Vintage Kenneth Jay Lane Cross Style Pin
About the Item
- Creator:
- Metal:Gold Plate
- Dimensions:Width: 3 in (76.2 mm)Depth: 1.3 in (33.02 mm)Length: 2.7 in (68.58 mm)
- Place of Origin:United States
- Period:1960-1969
- Date of Manufacture:1960's
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Toronto, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU228213715952
Kenneth Jay Lane
The father of so-called “fabulous fakes,” Kenneth Jay Lane was a spirited innovator within the jewelry industry, designing elegant and luxurious pieces without the use of real jewels. And while Lane aspired to create classic designs for earrings, bracelets and necklaces intended for everyday wear, his pieces caught the attention of celebrities, royalty and socialites.
From a young age, the Detroit, Michigan-born Lane was a lover of fashion. He studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and the University of Michigan. He pursued a design career in New York City, and a failed start in the art department of Vogue magazine led to a decade of designing shoes for the likes of Delman and Christian Dior.
Lane would occasionally develop shoe designs for friends he had in the fashion world such as Bill Blass and Arnold Scaasi. A show for the latter afforded him the opportunity to beautify shoes with rhinestones and create bangles and earrings to pair with the footwear — he found plastic bracelets at discount variety store and had them embellished by craftspeople at a shoe factory.
A love for costume jewelry design emerged thereafter. Lane created his own collection and admirers such as Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor showered him with praise. A pearl necklace he designed was worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. In the early 1960s, ready-to-wear pioneer Hattie Carnegie purchased Lane’s jewelry line. Lane was given the position of design director for Carnegie but he soon changed course, moving instead into a small studio and pursuing his own path.
Lane worked with milk glass, gilded silver hardware, faux coral and other materials, and sold pendant necklaces, dangle earrings and modern bracelets to private customers. He was fond of renowned fine jewelry houses Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels and designers such as Jean Schlumberger, and cited having found inspiration in Egyptian and Indian jewelry over the years as well as Art Deco jewelry. Lane’s designs, which he called “faque” and “junque,” became well-known for their distinctive color combinations and clever characteristics such as embroidery. By the time he purchased a small jewelry factory in Providence, Rhode Island, where his accessories would be made during the 1960s, Lane had secured relationships with top Manhattan boutiques and his work had caught the attention of fashion magazines.
Directed by the filmmaker Gisèle Roman, a 2018 documentary about Lane’s life and work called Fabulously Fake: The Real Life of Kenneth Jay Lane features interviews with legendary fashion designers Carolina Herrera, Tory Burch and Diane von Furstenberg.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Kenneth Jay Lane brooches, rings and other accessories.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Toronto, Canada
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 1 day of delivery.
- 1980s Yves Saint Laurent Gilt Metal & Faceted Glass Heart Shaped BroochBy Yves Saint LaurentLocated in Toronto, OntarioStunning, vibrant, oversized and powerful Yves Saint Laurent brooch from the 1980s. Heart shaped gilt metal with 16 different faceted glass stones in a range of colours and textures....Category
Vintage 1980s French Brooches
- Chanel Autumn 2001 Charm BroochBy ChanelLocated in Toronto, OntarioUnique and stunning Chanel brooch from the Autumn 2001 collection. Horizontal gold tone metal bar with Chanel logo in the centre and small pearls at either end. Five dangling differe...Category
Early 2000s French Brooches
MaterialsGilt Metal
- 1950's Line Vautrin Gilded Bronze Wearable Art Flower PinBy Line VautrinLocated in Toronto, Ontario1950's Line Vautrin gilded bronze and enamel pin. An every day lapel sized pin designed by the renowned metal worker known for her wearable art. Fashioned in a floral shape, it featu...Category
Vintage 1950s French Modern Brooches
MaterialsBronze
- 1980s Givenchy Earring, Brooch and Cuff SetBy GivenchyLocated in Toronto, OntarioBeautiful set of 1980s Givenchy costume jewellery including a large cuff, earrings and a brooch. All feature oversized gold tone metal flower ...Category
Vintage 1980s French Cuff Bracelets
MaterialsGilt Metal, Mixed Metal
- Early 1980s Chanel Clip On Earrings with Pearl CentersBy ChanelLocated in Toronto, OntarioClassic and timeless gold tone metal Chanel clip on earrings. Twisted trim with banana leaves wrapped around a single pearl in the centre. Chanel logo plaque on back - this design pr...Category
Vintage 1980s French Clip-on Earrings
MaterialsPearl, Gilt Metal
- 1980s Kenneth Jay Lane Art Deco Cocktail BraceletBy Kenneth Jay LaneLocated in Toronto, OntarioGlittery and fabulous Kenneth Jay Lane cocktail bracelet from the 1980s. Geometric art deco style with white rhinestones and larger diamond shaped red stones in a silver tone metal s...Category
Vintage 1980s American Link Bracelets
MaterialsSilver Plate
- Vintage Diamond BroochLocated in New York, NYCommand attention in this exquisite diamond brooch from the Jewels Aficionado antique collection. Outfitted with a whopping 20.40 carats of diamonds set in platinum, the brooch mixes...Category
Vintage 1960s Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, Platinum
- Georgian Diamond Brooch in Silver, circa 1750Located in London, GBGeorgian diamond brooch in silver. Set with twenty one cushion shape table cut diamonds in closed back cut down settings with an approximate com...Category
Antique 1750s Georgian Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, Silver
- Art deco diamond brooch, French, circa 1920.Located in London, GBArt deco diamond brooch. Set to centre with one round old cut diamond in an open back rubover setting with an approximate weight of 0.85 carats, surrounded by 45 round old cut diamon...Category
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, Platinum
- Made in France Diamond and Ruby Detachable Brooch – Circa 1860’sLocated in Jacksonville, FLThis item is an antique 19th-century diamond crescent moon brooch with a detachable spray of rubies and diamonds. It is made in France, circa 1860. The brooch features an elegant dou...Category
Antique 19th Century French Neoclassical Brooches
MaterialsDiamond, Ruby
- Vintage flower brooch made of Lucite and cut wood from the 1930s USALocated in Stuttgart, DELoving flower brooch made in the 1930s USA. Window glass from the aircraft industry was used for this type of jewelry! . The flower was cut out of wood and placed on the Lucite leav...Category
Vintage 1930s American Artisan Brooches
- Huge Polished Gilded Gold Vermeil Hardware Set With Natural Amber PendantLocated in New York, NYThis wonderfully elegant huge polished gold vermeil hardware detailed with intricate sculpted Filigree frames a beautiful natural Amber. The height measures 3 1/2 inches. The...Category
Vintage 1980s Mexican Artisan Necklace Enhancers