It is no secret among vintage jewelry collectors that Delizza and Elster was perhaps the most dominating force in superb quality designer jewelry ever in the US.
I cant go into the whole history of D&E Jewelry here, but I will tell you that their design department and their preferred status with stone exporters in Europe was a huge part of their success. This brooch exemplifies the Crème de le Crème of Juliana jewelry.
This impressive design is one that is rarely found today. I have not contacted Frank Delizza about this piece but from reading his book I have been able to decipher that this brooch was most likely made in 1955 or a few years later. This is one of D&E’s earliest colored designs, when they switched from clear crystal jewelry to colored pieces.
Not only is this brooch large, but all of the stones are large as well. This daring combination of hot pink and smokey grey crystals and stones is also set in Japanned metal. Also, the use of table top cut German stones (the navettes) indicates the production date this brooch.
Made in the 1950s by Delizza and Elster, this super spectacular large Juliana brooch is one of the oldest and most uncommon D&E designs. Behold the incredible combination of hot pink and smokey grey crystals laced with dazzling clear rhinestone chatons. This leaf design is mostly large marquise crystals, fanned out in an elongated shape with two big hot pink faceted ovals perched at top center. Look at the back of the brooch and you can see the open work settings and the typical D&E quality construction.
Large in size, the brooch is 2 3/4“ long x 1 1/2“ wide or 70 mm x 38 mm. The navettes are about 13-14 mm long.The entire brooch is in superb condition with no imperfections or flaws. It is very important to note that the black enamel is in like new high gloss condition with no wear. Most old Jappaned D&E brooches were worn often and were loved to death, resulting in extreme enamel wear. All of the crystals and rhinestones are original, present, and in superb sparkling condition with no facet wear. All stones are prong set. The back of the brooch has the original fine working safety clasp and the brooch is not signed, as is customary with D&E.
Comes gift wrapped and shipped in a new presentation jewelry box.
