EISENBERG JEWELRY

Eisenberg  Jewelry

EISENBERG    JEWELRY

Eisenberg was renowned as one of the finest costume jewelry companies of the 1930s and 1940s, as a result of its excellent workmanship and the stunning use of Swarovski crystals.

Eisenberg Original was an American clothing company, established in 1914 in Illinois by Jonas Eisenberg, an emigre from Austria. In the 1920s, the company began to accessorize its outfits with its own pin designs, pinning or sewing the pieces onto garments, which w ere sold only through the finest stores in the I'nited States.

EISENBERG    JEWELRY

The paste jewelry was so admired that when customers found out they could not buy it separately, they began to steal it. By 1930, Eisenberg began producing pins as a separate line, and soon the range was expanded to include necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.

Early  Originals EISENBERG JEWELRY   are large, free-flowing designs with asymmetrical bows and sw irls, popularized at the time by Hollywood.



 In the 1940s, base metals were restricted for war use, so from 1943 to 1948 Eisenberg used sterling silver, and pieces became lighter and more detailed. Wartime rumors claimed that diamonds were being smuggled into America disguised as rhinestones in Eisenberg jew elry, but this has never been verified.

EISENBERG    JEWELRY

From 1940 to 1972, Ruth M. Kamke was head designer. She had started designing at Fallon & Kappel, who manufactured exclusively for Eisenberg. After her appointment she created almost all the pieces marked "Eisenberg Originals" and the "Eisenberg Ice" range.

The fashion in the 1950s, defined by Dior's "New Look," was for femininity. Emulating Kramer and Weiss, Eisenberg used richly colored rhinestones in dainty necklace and earring demi-parures,

which replaced its large pins and clips. In "Eisenberg Ice" pieces, Swarovski rhinestones were now highly
faceted.

EISENBERG    JEWELRY

Eisenberg Jewelry is popular with collectors because of its craftsmanship and its bold, clean, and typically large designs featuring Swarovski rhinestones, the high lead content of which give exceptional sparkle. Simulated glass stones and faux pearls are also employed to great effect.



 The pieces use sterling silver, white base metal, or silver- and gold-plated metal. Typical forms include Art Deco-inspired, medallion-like pins or clips of aqua, ruby, and clear crystals, and organic, abstract pieces. Also popular are the pins featuring kings and queens, and those in the form of mermaids, ballerinas, and animals. Some represent children's characters or stories such as Puss in Boots. Early 1940s figures are avidly collected.

EISENBERG    JEWELRY

Also eye-catching are the citrine-set sterling silver pieces, branded "Topaz Quartz" by the company. In the 1970s, it also made simple, enameled floral pieces, and the more expensive "Artists" series, featuring hand-painted enamel on gold. Most rare of all is the 1994 Christmas tree pin featuring navette-cut "aurora borealis" rhinestones in two colorways—only 80 of each colorway were made.

EISENBERG    JEWELRY

From 1930 to 1945, pieces were marked "Eisenberg Original." From the mid-1940s onward, they bear the mark "Eisenberg Ice." Sterling silver pieces w ere marked "Eisenberg Sterling" from 1943 to 1948. From 1952 to 1970, many pieces were unmarked. From 1970 to the present, "Eisenberg Ice" is used. An initial or number on the back of "Eisenberg Originals" identifies which designer set the stones. The company is still in production today.