Vintage Dankner 1.70 carat sapphire diamond 18k white gold earrings

The foundations of the New York City jewelry company Henry Dankner & Sons lie in early 20th-century Hungary. In 1930, Henry Dankner opened his workshop in Budapest. The modest-size firm saw a great deal of success until the Nazis took over Hungary in 1944.

The war forced the family to flee the country, taking everything of value from the workshop with them that they could carry. The family ended up in New York City, and in the early 1950s Dankner re-established his jewelry business. Many believe that his capital for opening the business was provided by the precious metals the family brought with them when they fled.

The family worked as a unit, day and night, to produce charms that brought them great success. By the 1960s, the jewelry shop had grown considerably — boasting nearly 30 employees. 

Henry Dankner passed away in 1971, and his sons Robert and George took over the business. They did their father's legacy proud, and by the 1980s, major luxury jewelry brands Cartier and Harry Winston were distributing charms that the workshop produced. 

Business flourished for the next two decades. In 2014, the company closed its doors for good, donating its paperwork, molds and tools to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.

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