially snakes with their starts in their mouths, stood for eternal love. The Victorians had an insatiable appetite for new styles and materials. Organic materials like tortoiseshell, bone, ivory and the teeth and claws of tigers became “highly fashionable”. Their interest in nature – Charles Darwin published his theory of evolution – was reflected in fauna and floral designs. Even real insects were incorporated into jewellery. And real stones were combined with imitation stones even then. Years before Coco Chanel said a woman should combine fake and real. “Asking a woman to wear only real jewellery is like asking her to cover herself with real flowers. That will stink and wilt.” Chanel launched in the early 20th century the fashion of long strings of fake pearls – Japanese imitation pearls came on the market from 1890 – combined with real pearls. The Art Nouveau jewellery that actress Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) wore on stage – designed by artists such as Lalique and Mucha – were exact replicas but made of base metals and imitation stones became a success, everyone bought a piece of Sarah B. so to speak. Not only nowadays, but celebrities have always been widely imitated. Sarah B.’s influence on fashion was not that different from that of Madonna and Lady. French couturiers like Chanel and Schiaparellli made Costume Jewelry/ Jouaillerie de Byoux popular, but in America they really produced a lot and it was worn more than anywhere else. Hence, when you think of Costume Jewelry, you mainly think of America. This typically American phenomenon finally conquered Europe, although even today Europeans are often less aware of what American designers made, let alone know their names. A few may have heard of the now elderly Kenneth Jay Lane because he was Jacky Kennedy’s favourite designer. Kenneth Lane began his career in the 1950s at Vogue, then under the direction of the renowned and opinionated Diana Vreeland. She loved his work and published his first designs, such as shoes for Dior and later his jewellery designs. His clientele included First ladies, royalty and film stars, from Nancy Reagan to Ivana Trump, Audry Hepburn and the Princess of Wales. And yet his jewellery was and still is quite affordable. For collectors, the pieces signed K.J.L. – his early work – are the most sought-after. Lane drew inspiration from Asian as well as Greco-Roman and Egyptian art; Renaissance and Art Deco motifs can also be seen in his designs. Not only KJL worked for Dior, you sometimes come across the name of German Grosse in Dior jewellery and some Dior pieces were designed by Kramer, a gifted designer from New York.Maison Gripoix and Robert Goossens, among others, worked a lot for Chanel. These so-called paruriers, who did the actual work, also depended on Coco Chanel. Well before KJL, two businessmen, Emanuel Cohn and Carl Rosenberger had started the firm Coro in 1901. Well into the 1970s, this firm made the finest jewellery. By 1929, they were the largest producer of Costume Jewelry, signed as Coro, later Corocraft, and Vendome in the 1950s was also part of this firm. Adolph Katz, the director of their design department was admired for his “trembling floral pins”. These are brooches with lovely moving flowers. He also created the Coro Duettes – two clip brooches that are pushed together. He also did work with sterling silver, the highest grade silver, and incorporated high-quality rhinestones into his jewellery. In the 1930s, Albert Weiss worked for Coro, but went into business for himself in 1942. Known for his phenomenal craftsmanship, Weiss was one of the first to see the decorative value of the “aura borealis” stones developed by Svarovski in 1955, crystals with brilliant rainbow-like colours. Weiss also made reproductions of the German “smoky qaurtz” crystals, which became known as “black diamonds”. When the Du Pont company had developed “lucite”, a type of plastic, in 1937, Coro was one of the first to use this new material in his jewellery, especially in his Jelly Belly’s. A Jelly Belly is a brooch of an animal, whose belly, made of a large round or oval piece of lucite, forms the centrepiece. Jelly Bellies are pricey pieces! Well before KJL, two businessmen, Emanuel Cohn and Carl Rosenberger had started the firm Coro in 1901. Well into the 1970s, this firm made the finest jewellery. By 1929, they were the largest producer of Costume Jewelry, signed as Coro, later Corocraft, and Vendome in the 1950s was also part of this firm. Adolph Katz, the director of their design department was admired for his “trembling floral pins”. These are brooches with lovely moving flowers. He also created the Coro Duettes – two clip brooches that are pushed together. He also did work with sterling silver, the highest grade silver, and incorporated high-quality rhinestones into his jewellery. In the 1930s, Albert Weiss worked for Coro, but went into business for himself in 1942. Known for his phenomenal craftsmanship, Weiss was one of the first to see the decorative value of the “aura borealis” stones developed by Svarovski in 1955, crystals with brilliant rainbow-like colours. Weiss also made reproductions of the German “smoky qaurtz” crystals, which became known as “black diamonds”. When the Du Pont company had developed “lucite”, a type of plastic, in 1937, Coro was one of the first to use this new material in his jewellery, especially in his Jelly Belly’s. A Jelly Belly is a brooch of an animal, whose belly, made of a large round or oval piece of lucite, forms the centrepiece. Jelly Bellies are pricey pieces! Trifari also made impressive Jelly Bellies. Gustavo Trifari had emigrated from Naples to New York in 1904 to try his luck. In 1910, he started his own business, which incidentally still exists today. The result of mergers with other firms Trifari’s “Jewels of India” earrings and matching brooches were worn by Madonna in the film Evita. They were jewellery inspired by the jewellery made popular by Cartier in the 1920s, which in turn took its inspiration from the famous Indian Mughal jewellery. Trifari made a pearl necklace for Mamie Eisenhower with earrings of fake pearls and fake diamonds and emeralds, indistinguishable from real ones, by wearing her during the 1953 and 1957 presidential inauguration balls. Both elections were then won by her husband, General Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower, who had liberated Europe from the Nazis. Chief designer of Trifari was Frenchman Alfred Philippe, who joined the firm in 1930 and remained active until his retirement in 1968. High-quality Svarovsky crystal was used, which earned the firm the nickname The Diamanté Kings. Not forgetting Eisenberg, signed: Eisenberg Original. This originally clothing firm marketed large jewellery that went well with their dresses from 1930 onwards. Very large brooches, often made of sterling silver, with beautiful Svarovski stones and imitation pearls. Beautiful and very special, which translates into the price, of course. Then again. Another topper is New York jeweller Henry Schreiner, who started his own business in 1951 after working for Dior. Marilyn Monroe loved wearing his, not exactly cheap jewellery, which you don’t find much anymore. Also designed for the “rich and famous” – extravagant, large, outrageous and expensive – are the fabulous jewellery by Stanley Hagler and his chief designer Ian St. Gielar. They used Murano hand-blown glass, ivory, imitation pearls of the highest quality, Limoges porcelain, shells. Everything was especially lavish and lavish, very beautiful and of high quality. Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, wore his bracelets. Hagler started his own business in the 1950s, having first worked for Miriam Haskell as a business consultant. After he died in 1996, St Gielar continued the business until today. Perhaps currently the most expensive jewellery comes from the hands of Iranian-born Iradj (pronounced ieras) Moini. At Saks Fifth Avenue and Goodman & Bergdorf and in his own small shop in Soho, there are the most beautiful specimens, sprouting from his fantastic brain. Often half precious stones, bone, wood and crystal, so beautifully made and testament to extraordinary taste. Stunning! In Amsterdam, his earrings are for sale at Droomfabriek de Groot & de Jong in Nw. Spiegelstraat. Truly hors-category. To believe it, you have to have seen it, you don’t know what you see. “Larger than life” are the jewellery of Larry Vrba (pronounced vurba). At 22, he was already chief designer at Miriam Haskell. What he made was, big and theatrical. No wonder much of his clientele was in the transvestite corner. Mariam Haskell. In terms of level, we can compare Haskell to Chanel and Schiaparelli. And many of the designers mentioned above are indebted to Haskell and her designers, although she did not actually design herself, but was a great influence on her chief designer Frank Hess. As a 25-year-old – just arrived in New York – she founded the Haskell Company with Frank Hess, a former étaleur – and sold her breathtaking handmade jewellery in her shop at the prestigious Mc Alpin hotel. She, a genius businesswoman and Hess, a genius designer, together a dynamic and artistically successful team. For decades, they inspired other designers, influenced jewellery fashion and enchanted their female clientele. The beauty, originality, craftsmanship, high quality materials , all factors that fascinated and made everyone greedy. Haskell was a pretty, intelligent, slightly cool aloof woman, who had studied at the University of Chicago for a blue Monday before seeking a career in New York, a career that took off immediately. The elite of New York and Hollywood such as Joan Crawford, Lucille Ball, Gloria Vanderbilt and the Duchess of Windsor collected her Costume Jewelry. Photos of celebrities appeared in the magazines and film and theatre credits mentioned her name. Her designer Frank Hess was a man who kept in touch with only a few of his staff, he was very keen on his privacy, in short, a complex persona. But was also flamboyant, a man who every working day, sophisticatedly dressed, top hat and walking stick with silver handle, made sure everyone was well and representatively dressed. In the beginning, he derived his motifs from nature: dragonflies, birds, flowers, leaves, in a wide range of materials. Three collections a year, Spring, Autumn and Holiday. There were exclusive outlets all over America and often no more items were made than were ordered by those various exclusive Department Stores. Five times a year, buyers were invited to come and see the new collections, receiving lunches and stylish dinners. From 1936 to 1970, the Company had its own shop in Saks Fifth Avenue and in the 1930s Haskell was on sale at Harvey Nichols in London. Miriam Haskell was “hot” and trendsetting. However, her health problems forced her to sell the business around 1950 to her brother, who soon sold it on again, but Frank Hess stayed and continued the success until his retirement. Designers came and went. Among them the young étaleur Larry Vrba, who would later design such extravagant jewellery, and the renowned Stanley Hagler. Miriam Haskell died in 1981 and had no involvement with the Company, which incidentally still exists, for 30 years. Miriam Haskell, Kenneth Jay Lane, Marcel Boucher, Iradj Moini, Larry Vrba, Stanley Hagler, Trifari, Juliana, Coro, Vendome, Weiss, Alice Caviness, Alexis Kirk, Eisenberg, Henry Schreiner, Kramer, the Pennino Brothers, Robert DeMario, Sarah Coventry, they enriched the world with dazzling beauty. And it’s all on display in our shop. Sometimes “over the top” and “bigger than life”, but always elegant and surprising. Celebrities like Audrey Hepburn, Liz Taylor and Marilyn Monroe already wore it, as well as the Duchess of Windsor and Jacky Kennedy. And icons of today, Lady Gaga and Madonna love it, Madeleine Albright and Neelie Smit-Kroes. Costume Jewelry is “highly fashionable”. “Asking a woman to wear only real jewellery is like asking her to cover herself with real flowers. That will stink and wilt. A woman has to combine fake and real.” Chanel launched the fashion of long strings of fake pearls combined with real pearls in the early 20th century. Her coveted bags and those of other “high-end” designers are on display in our Dream Factory, you are most welcome.
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Theo de Groot & Trudy de Jong Vintage costume jewellery is the perfect accessory for casual to formal wear. Rhinestone earrings, necklaces, bracelets and brooches, you are sure to find jewellery that suits you perfectly, designed and handmade by top designers. Vintage Costume Jewelry also has an extensive jewellery history. You’ll find it at Dream Factory de Groot & de Jong by Theo & Trudy. Come and see our collection of illusion jewellery at 9B Nieuwe Spiegelstraat in the centre of Amsterdam near the Rijksmuseum. Be our guest.
Theo de Groot & Trudy de Jong