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RESEARCHING COSTUME JEWELRY
originally created and published by Dotty Stringfield on IllusionJewels.com

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COSTUME JEWELRY MARKS – V*

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V

“V” — See VALENTINO
VALENTINO COUTURE, INC., NY, NY — 1960 till present

• Mark:   “V” (made from 3 triangles) first used Oct. 1970
• Mark:        Courtesy of Julie Levine
• Founded by Valentino Garavani in 1960.

VALIANT — See CORO
VALJEAN — VALJEAN PEARL CORP., Brooklyn, NY

• Mark:   Valjean first used 1944
• Have ads from 1956, 1964, 1965
• Have 2 ads from 1964 & 1966 that say, “Valjean, 19 West 36th St. NYC

VAN DELL — VAN DELL CORP., Providence, R — c. January 1939

• Mark:   Van Dell Sterling   Photo courtesy David Pritchett.
• Mark:   Hand carved Ivory — with necklace in original presentation box     Courtesy Christy Poturkovic.
• FRONT   and   BACK  of card enclosed in orignal box with necklace.   Courtesy Christy Poturkovic.
•  
• Signature on inside of presentation box.      Courtesy Christy Poturkovic.
• Mark:   Van Dell c. Jan. 1939  
• Mark:   Younger Lady 1943
• Mark:   Precious Al — Oct. 1941
• Bought by Colibri in 1991 (info from Colibri)

VAN DER STRAETEN, HERVE — 1985- present

• Mark:   Van der Straeten   
• Notes: French designer with own line since 1985; prefers to work in guilded bronze.
• Began working with Bernardaud China in 1992 designing items other than jewelry.
• In 1998 he designed a collection of porcelain jewelry for Bernardaud.

VAN ROUGE, JULES — c. 1967
VAN RYN, JOHANNA — A.J. VAN DUGTEREN & SONS,  NY, NY

• Mark:   Johanna Van Ryn — first used March 1945
• Van Ryn is / was a designer for the firm
• Have an ad from 1946

VAN S AUTHENTICS — See AUTHENTICS
VANECCI

•   Mark:   Vanecci   Photo courtesy Roxy Richarson
• Dates: contemporary
• Location: Greensboro, NC
• Notes: Contemporary shoe and accessories company

VANITY FAIR — See CORO
VARGAS — VARGAS MFG. CO., Providence, RI — c.1945 to at least 1996

• Mark:   CA — 1937 (original owner Carl-Art; last known owner Vargas); renewed in 1985  
• Mark:   Vargas since 1945; renewed in 1985.
• Mark:   Vargas in script      Courtesy ID: eclecticgramma.
• Mark:   Cradle Craft script 1946
• Mark:   Vargas — *V* imposed over an elongated diamond shape – 1947      Photo courtesy Lilly Vittetow;     
• Mark:   M-H — 1951; (original owner McGrath-Hamin, Inc.; last known owner Vargas)  
• Mark:   Little Princess — 1958; used for children’s jewelry; (original owner McGrath-Hamin, Inc.; last known owner Vargas)
• Mark:   Lucky Elephant — 1960
• Mark:   Bennard (with 3 circles overlapping with a line that forms a styalized “B” — first used 1969  
• Mark:   Brazilia Fire — 1971
• Mark:   Grandee — April 1971
• Mark:   Autocrat — 1971
• Mark:   Medici — 1971
• Mark:   Trianium — 1971
• Mark:   Venetian Cameo — 1974
• Mark:   Yukon Hematite — 1974
• Mark:   Bonded Karat — 1974
• Mark:   Pen Grave — 1976  
• Mark:   Park Lane — 1976 (original owner Carl-Art; last known owner Vargas)  
• Mark:   Diamond Life — 1996
• Mark:   Kid Power — 1997
• Notes: Vargas purchased McGrath-Hamlin in 1980.
• Still in business in 1996, according to bank loan information.
• All Vargas marks had expired or were cancelled as of 2004; except for the “V” mark, which is still live.
• Sometime between 1976 and 1981 Vargas merged with Carl-Art.
• UNCAS MFG purchased the Vargas company and it’s building at 150 Niantic Ave, Providence, RI.    This likely took place after 1996, because Vargas took out a bank loan in 1996.

VAUBEL, STEVEN — c. 1980s

• Mark:     Courtesy Mary Baker

VAUTRIN, LINE — Paris, France — c. late 1930s

• Mark:   Line Vautrin     Courtesy Erik Yang
• Started as a button maker showing designs at Paris Exposition in 1937. Known for mirrors set on a resin background, which she called “Talosel” (info from Erik Yang)

VENDOME — See CORO
VENETIAN — See R.F. SIMMONS CO.
VENUS — See MARVELLA
VENUS — See BRIER MFG. CO.
VERDUCCI CREATIONS, INC.  — Providence, RI — contemporary company

• Mark:   Verducci — probably the mark of Verducci Crations    Courtesy Kathryn of the-vintage-jewelry-advisor.com.

VICTORIA CO. LTD. — Warwick, RI

• Mark:   Victoria Creations first used 1962.
• Victoria, Co. owned by United Merchants and Manufacturers, Inc.
• Has manufactured jewelry for export, for Bijoux Givenchy(R), Richelieu(R), Tommy Hilfiger, Karl Lagerfeld(R), Napier, its own brands and under the Nine West brand.
• Currently owned by the Jones Apparel Group.

VICTORIA FLEMMING — See FLEMMING, VICTORIA
VICTORIAN — See R.F. SIMMONS
VIEN, ANN — Atlanta, GA — c. 1950

• Mark:   Ann-Vien      Courtesy Plenty O Jewels.

VIGELAND, TONE — Norway

• Mark:        Photo courtesy Carolyn Henry

VIKING CRAFT — ALBERT HORWIG, NY, NY

• Mark:   Viking Craft used since Nov. 1938

VOGUE 1936 — New York City — until at least 1977

• Mark:   Vogue     Photo courtesy Beth Rowlands.
• Mark:   Vogue Jlry     Photo courtesy Erik Yang.
• Mark:   Vogue Jlry     Courtesy Vera Battemarco
• Mark:   Earrings marked Vogue     Matching necklace marked “Paris, Made in France”.  Photos courtesy Erik Yang.
• Mark:   Vogue Sterling     Courtesy Robin Deutsch
• Notes: Founded by George Grand, Harold Shapiro (left the company in 1961) and Jack Gilbert
• Some necklaces are unsigned because the clasps could not carry a signature.
• Have two ads from Vogue from 1973, 1977
• Information provided by Pam Brooks from converstions with the grandson of George Grand.

VOGUE BELT & ORNAMENTAL CO., INC. Chicago, Il. — In business (6/05)

• Mark:   Vogue Belt Chicago     Photo courtesy Karen Bird.

VOLUPTE — VOLUPTE, INC., Elizabeth, NJ

• Mark:   Volupte — used on compacts & cigarette cases
• Mark:   Volupte Pat. Pend.     Photo courtesy Linda Lange.
• Mark:   Volupte U.S.A.   Photo courtesy eclecticgramma.
• Notes: Bought by Shields, Inc., Attleboro, MA in 1957
• Have costume jewelry ad from 1956

VON FURSTENBERG, DIANE — c. 1970

• Mark:   dvf  
• Mark:     Photo courtesy Linda Jo D. Mitchell.
• Contemporary clothing designer who also does jewelry.

VRBA, LAWRENCE — New York, New York – Early 1980s to present

• • Mark:   Photo courtesy Pat Seal
  • Mark:   Lawrence Vrba, Ltd (seen on card for unsigned earrings)     Courtesy Vera Battemarco
  • Worked for Haskell part-time for about 1 1/2 years starting in 1969.
  • Worked for William De Lillo for a short time before leaving to join Castlecliff. Designed for Castlecliff from 1970-1972.
  • Head designer for Miriam Haskell from 1973 to 1981; responsible for the Egyptian collection inspired by the King Tut exhibit and expanding lines beyond the usual pearl and beaded designs.
  • Stared designing his own jewelry lines in the early 1980s.
  • Vrba jewelry cards were usually, but not always, used in the late 80-early 90’s. They remained in his studio and were occasionally used later for other things.
  • Most Vrba jewelry was marked.
  • All Vrba items were made in his studio. Chris Crouch, who now designs Moans jewelry, has worked with Vrba for many years.
  • Vrba briefly designed jewelry for Accessory Lady stores in the 1980s, and those pieces are also marked with his name.
  • Learn more about Lawrence Vrba through a CJCI original feature.

Updated 4/21/2020 by Pamela Wiggins Siegel

BIBLIOGRAPHY

PAT SEAL: research files
DOTTY STRINGFIELD: research files
BOBYE SYVERSON: research files.
A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA by Carla and Roberto Brunialti
AMERICAN COSTUME JEWELRY by Carla and Roberto Brunialti
AMERICAN JEWELRY MANUFACTURERS by Dorothy T. Rainwater
COLLECTIBLE COSTUME JEWELRY by Cherri Simonds
COLLECTING COSTUME JEWELRY 101 By Julia Carroll
COLLECTING COSTUME JEWELRY 202 By Julia Carroll
COLLECTING RHINESTONE COLORED JEWELRY by Maryanne Dolan
COPPER ART JEWELRY by Burkholz and Kaplan
COSTUME JEWELRY A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK AND GUIDE by Fred Rezazadeh
COSTUME JEWELRY (2nd Ed.) by Harrice Simons Miller
EUROPEAN DESIGNER JEWELRY by Ginger Moro
INSIDE THE JEWELRY BOX By Ann Pitman
LUCILLE TEMPESTA: owner-publisher of the Vintage Fashion & Costume Jewelry Magazine
MASTERPIECES OF COSTUME JEWELRY by Ball and Torem
MID-CENTURY PLASTIC JEWELRY By Susan Klein
MIRIAM HASKELL JEWELRY by Cathy Gordon and Sheila Pamfiloff
OLD JEWELRY by Jeanenne Bell
WARMAN’S JEWELRY 2nd Ed. by Christie Romero
WARMAN’S JEWELRY 3rd Ed. by Christie Romero

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