"Original by Robert"

I have been planning to do some "mini series" posts on vintage costume jewelry designers. I will be focusing on those designers that are highly sought after as well as a few I think are undervalued in todays market. (read: a good idea to buy and put away for a few years...). For those readers who are unfamiliar with the collectible jewelry market, designer signatures are usually found stamped onto the back of a piece of jewelry or on the clasp. Go dig thru your jewelry box and see if you find some!

To start us off, I have selected jewelry with the signature: "Original by Robert." Though more than one signature exists for this company, "Original by Robert" is by far the one you will likely encounter in the marketplace. This signature was used from 1942 thru 1979. Over the past 10 years, I have seen fewer and fewer pieces of this jewelry out in market for sale. Their whimsical enamels are some of the most fun to collect as the variety is boundless. They also have items similar to the necklace set which features hand assembled beaded clasps; similar in style to Miriam Haskell designs. I have pictured several "Original by Robert" pieces in this post. The necklace and earring set with original tags was QUITE a find. It is rare enough to find original tags, but to find a set like this was a coup! The wonderful enamels are actually going to be for sale in my Ruby Lane internet store and in my Gresham Lake Mall antique booth. I am going thru my personal collection and selling a lot of different things while trying to keep one piece from every designer. Please visit us at Gresham lake of you are ever in Raleigh. We are dealer #82. Enjoy the pics!