JJ Figural Pins - A Touch of the Whimsical

J.J. is the registered trademark of the Jonette Jewelry Company. It is famous for its quaint figural pins. The designs are very well made - often in pewter or brass, and well above average in quality and detail. Plus they and so whimsical and fun!

Many of their designs are animal based, such as cats and dogs, but by no means are these the only designs featured on the lovely pins. All sorts of figurals are included in their jewelry lines

Here are a few recent additions to my Ruby Plaza shop - Jewelry Lane. Prices are very reasonable - from $12 to $34. Grab one today!

A Brief Look at Pewter Jewelry

I am a huge fan of pewter jewelry. It gives the appearance of a silver look but without the headache of the tarnish, when exposed to air and moisture, that is inherent with silver jewelry. And it has a more "earthy" feel to it that I like.

I remember a particular gift that I received when I was leaving college. It was a Jonathan Livingston Seagull pendant in pewter. I still wear it and it gives me some lovely, nostalgic memories.

Pewter is not an expensive metal and this makes it perfect for use in whimsical designs. The Jonette Jewelry Company (JJ Jewelry) used pewter extensively for their figural designs, particularly dog and cats pins, and also in their "artifacts" series.

At one time, pewter was cast with lead, making it somewhat unsafe to have around children and pets, but this is no longer the case. Today, it is generally cast without lead, but imports from China can still be a problem in this regard.

People who enjoy celtic designs will find that pewter is often a metal of choice. It is also very popular with those who like twentieth century neo-Gothic and Wiccan designs.

Pewter is an extremely soft metal with a very low melting point, so it lends itself to great detail when made into jewelry. It was commonly used during the middle ages, not just for jewelry, but for everything from etchings, hand engravings, cutlery, and dinnerware. It was also widely used in the American colonies, in especially large quanties around 1700 to the mid 1800s. The 20th century saw a resurgence of pewter popularity. It's also currently enjoying a new phase in popularity.

If you believe in metaphysics, it is thought that if you place pewter on the head, it will relieve headaches, or directly on the chest, it will help with certain lung ailments.

Caring for pewter jewelry is very easy. Mild soap and water is enough to clean it , and just use soft cloths to avoid bending or distorting the articles since pewter is a very soft metal. Polishing the pieces made of pewter is also very easy, since it doesn't tarnish the way silver does.

It's a perfect low maintenance choice with great detail and appeal.

Featured Vintage Jewelry Designer - JJ - Whimsicals, Figurals, Artifacts and More!

Collectors of figural jewelry, particular lovers of cat jewelry will be well aquainted with today's featured designer - JJ (Jonette Jewelry Company.)

The company was founded in 1935 in Providence, Rhode Island, under the name of Providence Jewelry Company. The owner was Abraham Lisker. Abraham was originally trained as a physician, but gave up this career to begin what would become his life's work. His brother Nathan joined the company in 1937 and the company became known as Lisker & Lisker.

Because of the popularity of some early mother of pearl figurals and ballerina pins, the company decided to focus on making figurals. Their designs are of above average quality and so whimsical and fun to wear.

The second world war interrupted the production of the company when Abraham closed the doors of the company and enlisted in the army for a two year tour of duty. He returned to Providence and renamed the company Jonette Jewelry Company - JJ for short - which was a combination of his father's name John and his mother's name Etta.

J.J. Designs are hallmarked simply with the letters JJ on a rectangular cartouche. I've also seen the letters placed directly into the metal itself as well. Most of the designs all had two things in common - great detail and whimsical designs. This is a photo of the hallmark:

The owner, Abraham, retired in 1972 and his son Gordon took over. In 1986 Lisker trademarked the name "Artifacts" which was an ethnic line with an antique finish, designed to look like historical artifacts. Another line at this time were those with a Southwestern motif such as coyotes, cacti, etc. The company closed in 2006.

Cats and dogs were popular subjects, but the company also did brooches and pins in a wide variety of other animal shapes. They also made a range of very interesting sports jewelry with bar pins and charm dangles featuring the sport.

JJ jewelry has always been widely collected by lovers of thematic motifs. Expect the pieces to raise in value with other collectors now that the company has ceased production.

Here are some photos of a few pieces to give you an idea of the whimsical quality of the JJ designs. All pieces are available in my online stores. Just click the photos for more details. Prices range from $9.99 to $14.99.