Mazer Masterpiece.

NWS 6-1354

~ Not just your ordinary parure! Take a good, long look at this jewelry set, because you're viewing an example of the very best of American costume jewelry. In the history of the country's costume jewelry, there is nothing that surpasses the fineness and extraordinary beauty of this necklace, bracelet, brooch and earrings. They command awe and respect.  Rarely do we EVER see a full set of museum quality jewelry like this reach the market.

~ From a design standpoint, you can see in this jewelry a touch of the Retro Period (1938-1952) which favored natural, floral themes, such as posies tied with bows, displaying "frozen movement".  In this set, Joseph Mazer has created a vine-and-leaf motif, and has elevated it to the sublime. Literally hundreds of spade-shaped, golden leaves have been pavé-set with faceted, faux diamonds. These leaves wind their way around huge, icy chunks of enormous, faux emerald crystals on golden vines. It just takes my breath away!

~ The base metal of this set is gold plated. The very best jewelers know, however, that diamonds often look their most brilliant when placed in a platinum setting. The clear crystals in this set, therefore, have been set into thickly plated rhodium metal and are absolutely dazzling.

~ The emerald-cut, faux emeralds are all the same size (5/8" high and .5" wide!) on the bracelet, brooch and earrings (necklace has larger stones, then graduates to smaller ones). And, in spite of my camera's report, they are all the same color. Now hold on to your hat! These large crystals have, deep within them, thin wisps of gauze-like filament. I suppose some would say it's meant to be  "marbleizing", but the strands are much lighter, almost like spider webs inside the crystals. How they achieved this effect inside of molten crystal, I have no idea, but the effect is stunning. Mind you, these faux emeralds are faceted by hand on both the fronts and the backs. They are also in open settings, without foil. But Joseph Mazer didn't stop there! The color of these crystals is unique. They are somewhere between emerald green and aqua blue, depending on how the light reflects (and no, they are not iridescent). Such a color, your eyes just won't believe it!

~ The heavy, large bracelet is 7" long and slightly over 1" wide.  It also has the zillions of little clear rhinestone leaves, with large, openback green stones all down the center.  Bracelet terminates in a jewel-covered shovel clasp and has a safety chain.

~ The brooch measures  2.5" wide.

~ The gorgeous clipback earrings dangle 2.4"long and are 1" wide.

~ All pieces are signed "JOMAZ". One earing is also marked "Pat. 196432".

~ The necklace terminates in a crystal-studded, folding clasp. The "chain" is actually dozens of little, diamond-covered leaves, set in rhodium plating, but joined by a golden vine. Each link of the chain is comprised of 2 leaves. The necklace has a built-in curvature that makes it hard to measure. It is approximately 16" long. Better workmanship, I have never seen.

c. 1958, in excellent condition, 2 or 3 of the tiny, clear stones have mellowed.

Ressearch: Featured in the book, Costume Jewelry, The Great Pretenders, by Kelley & Schiffer, p. 44.

Price = $3,385.00, or 1 layaway payment of $1,354 and 2 payments of $1,015. Read about the Fabulous Facets Layaway Program here. k-p2, sets 1

Who was Mazer?