Hattie Carnegie
Hattie Carnegie |
Legend has it that as the Kanengeiser family set sail from Europe for the promised land of America, their young daughter asked the name of the richest man in the country.
Adopting industrialist Andrew Carnegie's name for herself, Hattie Carnegie went on to build a fashion empire and achieve spectacular commercial success.
Hattie Carnegie |
Born Henrietta Kanengeiser in
Vienna, Austria, in 1886, Hattie Carnegie emigrated to the United States with
her family at the turn of the century. Initially, she worked as a milliner's
assistant at Macy's department store in New York City, but in 1913, she opened
the first of a series of dress and millinery shops with Rose Booth, who made
the dresses while Carnegie designed the hats.
Hattie Carnegie
The success of this enterprise
led to her establishing Hattie Carnegie Inc. in 1918, and she started making
jewelry to accessorize the company's outfits.
Hattie Carnegie
Hattie Carnegie |
Carnegie was an innovative designer, eschewing the trend
for copying fine jewelry in favor of creating her own—very expensive— designs.
Early ideas were based on clips and pins in vermeil silver or base metal.
She produced big, retro, abstract designs and enamel figurals in the form of animals and human faces, all commanding high prices today.
She produced big, retro, abstract designs and enamel figurals in the form of animals and human faces, all commanding high prices today.
Hattie Carnegie |
I lattie Carnegie Originals, her ready-to-wear line, was
launched in 1928. By the 1930s, she was established as a top name in the
fashion world.
She was known for her palazzo pajamas and simple black dresses, which she accessorized with feminine designs, producing small quantities of jewels that are rare today. Joan Crawford was a big
She was known for her palazzo pajamas and simple black dresses, which she accessorized with feminine designs, producing small quantities of jewels that are rare today. Joan Crawford was a big
fan, buying many of her pieccs, as were other Hollywood
goddesses, including Tallulah Bankhead, Joan Fontaine, and Norma Shearer.
Hattie Carnegie |
She commisioned other designers, such as Norman Norell, Pauline Trigere, and Claire McCardel, to create her pieces.
They incorporated many forms: floral and fruit motifs were used, alongside Oriental figures and stylized animal pins.
Hattie Carnegie |
Hattie Carnegie
Mass production of Carnegie jewelry by the late 1950s had mixed
results, and some rather unexciting gilt flower pins and abstract paste-
designs were made.
However, there were some flashes of brilliance: in the 1900s, the "Antelope" pin, inspired by primitive art, used bright plastic to emulate jade, coral, turquoise, and lapis, oft'st t with shimmering pastes.
The dramatic resign was stylish and bol j. Not as va uable but still
collected are roe elephants, fish, butter'ii.:s, and birds made in this style.
Other desirable pieces include c r< u> horses, clowns, and butterfly
pins, as well as chandelier earrings
However, there were some flashes of brilliance: in the 1900s, the "Antelope" pin, inspired by primitive art, used bright plastic to emulate jade, coral, turquoise, and lapis, oft'st t with shimmering pastes.
Hattie Carnegie |
In 1956, following Carnegie's death, the company was sold
to Larry Joseph, then in 1976 it was bought by the Chromology \i orican Corp.
Marks include "HC" or "HAC" in a diamond ship.., or
"Carnegie" or "Hattie Carnegie."
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