Florenza Jewelry

Dates of Operation: 1948 – 1981

Florenza Jewelry was founded by Dan Kasoff and named for his mother, Florence. He designed jewelry with predominantly historical themes for the Florenza line. The company also manufactured jewelry for other brands including Weiss, Kramer, and Carnegie.

Florenza jewelry closed in 1981 when Larry Kasnoff, Dan’s son and successor, was injured and unable to continue the business.

Historical Themes

Florenza jewelry is often described as Victorian Revival jewelry. Victorian jewelry is a blanket term for jewelry made during the long reign of Queen Victoria, 1837 – 1901. Due to the expansion of the empire at that time, Victorians gained a strong interest in ancient history and in other cultures including Etruscan, Heraldic/Renaissance, and Greece/Roman civilizations. Cameo jewelry continued to be popular at this time.

Etruscan

Authentic Etruscan jewelry is characterized by elaborate metal work including lines of tiny metal beads and filigree (tiny beads and metal threads soldered together). The Etruscan influence in Florenza designs is evident in the detailed metal work, especially the metal bead work.

Heraldic/Renaissance

Renaissance jewelry includes heraldic jewelry (coats of arms, helmets, shields, etc.), and especially the Maltese cross shape. The Maltese cross is a heraldic symbol with four V-shaped sides. Florenza produced many, many variations of the Maltese cross shape and is known for excellence in this design category.

Definition: “Watermelon” is a term used by collectors to describe a bi-color stone with a fuchsia center and green outer edge.

Greek/Roman

Jewelry made with faux ancient coins depicting Greek Gods or Roman soldiers is included under the Victorian Revival theme.

Definition: An Intaglio is a portrait or image incised into the surface. The Greek/Roman pin above is an example of an intaglio design.

Cameo/Portrait Designs

Definition: Cameos carved in relief are profile images elevated above the surface.

Florenza imported hand-carved cameos from Italy to be placed in antiqued gold-plated frames.

Construction Elements

Florenza jewelry is celebrated for its cast metal jewelry that includes intricate metal designs, antiqued plating, and beautiful stones. Examples of recognizable Florenza construction and design elements include:

Strong, heavy metal elements are used to connect necklace and bracelet links.

Some link designs use round jump rings to connect the links.

Rather than rivets or solder, elements are sometimes connected with thick metal tabs.

Most Florenza jewelry features textured metal, both front and back, although some backs are smooth.

Pendant hooks are soldered to the backs of many pins.

Clasps are frequently stamped with a decorative pattern.

Some chain links have distinctive hash marks. Some pendants have plain clasps.

Heraldic symbols are often part of the detailed metal work.

The settings often have thick prongs.

Lined and “feathered” metal elements are part of many Florenza designs. Curved lines help to lighten the look and add interest to the otherwise solid metal designs.

“Y” clasps and hinge/catch clasps were both used.

Signatures: Most Florenza jewelry is signed Florenza with the copyright symbol either stamped into the metal or on a rectangular cartouche.

Double Signatures

Since Florenza produced jewelry for other brands, occasionally Florenza designs are double signed by Florenza and the name of the brand.

Another piece with two signatures is this especially lovely 2″ pin featuring a royal motif complete with ruby and amethyst rhinestones.

The pin is signed Florenza with the copyright symbol on a rectangular cartouche AND Benedikt N.Y. on the back of the center element. Benedikt jewelry was produced from the mid 1950s through the early 1963. One of the most famous Benedikt pieces includes the same center stone. (not shown)

Florenza jewelry designs are distinctive and recognizable due to the historical themes, recognizable metal work, antiqued plating, but also to the generous use of high-quality stones.

The color palette for many Florenza designs is monochromatic, often in earth tones including topaz, smoky topaz, jonquil, jade, turquoise, black diamond, pearls. Some royal designs also include sapphire, emerald and ruby.

Stones with the aurora borealis coating are often included to add spots of sparkle to the earth tone palette.

Florenza designs are “genius” in the way they combine the antiqued heavy metal work with stones to sometimes create light, flowing, designs like the lovely floral set shown below.

The following Florenza set has a completely different, less feminine, look than the set above due to the contrasting color palette.

The large, tear-drop shaped stone is a bi-color, molded-glass stone. It is set to the right of the asymmetrical design and is the point of central focus in the design. The asymmetry is balanced by a fan-like display of stones in a contrasting silver and black colors on the left.

Definition Bi-Color Stone: A bi-color stone has two identifiable colors. Sometimes there is a gradient of color but the two colors are identifiable. The stones in this set are opaque white and topaz.

The Florenza 1″ button earrings below use burgundy enamel as an accent color along with pearls, crystal, and ruby rhinestones.

Dark blue enamel floods the background of this elegant, Victorian revival pin.

This following set is a well-known Florenza design. The triangular moonstones have a wonderful glow when turned to the light. The design is symmetrical and features antique gold tone plating.

Definition moonstone: A moonstone is semitransparent stone with a pearl-like essence.

The large oval stones in the next two Florenza designs are often called confetti stones. The true name is faux opal.

Definition Faux Opal: Faux opal stones are cabochon stones (often oval) with bits of color throughout that reflect the light. These stones can be glass or Lucite.

The faux opal stones in this Florenza design are glass, oval cabochons with blue, gold, and purple flecks.

Givre VS Bi-Color: By strict definition givre stones are transparent (clear) with a touch or stripe of color across the center. Bi-color stones have two distinct colors. The bi-color stones in this pin feature distinctive ruby and light sapphire colors.

The richness of the central faux opal stone is evident in the following photo of a Florenza Maltese cross pin. Four gray frosted navette stones frame the center stone.

Definition: Frosted glass stones are achieved by a chemical process that can be applied to any color stone. Satin glass is a type of frosted glass with a matte, less shiny finish.

Design Trait: Florenza designs often include frosted navette-shaped stones in various, muted colors.

This 2 1/4″ pin with white cabochon stones and antiqued white enamel is another Florenza variation on the Maltese cross shape.

This design is light weight and lacy.

The blue monochromatic color scheme of the following Florenza pin is enhanced by the frosted navette stones.

The eight-sided art glass stones in this bracelet have imbedded bits of white materials – like floating clouds – in the glass. These stones are rare, so collectors associate them with Florenza jewelry.

The colors of the semi-circular art glass stones in this set below are beautifully captured in the photograph. In person, these stones have a mirror-like finish and gradate in color from blue to brown.

This set is a masterful, quintessential Florenza design. The Maltese cross shape is a popular Florenza motif. The center coin design is an intaglio a Roman soldier. Alternating around the center are arrow-shaped stones and colorful semi-circular stones. Each rare mirror-like stone crowns an elaborate metal frame.

Brand Trait: Many Florenza pendants are on a 24″ chain.

Intaglio cameos of Roman soldiers decorate the following Florenza charm necklace. An arched frame comprised of royal symbols is suspended from a 24″ sturdy chain.

Another Florenza Maltese cross design is shown below as part of a military ribbon design. When light hits the six-sided smoky topaz center stones a checkerboard design is revealed deep within the stone.

Definition: The hexagon-shaped stone is molded glass with a foiled and faceted back creating the checkerboard pattern.

The scrolling metal work is especially well-done in the next Florenza design. Faux carnelian cabochon and jet stones frame a large, faceted smoky topaz center stone. The bead work is Etruscan in style.

The Florenza four leaf clover set below has a fun feature. It is a trembler. All four petals are on springs, so they move or tremble when worn.

The color palette is interesting. Most of the stones are round crystal aurora borealis stones in several sizes. However, four small amethyst stones surround the center stone. It is a small, trembling sparkler when worn.

Some popular Florenza design groups were produced in more than one color of plating and with different stones.

The colors of the antique plating change the way the “eye” sees the design. The gold plating emphasizes the frame around the jade stone. The silver plating highlights the bright turquoise.

Additional pieces from the same design group included pins and earrings.

This Florenza set celebrates the beauty of ancient shields. Expensive faceted round and oval stones decorate the center of the pin and the earrings. The color of the large stones, due to the wonderful faceting, varies from topaz to light topaz depending on the lighting.

The following Florenza link-style necklace features interesting “lazy” shaped stones. (www.mrstones.com for the shape name). They are olivine accented by jonquil and Colorado topaz stones. Small champagne pearls dangle from each link.

Pearls, ribbons of antique gold metal, and aurora borealis rhinestones form the elegant surface of this Florenza bracelet.

Florenza produced many variations on the floral motif pin shown below. It is reminiscent of late 19th century and early 20th century designs. It features small stones in a beautiful setting with dangling elements.

This 5-pointed star design is known to collectors as the Florenza starfish pin. The smoky topaz, olivine, and black diamond color scheme is typical of many Florenza pieces.

The design of the following bracelet and earrings set follows the typical Florenza construction techniques. It is unique in the use of bright aurora borealis navette stones and bright topaz stones.

The grape motif set below is one of the more difficult Florenza sets to collect. It features hyacinth and crystal aura borealis stones, for the grapes, and frosted yellow navette stones for the leaves.

The design of this 5″ Florenza hat pin resembles an ancient sword with a decorative hilt, a straight pin for the blade, and a functional sheath or scabbard.

Florenza also designed modernist pieces like the shooting star pin below.

The Florenza pendant and pin below feature faux millefiori stones in a matte finish. They add a touch of modernism to the elaborately scrolled Florenza design.

Definition: Millefiori is Italian for “a thousand flowers”. Millefiori beads are comprised of several glass rods or canes in different colors that are joined together.

Florenza produced a wide range of figural designs including the unusual Holland themed charm bracelet shown below.

Florenza’s version of a circus or carousel horse includes antiqued white plating, enamel plumes, and a black enamel bridle.

One of the most recognizable Florenza figural designs is the large bird pin shown below. The inspiration for this design is unknown. It has been described by collectors as a bird of fantasy, a phoenix, a king fisher, and a mythological figure.

The pin was made in three pieces riveted together. It was made in different color schemes. The eyes in this example are turquoise seed beads. It has a light blue enameled beak. Sapphire and crystal rhinestones decorate the body.

The Florenza cherub pin below creatively uses gray baroque pearls to represent clouds.

Conclusion:

Florenza Jewelry has earned an honored place in the history of collectible costume jewelry. Dan and Larry Kasoff created great designs AND manufactured them to high-quality standards, ensuring that Florenza jewelry remains interesting and in good condition today.