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Trifari Jelly Belly Sterling Vermeil Swan Brooch NWS 12-1478
~ This is another famous brooch from Trifari! The origin of "Jelly Belly" jewelry lies in the historical archives of Trifari. During World War II, Trifari converted some of their factories to produce Lucite windshields and turrets for US fighter planes. These windshields had to be flawless, so any large plexiglass sheets that were even lightly marred were thrown on a scrap heap, deemed unusable for the Air Force. Trifari's most famous jewelry designer, Alfred Philippe, looked at the growing stack of discarded plexiglass and had a stroke of genius. He had the company jewelers cut up the Lucite windshields into small cabochons, fitted them into some whimsical jewelry designs, and voila!... "Jelly Bellies" were born! ~ Also, during World War II, costume jewelry designers were obliged to use sterling silver for their jewelry, as all other metals had been restricted for the war effort. This fabulous swan has been plated with a soft gold vermeil. ~ As she glides upon the surface of the clear water, the shimmering reflections of the water's ripples can be seen in her "jelly belly",... at least, that's how it looks. Alfred Philippe, who signed and submitted the above patent, may have had this scene in mind when he designed this fantastic brooch. This particular Lucite stone is called a "thumbprint" stone, because the top of the large, clear cabochon has been evened off and highly polished. Thus, the top of this Lucite is flat and perfectly smooth. Just as a jeweler facets a diamond to get refraction, Philippe has added immeasurable depth to the Lucite, just by this simple procedure. I've never seen it on any of the other jelly bellies. ~ All of the brilliant, faceted crystals have been set into thickly-plated, rhodium metal. That bright background makes an ideal setting for the scores of faceted, faux diamonds. ~ The brooch measures 2.65" wide and just over 2"high. ~ Signed on the back of each clip "Trifari" with the crown logo above the "T". Also signed "STERLING" and "DES.PAT.No. 137201". The original patent filing is shown above. c. 1944, in excellent vintage condition, all stones are original, and the Lucite looks great! Vermeil in great shape too! Price = $745.00 Safe Shopping Guarantee q-z 3, b 1, jb Who was Trifari? |
