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Joseff
of
Hollywood
Jewelry
1938-present
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Joseff of Hollywood Jewelry made it’s reputation by providing the
vast majority of jewelry used in Hollywood movies during the 1930’s, 1940’s
and 1950’s (although he did not make jewelry from 1942-1944). Owner and designer Eugene Joseff created jewelry as glamorous as
the era and place in which he worked. "Gone With The Wind" and "Around the
World in Eighty Days" are just two of many movies enhanced by Joseff
jewelry.
He wanted the jewelry used in period movies to have a basis in historical
fact, and the combination of the requirements of the movie industry and his
own creative genius resulted in some of the most fabulous jewelry of ever
made.
Mr. Joseff died in 1948, and his wife, Joan Castle Joseff has spearheaded
Joseff jewelry since that time. Joan
Joseff branched out into providing Joseff jewelry for TV stars from the
Fifties on, as well as expanding the
retail market until her death in 2010. Some vintage findings are still
being assembled on a limited basis for finished pieces today, according to
Joanne Ball, who wrote Jewelry of the Stars, where many of these
pieces are described and pictured.
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JOSEFF
princess face blue cabochons 18" by 3-1/2" necklace and 2-1/2" earrings.
View
View #X24168 |
JOSEFF
red cabochons snake motif 19" necklace, 7" by 1-5/8" bangle and 3-1/3"
earrings. View
#X24172 |
JOSEFF
lily motif red rhinestones 17-1/2" by 4" necklace and 3-3/4" earrings.
View
View #X24169 |
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JOSEFF
chrysanthemum 5-1/3" by 3-1/2" brooch and 3" earrings with red and green
glass cabochons. View
View #X24173 |
JOSEFF
green and red lily 4-1/2" by 2-1/4" brooch with rose and green glass
cabochons. View
#X24174 |
JOSEFF oriental
motif and chains brooch, 3" by 6" with multi-colored cabochons.
View
View #X24171 |
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JOAN CASTLE (Joseff) gold tone crown pin with clear rhinestone, 2-1/2".
This may have been made for the old TV show "Queen for a Day".
View #X23073 |
JOSEFF cherub
3" pendant on 16" chain, accented with topaz-colored rhinestones.
Signed "Joseff" in script.
View
View #X23074 |
JOSEFF
1956 Limited Production necklace in antique gold tone metal with cherubs,
faux pearls and clear rhinestones. Bib necklace 10-12" chain with
5-1/4" by 6" front element and 1-3/4" by 1-1/4" earrings. Pictured twice
in "Jewelry of the Stars" by Joanne Dubbs Ball.
Courtesy of Barbara Wood |
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JOSEFF 1" by
2-1/2" filigree brooch with brilliant clear rhinestones, marked "Joseff" in
script. View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
JOSEFF large 3-1/4" by 3-3/4" Egyptian Revival brooch with
purple rhinestones, marked
Joseff in script. View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
JOSEFF dangle 1-3/4"
earrings with large red cabochons set into the bottom of the earrings.
View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
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JOSEFF
astrological Libra 2-1/4" pin in antique gold tone metal.
Courtesy of Barbara Wood |
JOSEFF
astrological Virgo brooch and earrings circa 1945.
Courtesy of Barbara Wood |
JOSEFF 2"
by 1-1/2" turtle brooch in antique gold tone metal.
Courtesy of Barbara Wood |
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JOSEFF 16-3/4" choker with the block letter "JOSEFF
HOLLYWOOD" mark.
View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
JOSEFF 1-5/8 x 2-3/4 inch floral brooch marked "JOSEFF
HOLLYWOOD" in block letters.
View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
JOSEFF wishbone pin, 1-1/4" by 2-1/4" and marked "Joseff" in
script. View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
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JOSEFF
topaz colored rhinestones necklace and bracelet set in matte gold tone,
necklace 17-1/2" by 1-1/4", bracelet 7" by 1-1/3".
View #X35819 |
JOSEFF necklace and
matching set of 2 pins with green and clear rhinestones set in a
geometrically designed matter gold finish, necklace pins each.
View
View #X65401 |
JOSEFF
beautifully formed flowers necklace in
matte gold tone on a lovely twist style chain, 16" by 1".
View #X35818 |
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JOSEFF
3-1/4" pin in antiqued gold tone metal with faux pearls.
Courtesy of Barbara Wood |
JOSEFF heavy
matte gold tone cross brooch with three chain dangles, 6-1/3" by 2-3/4".
This is a heavy well made older Joseff piece and an unusual
one. Pictured in Harrice Miller’s "The Confident Collector, 2nd Edition", page 181.
View
View
View #X65706 |
JOSEFF
antiqued gold tone metal 7" by 5/8" bracelet marked "Joseff
Hollywood" in block letters.
Courtesy of Barbara Wood |
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This is the first JOSEFF piece I ever acquired. I’ve had it
for about 30 years, but didn’t realize it was Joseff until about 2 years
ago. It measures about 2 x 3 inches. The rhinestone is a rich pink, like
pink amethyst. Marked with the block "JOSEFF HOLLYWOOD" mark.
View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
JOSEFF victory wings 2-1/8" by 2-1/2" brooch marked "Joseff"
in script. View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
JOSEFF bow brooch, 2-1/2" by 4" and about 1 inch deep. Marked Joseff in script.
View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
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JOSEFF silver
filigree butterfly 1-3/4" by 2-7/8" brooch marked "JOSEFF HOLLYWOOD" in
block
letters. View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
JOSEFF
heavy-link triple chain 7-1/2" bracelet with a 2" dangling cage and
wonderful "tail-light" style ruby glass cabochons. Marked Joseff
in script. View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
JOSEFF red "tail
lights" 2-1/4" by 2-3/4" brooch. Marked Joseff in script.
View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
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JOSEFF 2-1/2"
wide cuff bracelets. According to "Jewelry of the Stars" by Joanne
Dubbs Ball, these were worn by Yvonne DeCarlo in the movie "Casbah" in 1948
and then again in 1951 by Tony Curtis, who wore it in "The Prince Who Was a
Thief". Marked "Joseff" in script.
View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover
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JOSEFF turquoise
parure… all pieces set with tear-shaped pieces of turquoise art glass
with gold veining. 16-3/4" necklace, 8-1/8" bracelet and 1-3/4" earrings.
Necklace and bracelet are marked "Joseff" in script and earrings are
unmarked. View
View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
JOSEFF 4-1/4" by 1-1/2"
silver bow brooch marked "JOSEFF HOLLYWOOD" in block
letters. View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
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JOSEFF silver plated
1-1/4" bee brooch.
Courtesy of Barbara Wood |
JOSEFF 2-3/4" bee brooch.
The bee sits atop a large honey-colored glass cabochon. Marked "Joseff"
in script. View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
JOSEFF turtle brooches
in artificial jade and coral.
View
Courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover |
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JOSEFF 2"
elephant pin signed "Joseff".
Courtesy of Molly Garza |
JOSEFF red, blue and clear unfoiled rhinestones 2-1/2" brooch signed
"Joseff of Hollywood".
Courtesy of Molly Garza |
JOSEFF
double pin in antique gold tone metal with large glass cabochon stones in
all colors. Pin is very large and can be adjusted from 8" to 10" long;
each medallion is 1-3/4" wide.
Courtesy of Barbara Wood |
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JOSEFF green and
pink rhinestones huge (pink stone is 1/1/2" across) brooch, signed "Joseff
Hollywood".
Courtesy of Cathy Gordon |
JOSEFF rosy pink rhinestones crucifix signed "Joseff" in script.
Courtesy of Cathy Gordon |
JOSEFF
hand holding a bouquet brooch, 3-3/4".
View #X23989 |
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JOSEFF 4" green
and clear rhinestones cross pendant on 30" chain.
View #X23930 |
JOSEFF bird motif brooch with blue and green rhinestones.
View
Courtesy of Pat Hamm |
JOSEFF bib
necklace in antique gold tone metal with clear and emerald green square
rhinestones. The earrings have been made into two pins. Pins measure 2"
and the bib part of the necklace measures a 5" triangle. Necklace to fit
15-16".
Courtesy of Barbara Wood |
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JOSEFF gold tone and clear
rhinestone cupid and heart 2-1/4" pendant on a 28" chain.
View #X28299 |
JOSEFF gold
tone cupid and heart earrings, 2-1/4" .
View #X28298 |
JOSEFF gold tone
cupid and heart brooch, 2-1/2".
View #X28297 |
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JOSEFF silver tone cupids
brooch, 2-5/8".
View #X28300 |
JOSEFF gold tone
and clear rhinestones scrolls and roses 2-1/2" brooch and 1-1/2"
earrings.
View
View #X28301 |
JOSEFF of Hollywood
3-1/3" gold tone grapes brooch.
View #X50334 |
JOSEFF silver tone puffy leaf
brooch, one very small dimple on the leaf so priced as-is, 2-5/8".
View #X28108 |
JOSEFF purple and clear
rhinestones brooch, 2-1/4".
View #X24307 |
JOSEFF matte gold tone brooch
with unfoiled clear faceted rhinestones dangling from stylized leaves,
finish as is with slight wear, 4".
View #X65106 |
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JOSEFF HOLLYWOOD
1938-present |
JOSEFF HOLLYWOOD
1938-present |
JOSEFF script signature
1938-present
Hollywood, California |
JOSEFF script signature
1938-present
Hollywood, California |
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DATING JOSEFF JEWELRY
GINGER MORO, author of "European
Designer Jewelry", SAYS:
How to tell the old from the new? The vintage pieces- 30s and 40s-
are marked "Joseff Hollywood" in upper case block letters, either
cast in the piece, or stamped in a discreetly small oval plaque
which is screwed on or soldered. The more flamboyant script Joseff
in a round plaque has been used since the 50s. Does it happen that
the older plaque sometimes got soldered onto a newer piece? Sure,
just like it happened in the Haskell and other costume jewelry
workshops. I don’t think there was any intention to deceive, it
may just have been more conveniently at hand. Dress clips were not
in fashion post-Forties with any costume jewelry makers, so
there’s another clue. Unadorned leaves and scrolls were in style,
as first designed by Schiaparelli for her Thirties couture
collections- (scans 284 and 285 on the next page). The early brooches were heavier
because there was a lot of layered metal work on the front and
plus a frame in the back. (Scan 293 and 275 killer brooches are 4
layers each.) The faux faceted gems were large and plentiful for
dazzling effect. The dorure mountings were matt or antiqued
gold-plated, to cut down on camera reflections.
The retail pieces, post-40s, are
brighter because they were intended to be worn by housewives not
film stars under studio lights. The metal findings were stamped
out in one layer, (two layers, max) which were both lighter and
cheaper for mass-production purposes. Scan 292, the "Pelican"
brooch and the Oriental coin necklace, #279, and the "Cleopatra"
snake cuff , #290, are two-layers each. They are easy to wear.
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Marlene Dietrich 1944
The movie was "Kismet".
According to Ginger Moro, author of "European Designer Jewelry", the
bangles are by Joseff of Hollywood. |
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