This beautiful Otis Sterling necklace is shown on the cover of Collecting Costume Jewelry 303 published in 2010. At that time, there was little information on the company. Due to a 2017 beautifully researched and photographed article by Barbara Schwartz and Robin Deutsch titled “Bracelets by Otis: A Surprising Connection”, we know more about the company and its founder Edward Otis.
This is a MUST read article. It can be found at www.trufauxjewels.com
Early information dates Otis jewelry to 1943 – 1970. Through careful research Barabara Schwartz and Robin Deutsch uncovered that Edward Otis first acquired a jewelry manufacturing plant much earlier, in 1934. The plant originally belonged to Harry Wachenheimer and Ernest L. Davis. They produced jewelry including bracelets with a flexible, (utility) patented chain. The close connection between the Wachenheimer utility patents and the Otis sterling jewelry is carefully documented in the article.
(A utility patent is for the way something is used or works, the hardware. A design patent is for the artistic design, the way something looks.)
This lovely set is the only Otis Sterling in my collection. I’ve seen the same set with sapphire center rhinestones.
This is one of my favorite vintage sets and has a permanent home in my collection!
Happy Collecting,
Love,
Julie