Trifari

Trifari

Trifari is probably the most successful and best known costume

jewelry manufacturer. Under the aegis of talented designer Alfred Philippe, the Italian-American company produced a vast range of finely crafted, innovative styles in the mid-20th century.

Trifari

Born in Naples in 1883, Gustavo Trifari trained as a goldsmith under his grandfather.

 He emigrated from Italy to New York City in 1904 and worked with his uncle making costume jewellery. In 1910, they set up a company together called Trifari & Trifari, but Gustavo soon went his own way, establishing Trifari in 1912 to produce high- quality pieces.


In 1917, Leo Krussman joined as sales manager and a year later, having achieved some commercial success, the company became Trifari & Krussman. Karl Fishcl was hired as a salesman in 1923 and helped the company grow further. By 1925, it had become Trifari, Krussman & Fishel (TKF), but was still known as Trifari.

Trifari

Trifari became a success story thanks to the quality and range of its jewelry. In the 1930s, the public's attention was captured by the company's designs for Broadway shows such as Roberta, and the Trifari pieces worn by many Hollywood and Broadway stars.





 Alfred Philippe had joined as head designer in 1930, taking Trifari to new heights with his imaginative designs and quality of production. It became the second largest costume jewelry firm in the United States, after Coro. Under Philippe, the company produced two of its most successful lines—"Crown" pins and "Jelly Bellies."

Trifari

The "Crown" pins, produced from the late 1930s to the 1950s, included a special series for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Some designs featured brightly colored cabochons, others used clear rhinestones for a sparkling, monochrome effect.


 Alfred Philippe's "Crown" designs from the 1940s feature large cabochons set on heavy vermeil silver, enhanced with rows of colorful rhinestones. These icons of design are avidly sought after and fetch high prices.

Appearing on the market in 1940, the "Jelly Bellies" had a Lucite "pearl" as their feature stone and were set in sterling silver or gold plate. The rarest designs, which include seals, roosters and poodles can command high prices.

Trifari

Due to wartime metal restrictions, Trifari was obliged to use sterling silver, as opposed to base metals, from 1942. This tripled prices but did not have an impact on sales. After the war, Trifari attempted to revert to less expensive metals, but the market now demanded silver. To counter this, in 1947 the company introduced "Trifanium," a special alloy which it used to create cast settings. It was filed, polished, and plated before being set with "gems."

Key designs under Philippe's direction include enameled floral pins from the 1930s. Eye-catching patriotic pins from the 1940s, which promoted the war effort, feature American flags and eagles, and appeal to collectors both of patriotic and co

 SEE PART 2 for more on Trifari