Miriam Haskell - Collecting Costume Jewelry 101

Dates of Operation: 1926 – at least 2021

Two important qualities of a successful jewelry brand are innovation and distinctiveness. Miriam Haskell jewelry exemplifies both of these traits.

Miriam Haskell left her home in Indiana to open a gift shop selling accessories, including jewelry, in The McAlpin Hotel in New York City using $500.00 from her family. Haskell was an unconventional woman, who never married, but is linked romantically with prominent men of the era including Florenz Ziegfeld, Bernard Gimbel, and John D. Hertz, Jr. Like the men who filled her personal life, Haskell possessed an extraordinary business acumen, a drive for excellence, and an unerring eye for women’s fashions.

Deanna Farneti Cera, in her book “The Jewels of Miriam Haskell,” describes Haskell’s fashion aesthetic.

One of the very rare contemporary photographs documenting her activities shows the window of one of her boutiques which carries the sign ‘Miriam Haskell – le Bijou de l”Heure’ (‘Miriam Haskell – Jewellery for Every Occasion’.) This reflected her opinion that an elegant woman should wear different jewels to suit the particular event.
Cera, Deanna Farneti. The Jewels of Miriam Haskell. Milan, Italy: Ida Books, 1997. p. 13.

Shortly after Haskell opened her shop Haskell made a critically important choice. She hired Frank Hess, a window designer and artist, as a jewelry designer with the goal of selling her own line of high-quality fashion jewelry in her store along with the other established brands. Haskell knew what she wanted and knew that Frank Hess had the talent to help her achieve her goal both in fashion and in business. Both Haskell and Hess possessed strong organizational skills and a drive for excellence that they strictly applied to the Haskell brand.

Filigree bases, like the two styles shown above, are typical of Haskell’s “Signature Look”. They are layered to conceal most of the wiring.

There is some debate among jewelry historians if Haskell designed the early jewelry; however, there is no doubt that together Haskell and Hess developed the Haskell “Signature Look.”

The yellow beads are wrapped to entirely cover the metal underneath in this example of “tapestry” beading.

The “Signature Look,” the look sought after by collectors today, is characterized by a filigree base, completely covered with beads and other elements. This style of wrapping beads is often referred to as “embroidery” or “tapestry” beading because the elements are hand-woven through the base. At this time, in the American marketplace, this look was innovative and distinctive. Haskell was making expensive jewelry to be sold in her high-end boutique using relatively inexpensive materials.

From the beginning, hand-made designs and quality workmanship were the hallmark of Haskell jewelry.

The protypes created by Frank Hess would be submitted to Miriam Haskell who, relying on her good taste and commercial instinct, selected the models which would go into production. Once these had been produced, they would be subjected to a further inspection, one by one, to ensure that the quality was perfect…
Cera p. 18

Exclusivity and quality were key elements in the marketing of Haskell jewelry. Only one store in each area was selected to carry the Haskell designs. The stores, happy to be selected, actively marketed her designs. In addition, Haskell invited store buyers to special showings of the new designs. These were lavishly planned to provide buyers with an exceptional buying experience.

Famous Hollywood stars including Joan Crawford and Lucille Ball wore Haskell designs.

Prewar pieces are rare and unsigned. Expertise beyond the scope of this section is required to accurately identify these early, unsigned Haskell.

During the war, due to the restrictions on metal and glass, Haskell produced some of the most innovative jewelry designs, still hand-made, using alternative materials like plastic and wood. These designs were unsigned. Copies were likely made at the time, so it is highly recommended to consult a Haskell expert before investing a large sum on unsigned Haskell.

The book Miriam Haskell Jewelry by Cathy Gordon & Sheila Pamfiloff expertly and clearly explains the hardware and style traits for early Haskell jewelry. Information on the older backs, like the plastic back shown in the example below, information on clasps, information on the string used, and much more is available in this valuable resource.

The Introduction talks about the difficulty in identifying authentic, early Haskell.

Finding and identifying unsigned pieces is a challenging treasure hunt. Collectors must have enough familiarity with pieces, ideally in person, to get comfortable with recognizing the key indicators of Haskell design, construction, and materials. Gordon p. 9
Gordon, Cathy, and Sheila Pamfiloff. Miriam Haskell Jewelry. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 2004. p. 9.

This unsigned Haskell clip is referred to by collectors as the “lampshade” clip due to a description of the clip written by author Cathy Gordon. She showcases several versions of the World War II era “lampshade” clip in her book.

…a variety of colors with dangles made of narrow plastic strips, separated by flattened glass bead spacers. The motif on each clip consists of a stamped gilt metal leaf design, glass beads tipped with a contrasting seed bead and loops of glass beads.
Gordon, p. 147

The clip design on the left one example of a typical Haskell clip from the 1940s. The four sharp prongs hold the clip to the fabric. They remain surprisingly sharp today. The plastic back is also typical of Haskell one style of back used at this time. The stitching is precise and neatly done.

Removable paper tags were the only signature until the late 1940s. The first Haskell signature was a horseshoe- shaped cartouche. From approximately 1950 forward Haskell jewelry was signed on a cartouche, on earring backs, or metal hangtags. Until 1979 the signature on the metal hangtags was stamped and could be viewed from both sides of the tag. After 1979, the signature was only visible from one side.

First used in the late 1940s but remained in use after that so it may appear on newer designs.

Left: Miriam Haskell signature on an earring back Right: Single sided Haskell hangtag used after 1979. Gordon, p. 55

Called a side clasp, this design was used by Haskell from 1975 – 1980. The number refers to a utility patent for the design issued in 1969 to James r. Johnston. Gordon, p. 63

The shape and thickness of the Haskell-style hook is distinctive. This one is signed MIRIAM HASKELL and features a floral decoration. Hook and tail style necklaces date to after 1948.

Most Haskell pin backs only open 90 degrees.

Plating

Collectors and dealers refer to the unique color of early Haskell as “Russian gold” plating.

Parts went through six to seven preparatory steps and then the special dipping process…The dipping solution contained 24-karat gold, among other (secret) ingredients. It was made by hand with the formula kept locked in a safe…with the dipping timed by hand. p. 45
Gordon, p. 45

When the original plating company went out of business Haskell found other suppliers, but the “Russian gold” color was never replicated.

Many hand-made designs by Haskell and by other brands like DeMario and Robert suffer from a green metal rust or deterioration called verdigris. It is believed this green rust is exacerbated by failure to keep the metal in the plating solution for the full duration. Then the oils from hands and the wires corrode the metal. This problem is not limited to Haskell. The earrings shown above are not Haskell. Filigree designs are especially vulnerable, but verdigris can also appear on fancy prongs and bead tips.

Left: Earring with filigree back and the start of verdigris. Right: Same earring after cleaning with Dawn dish soap and an extra soft toothbrush. Verdigris damages plating unless it is cleaned as soon as it starts. It is prudent to routinely check vulnerable filigree pieces for verdigris. Be careful to check all of the wires, too. In this case, the wires are not yet involved.

Frank Hess designed jewelry marked Armourelle for Kramer in 1963.

By 1950, Miriam Haskell’s mental health deteriorated so she sold her business to her brothers. Frank Hess remained in charge of the designs, while Haskell’s brothers ran the business, until 1960. At this time, Hess started a business with Haskell’s nephew Josef Morton Glasser that only lasted three years. In 1963 Hess designed the Kramer Amourelle line.

Frank Hess designed this rare Josef Morton pin in the same aesthetic as he designed the Haskell “Signature Look.”

The Designers

The following descriptions of each prominent Haskell designer come from The Jewels of Miriam Haskell by Deanna Farneti Cera and Miriam Haskell Jewelry by Cathy Gordon & Sheila Pamfiloff. They offer a Haskell expert’s insight into Haskell jewelry designs by these experts.

Frank Hess ~1926 – 1960

In designing jewellery, he was guided by a strong sense of color, with a particular preference for pink, pale blue, amethyst, light green and yellow.

He particularly loved pearls…

When starting to design a piece of jewellery, Hess did not make a drawing, but formed it by directly arranging the stones and other elements…
Cera, p. 65

Author’s Note: Watercolor pictures were made showcasing Hess’s designs. Many of these are shown in Miriam Haskell Jewelry by Cathy Gordon & Sheila Pamfiloff. These watercolors show Hess’s work in color the way they were intended to be worn.

Robert Clark 1958 – 1968

While Frank Hess’s are soft, graceful and reassuring with light, airy forms, Clark’s pieces are aggressive, showy and individual, stemming from the hand of a sculptor who creates ornaments out of at times intriguing imaginary pieces.
Cera, p. 147

Clark sometimes used a monochromatic color scheme or a contrasting color scheme. The “look” Clark created fit well into the art and fashion of the 1960s. His designs are edgy and fashionable at the same time. His aesthetic is recognized as a positive influence on updating Haskell designs while maintaining their reputation for excellence.

Larry Vrba Hired in 1968, Head Designer 1970 – 1978

Vrba often referred to Frank Hess’s works as “beautiful old ladies,” and when he addressed the “Signature Look” or Clark-influenced designs, he did so with reverence….Vrba’s new designs included bridge jewelry; all metal jewelry lines such as medallions, chains, and doorknocker earrings; ethnic themes, tailored jewelry; and novel items such as beltlets and long strands of beads, mostly using novel materials.
Gordon, p. 217

Camille (Millie) Petronzio 1980 – ?

She loves nothing more than developing elaborate sophisticated jewelry, yet she adds a soft and feminine quality to it.
Gordon, p. 231

The following changes of ownership impacted the designs Petronzio created for Haskell. She not only designed traditional Haskell but she also worked on nontraditional designs.

Ownership

In 1955, Haskell’s nephew Joseph Haskell sold the company to Morris Kinzler. The name was changed to Haskell Jewels Limited.
Under Kinzler’s ownership the company was expanded to included nontraditional Haskell jewelry. Kinzler owned the company until 1983.
In 1983 Haskell was sold to Sanford Moss, the general manager, who had been with Haskell since 1958.
In 1990 Haskell was purchased by Frank Fialkoff. For the first five years of ownership Fialkoff returned Haskell to producing jewelry with the “Signature Look.” After that he added jewelry created by jobbers and sold as M. Haskell, Jewelry of Haskell, or Haskell.

Haskell Jewels, LLC is described on www.makersrow.com as a

…private label businesses and licensed brands, Haskell Jewels is one of the largest vendors to department stores and mid-tier retailers. It licenses, Betsey Johnston jewelry & watches, Kenneth Cole jewelry and Steve Madden jewelry and watches…
www.makersrow.com

In addition to the licensed brands, Frank Fialkoff and his wife Linda maintained a New York operation that continued to design and produce traditional Haskell jewelry. Until recently the website www.miriamhaskell.com offered their jewelry online. After Frank’s death, Linda maintained the Haskell brand until her death in 2021. The site now posts a “temporarily closed” message.

Miriam Haskell Gallery

In mint condition, this Frank Hess design features three strands of light sapphire beads separated by sapphire spacer beads. The center decoration has four overlapping semi-circles with tapestry beaded centers. Light sapphire rhinestones, in rose montée settings, surround the center stone. The 1″ clip earrings mirror the design of the center. The necklace measures 16 1/2″ including the extension chain. It is signed MIRIAM HASKELL on the hook, on a cartouche, and on both clip earrings.

Left: The back view shows the placement of the filigree backs. The frond-style elements used in the center decoration are iconic Haskell shapes. Center: Haskell wires two filigree shapes together to hide most of the wiring underneath. The wires securing the beads to the frame are visible along the sides. Right: Blue string is used for this design. Haskell switched to only white nylon string in the 1960s which helps to date this design to 1948 – 1960. (Gordon p. 51)

Haskell produced three major (fall, spring, holiday) collections and two minor (summer, resort) collections. (Gordon p. 12) The colors of this 16 1/2″ Haskell necklace suggest it was made for a fall collection. The beads are strung on white thread. The thread is back-strung which means it was wrapped over a jump ring and then threaded back through the beads. Dating this set is difficult. Best guess due to the back-stringing, this necklace dates to between 1948 – 1970.

Left: This necklace is signed MIRIAM HASKELL on an oval cartouche and on the back of the hook. Right: It features tapestry beading, art glass beads, and an innovative floral decoration. Orange seed beads are wrapped like a hallo around the mirror-like center stone. The hallo is an unusual design not seen often.

Haskell is famous for their exquisite beads. Prior to 1958 Haskell purchased their beads from Clio Novelty Co. in Brookland. After 1958, Haskell beads were made by the Niki Company in Japan. (Gordon p. 32-33) This 24″ necklace (measuring around without the pendant) with a 2″ pendant features Niki pearls. It is signed MIRIAM HASKELL on a double-sided cartouche with the side clasp dating it to between 1975 – 1979.

Left: The bracelet was purchased separately. It fits an average size wrist and is signed with a double-sided hang-tag. Right: The beads are separated by faceted metal spacer beads found on many Haskell designs. These are Niki pearls in three colors: creamy white, light gray, and dark gray.

The side clasp dates these beautiful Haskell Niki beads to 1975 – 1979. Creamy white Niki pearls, graduating in size, are strung on white thread. Three high-quality cloisonné enamel beads add color to the wearable, everyday design. This necklace was also made with only on cloisonné bead.

Cloisonné is an ancient technique for decorating metal. A design is formed using wires. Then the wires are filled with colorful enamel.

Measuring 17 1/2″ including the tail, this is a simple design for Haskell. It has a fall motif and consists of rhinestone chain, with dangling beads in a front-bib design. It is signed MIRIAM HASKELL on the hook and on the double-sided hang-tag.

This design would not have been made under Frank Hess’s time as design director. It was made between 1960 and 1983.

Both of these necklaces feature monochromatic red/pink glass beads strung on white nylon. The long necklace is 24″ and the shorter necklace is 15″. The beads are identical so they can be worn together.

The side clasp and the one-sided MIRIAM HASKELL hang-tag date these necklaces to `1979 – 1980. The different textures in the beads add contrast to the design.

This elegant, monochromatic, art glass bead design is signed MIRIAM HASKELL on the decorative hook. Floral hook decorations and the use of rondelle beads (the crystal beads set in metal between the green faceted beads) are traits of many Haskell beads.

The large size of the 2″ clip earrings is the most prominent design feature in this set. They climb half-way up the ear! The pin measures 3 “. Flat-backed rose montée stones highlight some of the abstract floral design. All three pieces are signed. The date this set was made is unknown; however, the sparce beading suggests it was after Frank Hess.

The design of this 2″ Haskell floral is detailed and unique. The TINY stem contrasts with the size and the richness of the floral. The bottom right art-glass stone is yellow with spider-web veins of blue. The horseshoe signature suggests late 1940s, but the art glass stones suggest it may be later. The design has the detail, precision of placement, and quality of a Hess piece.

Densely packed with beautiful color, this 1 3/4″ Miriam Haskel pin features two layers of crescent-shaped stones arranged to form a five-petal floral. Clusters of tiny flowers and a ruby center stone complete the look.

This design was originally part of a set. The date is unknown.

This interesting Miriam Haskell ring has a molten metal shank and a “moveable” crystal center. It fits a size six finger and it signed MIRIAM HASKELL on an oval plaque. The modernist design suggests it dates to the mid to late 1960s.

These three Christmas Tree pins were designed by Camille (Millie) Petronzio in 2001 as part of a nine-tree collection.

Right: Back view showing the filigree back and wires wrapping the seed beads around the branches. Center: The clusters of seed beads in this example are plastic, not glass. It is shorter than the other two trees and has a different base.

Side view of the first tree showing the layers of filigree and the way the rhinestone ornaments are attached.

Conclusion

Table of Contents

Although Miriam Haskell and Frank Hess frequently traveled abroad for fashion inspiration, the Miriam Haskell “Signature Look” -the creative use of unconventional, inexpensive materials to create high-end fashion jewelry – is an American success story. It is hard to imagine a collection of vintage, American made costume jewelry that doesn’t include Haskell.