Vintage Trifari Jewelry

Vintage Trifari Jewelry is among the most loved and most collected Vintage Costume Jewelry. Trifari is often recommended for beginning collectors because there is an abundant supply, the pieces are signed, the designs are beautiful and elegant and most pieces are reasonably priced .

Trifari was founded in 1918 by Gustavo Trifari, an Italian immigrant who had learned the jewelry business from his grandfather, and his partner, Leo Krussman - the company was called Trifari and Krussman and was started to manufacture ornate hair combs and other accessories. These pieces are marked TK. In the post World War I boom, their business was very successful. In 1925 Carl Fishel was added as a third partner and the company was called Trifari, Krussman and Fishel. Jewelry from this era is marked KTF, with the top of the T extending over the K & F. These pieces tend to be quite valuable. Alfred Phillippe joined Trifari as head designer in 1930. Phillippe had been a jeweler with Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels and believed that costume jewelry should be a work of art. He set new standards for the costume jewelry industry by using the same craftmanship that was used in making fine jewelry. He created many designs using hand-set stones.

In 1938 the company, which was by then called Trifari, launched the first major advertising campaign by a costume jewelry company using the slogan "Jewels by Trifari". This ad campaign is credited with popularizing costume jewelry as a stylish and affordable alternative to fine jewelry.

In 1939 Trifari moved its manufacturing facilities to Providence, Rhode Island. For the next 50 years Providence was the worldwide center of fashion jewelry manufacturing.

During the years of World War II the metals normally used in crafting costume jewelry went to the war effort. Trifari and other costume jewelry manufacturers used sterling silver and gold-platings during the way years. Trifari produced patriotic red, white and blue jeweled pieces during the war years. Also during this time, Trifari was commissioned to make the emblems for Great Britain's Royal Air Force.

In 1940 Trifari patented "Trifanium" - a jewelry plating process that gave jewelry the look of gold or silver. The plating also protected the jewelry and helped it maintain its beauty over time.

In 1941 Trifari introduced their signature crown pin. It was vermeil with colored rhinestones, cabochons and square baguette stones. It is perhaps the most identifiable, and the most copied, Vintage Trifari Jewelry design. No vintage jewelry collection is complete without one!

Also during the World Was 2 years, Trifari began to manufacture their famous "jelly belly" items. Jelly Bellies are figural items - such as birds, dogs, owls or fish - with a clear Lucite belly. (Lucite was developed by DuPont in 1937. ) They are among some of the most collected and valuable Vintage Trifari Jewelry items. True Jelly Belly pieces have clear bellies. items with colored bellies are not considered to be true jelly bellies. In 1952 Trifari made the inaugural jewelry for First Lady Mamie Eisenhower. Trifari made three set of the famous triple-strand pearl necklace - one for the First Lady, one for the Smithsonian Institution, one for Trifari's archives. Trifari again designed Mrs. Eisenhower's inaugural jewelry in 1956 when her husband was re-elected.

As fashion changes through the years, so did Trifari's designs. Designs from the 1960s have been described as "Bold, exotic shapes and gems, oversize baubles, intricate and ethnic-inspired". The designs of the 1970s included big bold polished gold necklaces and Zodiac charms.

In 1975 the company joined Hallmark Card and was then bought out by Crystal Brands Jewelery Inc. In 1988 and finally Trifari became part of the Monet Group, which manufactured Monet and Marvella jewelry. In 2000, Liz Claiborne acquired Monet and the Trifari line was discontinued.

Here are the current Vintage Trifari Jewelry listings on eBay:

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