Perhaps the most famous feature of a Haskell piece of jewellery is the metal filigree base. Wooden beads, leather, plastic, rhinestones, glass beads, shells, bone and semi-precious stones have all been used. The company has always produced a Basics line of faux baroque pearl jewellery in various styles.īaroque pearls are probably the most recognizable Haskell material but a wide variety has been utilized throughout the life of the company. Themes of flowers, leaves and nature were repeated throughout the life of the company. It’s therefore important for collectors to recognize the key characteristics of Haskell designs to enable the identification of earlier pieces. The Haskell company didn’t begin adding permanent stamped signatures to their pieces until the 1940s. Miriam eventually passed away in 1981.Ĭharacteristics of Miriam Haskell Jewellery Sadly, Miriam became ill in the 1940s and eventually sold her company to her brother in 1951, although Frank Hess stayed on and held a central role for many years. Haskell jewellery was also sold in the most exclusive department stores in America with pieces available in Europe at top end shops like Harvey Nichols in London, UK. Over the 1930s the Haskell business was expanded until it occupied multiple shops and had headquarters on the famed Fifth Avenue. Frank was with the company for decades and helped to develop the Haskell signature style. Although she was very involved in the day to day operations of her business, one of her most crucial decisions was to have hired a jewellery designer, former Macy’s window dresser, Frank Hess. It isn’t known if Miriam herself ever designed any of the pieces sold by the Haskell company. The scrupulous attention to detail and beauty of the jewellery quickly won fans among Hollywood stars and the most stylish ladies of the era. Her eponymous jewellery line swiftly gained recognition for its handmade, top-quality pieces. ![]() Haskell was a very private lady and not a lot of information is known about her personal life, however she was recognized as an elegantly dressed lady with style and a keen business sense. Miriam began her fashion career in New York city working as a milliner but pivoted to jewellery in 1926 when she opened her first shop, named Le Bijou de l'Heure. The intricate designs coupled with their novel colours and materials have made Haskell jewellery hugely coveted by collectors, with the most elaborate pieces fetching many hundreds of pounds. Miriam Haskell jewellery is some of the most prized and beautiful costume jewellery from the 20th century.
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