Ciner Jewels of India Moghul Maltese Cross Pendant Brooch
View Similar Items
Ciner Jewels of India Moghul Maltese Cross Pendant Brooch
About the Item
- Creator:
- Metal:
- Dimensions:Width: 2.37 in (60.2 mm)Depth: 0.37 in (9.4 mm)Length: 2.5 in (63.5 mm)
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1980s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. In the area where the bottom faux sapphire is set. The gold plating is worn off. I think the stone was reset & it caused the color change.
- Seller Location:Miami Beach, FL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU136917213921
Ciner
What defines “fine” jewelry? For many aficionados, there’s a clear line separating the golden wheat from the gilded chaff. But the handcrafted pieces made by Ciner, a 128-year-old costume jewelry house with a glittering past to rival some of the hautest high jewelers, call into question our notions of what constitutes preciousness.
Quality? Craftsmanship? Painstaking detail? Vintage Ciner earrings, brooches, necklaces and other accessories have them all in spades.
Much of the Ciner’s allure can be traced to its origins in fine jewelry. Emanuel Ciner, an Austrian immigrant, founded the firm in Manhattan in 1892, crafting pieces from the traditional precious gems, gold and platinum. But World War I and the Great Depression caused purse strings to tighten and materials to become scarce. Rather than try to weather the economic downturn, which shuttered many other American jewelers, Ciner made the risky transition from fine jewelry to costume (or fashion) jewelry — virtually uncharted territory.
Emanuel Ciner’s sons, Irwin and Charles, introduced an array of innovations — rubber casting molds, which are especially durable and produce higher quality results, and white metal alloys, which affordably mimic the look of more precious materials — that would become the standard for costume jewelry. During World War II, Ciner’s advanced molding technology was utilized by the U.S. military to produce munitions and tools. This arrangement gave the firm access to the heavily rationed metals it needed for its jewels, enabling it again to endure conditions that drove others into bankruptcy.
The company hit its stride in the 1960s, when its jewelry was sold at some of the country’s toniest stores, even garnering an Andy Warhol–illustrated ad for Bonwit Teller. Its pieces were worn by the era’s brightest stars. In the famous 1957 Joe Shere photo of Sophia Loren sneering at Jayne Mansfield’s décolletage, Mansfield is resplendent in shoulder-grazing Ciner earrings.
Ciner is unique among costume jewelers in that its pieces aren’t imitations — they are coveted in their own right. Elizabeth Taylor, a voracious jewelry collector with a taste for the very finest, was a longtime client. Several suites of Ciner jewels were included in the 2011 Christie’s sale of Taylor’s collection, with one group of rhinestone-studded ear clips and a bracelet fetching $15,600 — more than 100 times the auction estimate. It’s a reminder of a time, not so long ago, when women of great style wore fine and costume jewelry with equal aplomb, often at the same time.
Today, Ciner — now run by Emanuel Ciner’s granddaughter Pat Ciner Hill and great-granddaughter Jean Hill — continues to adhere to the same exacting production specifications. It is the only jewelry house in New York, and likely the United States, that manufactures all its pieces entirely in-house. Each begins with dozens of elements that are cast in rubber molds and then individually filed and polished, plated in a particularly thick layer of 18-karat gold or rhodium, assembled on the bench and painted with enamel or set with stones. Every step is performed by hand by craftsmen, many of whom have been with the company for more than 30 years.
Find vintage Ciner clip-on earrings, choker necklaces, bracelets and other jewelry on 1stDibs.
- Large Asian Motif Bird and Floral PendantLocated in Miami Beach, FLAsian-motif gold-plated pendant with scroll edges, dating from the 1950s to 1960s. One side features a Asian symbol and the other side has a bird sitting on a branch with opal flower...Category
Mid-20th Century Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsOpal, Quartz, Gilt Metal
- Naturalistic Banded Agate Geo Sterling Silver PendantLocated in Miami Beach, FLLarge brown banded agate pendant mounted in a sterling silver bezel with a large sterling bale. Tested sterling silver - unmarkedCategory
Late 20th Century Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsAgate, Sterling Silver
- Agate and White Topaz Sterling Silver PendantLocated in Miami Beach, FLLarge sterling silver pendant featuring a brown square piece of agate with faceted white topaz accents. Marked "925" on bail.Category
Late 20th Century Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsAgate, Topaz, Silver, Sterling Silver
- Sterling Silver Man's Face NecklaceLocated in Miami Beach, FLHandmade three-dimensional pendant in the form of a man's face. Box-link sterling silver chain included. Chain is marked "925 Italy" and the face pendant is not hallmarked but tests ...Category
20th Century Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsSterling Silver
- Mexico Sterling Silver CZ Slide PendantLocated in Miami Beach, FLMexican slide necklace pendant featuring a large cubic zirconia in the center of a round sterling silver frame. Marked "Mexico 925" on back. Age wear, light scratches.Category
Late 20th Century Mexican Necklace Enhancers
MaterialsSterling Silver
- Large Swarovski Pavé Crystal Puffy Heart Pendant Necklace - SignedBy SwarovskiLocated in Miami Beach, FLRetired Swarovski crystal pavé puffy heart necklace with beautiful large puffy heart pendant with clear Swarovski stones 33" rope chain with clasp...Category
Late 20th Century Pendant Necklaces
MaterialsCrystal, Gold Plate
- Art Deco Hand Carved Portrait Shell Cameo Gold Pin Pendant Estate Fine JewelryLocated in Montreal, QCBeautiful Cameo Pin depicting a Beautiful Young Woman posing a striking a Romantic pose. The Hand Carved oval Cameo is securely set in a Handmade 14K yellow Gold bezel and and filigr...Category
Early 20th Century Art Deco Brooches
Materials14k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold
- Renaissance Revival Enamel Diamond Jeweled Ship Boat Galleon Gold Brooch PendantLocated in Miami Beach, FLLarge 1950's Renaissance revival enamel ship brooch constructed with silver on 14k yellow gold. The boat is decorated with cultured pearls, rubies...Category
Mid-20th Century Renaissance Revival Brooches
MaterialsBlue Sapphire, Diamond, Cultured Pearl, Ruby, Turquoise, 14k Gold, Silve...
- Victorian Large Hand Painted Porcelain Putti Cherub Pin/PendantLocated in Narberth, PAA lovely painted porcelain pin/pendant from the Victorian (ca1880) era! This wonderful piece is particularly large in size, and comprised of an oval-shaped porcelain plaque held with...Category
Antique 1880s Unknown Victorian Necklace Enhancers
Materials18k Gold, Enamel
- Italian Designer Toliro Emerald and Diamond Convertible 18 Karat Brooch PendantLocated in beverly hills, CAThis versatile piece features a gorgeous open work spherical design fabricated in 18 karat yellow and white gold highlighting a vibrant green emerald center weighing approximately .2...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Artist Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, Emerald, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
- Diamond and 18 Karat Yellow Gold Convertible BroochLocated in beverly hills, CAThis tailored brooch features an open work design composed of bead set round brilliant diamonds highlighting a central shield shaped design highlighting a round brilliant diamond in ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Antique Gold Silver Diamond Starburst Brooch PendantLocated in New York, NYAntique 14k gold and silver starburst brooch/pendant, adorned with approx. 1.50ctw in rose and old mine cut diamonds. Brooch measures 1.5" x 1.5". Weight - 13.1 grams.Category
Antique 19th Century Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, Silver, Gold