Monday, August 17, 2015

Puzzling Evidence - Rice Weiner, Louis C. Mark, and Chinese Cloisonne Beads of the 1930s

A former post connects certain Chinese cloisonne beads with costume jewelry designed by Louis C. Mark for the Rice Weiner company.

eBay vendor sarahjean.860 has discovered an interesting brooch that uses a dragon similar to one found on other brooches clutching a big cloisonne bead "egg."  The tongue of the dragon has been cut, and a scrolling vine added.  The fussy filigree findings, turquoise and coral glass beads, and brass beads seem alien to the Rice-Weiner workshop, whereas this sort of suspended charms design can be seen on brooches from other workshops circa the 1940s.
The cubic bead with floral and bamboo patterns seems to be very rare.

Unlike many costume jewelry pieces from this era, the cloisonne beads have been suspended so that they don't clack against one another, thus are in comparatively fine condition.















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