K.J.L. Kenneth Jay Lane Early Flower Brooch
View Similar Items
K.J.L. Kenneth Jay Lane Early Flower Brooch
About the Item
- Creator:
- Weight:22 g
- Dimensions:Width: 2 in (50.8 mm)Depth: 1.25 in (31.75 mm)Length: 2 in (50.8 mm)
- Place of Origin:United States
- Period:1970-1979
- Date of Manufacture:1970s
- Condition:Very good condition.
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU5449416252
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.
- Augustine By Gripoix, Gold and Blue Poured Glass Flower BroochBy Maison GripoixLocated in New York, NYA very rare and elegant Flower Brooch , by famous company Gripoix of Paris, France. The design has a smaller gold plated wire flower with cured light blue glass petals inset into the...Category
1990s French Brooches
MaterialsGold Plate
- Valentino Garavani 1990's Gold Rhinstone and Glass Pendant Drop broochBy Valentino GaravaniLocated in New York, NYExquisite and elegant Valentino Garavani made in Italy golden geometric brooch, with golden intertwined circles with rhinestones and black glass pearl pendant. measures 3.5 in by 1....Category
1990s Italian Brooches
MaterialsGold Plate
- Valentino Garavani 1980s Big Frog Rhinstone BroochBy Valentino GaravaniLocated in New York, NYThis impressively large 1980s Valentino Garavani gold-tone frog brooch is particularly glamorous. The piece is encrusted with rhinestones and is centered by a large faceted amber st...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Brooches
MaterialsCrystal, Gold Plate
- Robert Goosens for Yves Saint Laurent Gold & Rhinestone Link BroochBy Robert Goossens for Yves Saint LaurentLocated in New York, NYPresented is a classic link design brooch designed by Robert Goosens for Yves Saint Laurent of Paris. It is gold and rhodium plated with hand set pave' rhinestones. The brooch measur...Category
Vintage 1980s French Brooches
MaterialsGold Plate
- Italian Art Deco 1930s Silver & Shell Birth of Venus BroochLocated in New York, NYA stunning and Art Deco brooch of the Birth of the goddess Venus. It is mostly likely Italian and was purchased there. The brooch has a natural scallop shell body mounted in a matchi...Category
Vintage 1930s Italian Brooches
MaterialsSilver
- Marcel Boucher Rhinestone Floral Brooch from 1941By Marcel BoucherLocated in New York, NYThis is an extremely beautiful and rare design brooch from 1941 by the famous American costume jewelry company Marcel Boucher. Boucher was French by birth and moved to NYC in the 1920s. After working for Mazer Brothers, he opened Marcel Boucher and iCe in 1937. This brooch is rhodium plated and with hand set rhinestones. It features a design of two branches with leaves and flowers. Although UNSIGNED, it is absolutely a Marcel Boucher design and was patented in 1941. Collectors will instantly know this to be a Boucher...Category
Vintage 1940s American Art Deco Brooches
MaterialsRhodium, Base Metal
- Oxidised Sterling Silver "Void" BroochBy Sarah PulvertaftLocated in TUXEDO PARK, NYThis elegant, striking brooch in very contemporary oxidised sterling silver is designed and made by UK jeweler Sarah Pulvertaft. With its assymetric circle the entire brooch is compr...Category
2010s British Contemporary Brooches
MaterialsSterling Silver
- 18K Gold "Glimmering" BroochBy Sarah PulvertaftLocated in TUXEDO PARK, NYThis elegant, striking brooch in 18K gold is designed and made by UK jeweler Sarah Pulvertaft. Within its simple circle frame the entire brooch is comprised of individual mini cubes....Category
2010s British Contemporary Brooches
Materials18k Gold
- bee brooch / vintage jewelry , vintage broochLocated in Sammu shi, JPmaterial:brass, swarovski glass size:wide 3.8cm This cute bee brooch has a rounded silhouette. The design has no corners, so there is no discomfort ...Category
Vintage 1970s Japanese Artisan Brooches
MaterialsBrass, Gold
- Vintage YVES SAINT LAURENT 70's Flower Brooch/NecklaceBy Yves Saint Laurent Rive GaucheLocated in PARIS, FRThis original and one-of-a-kind brooch is a vintage piece from Yves Saint Laurent from the 70's. Gold-toned, it is designed as a flower, composed of four petals with wired chains/lin...Category
Vintage 1970s French Brooches
MaterialsRock Crystal, Gold Plate
- Vintage YVES SAINT LAURENT 70's Haute Couture Gold Brooch/NecklaceBy Yves Saint LaurentLocated in PARIS, FRThis singulare vintage piece from YVES SAINT LAURENT is a brooch from the 70's. It is designed as a cross with red and orange-toned stones in resin. A total of six stones are present...Category
Vintage 1970s French Brooches
- Vintage Chanel Camelia brooch in Gold métal from 1993By ChanelLocated in L'ESCALA, ESVintage Chanel Camelia brooch in gold metal centered with a pearly cabochon from 1993. Width 6cm height 5.5cm depth 2.7cm The central cabochon is...Category
1990s European Brooches
MaterialsGilt Metal