Vintage Jewelry Designer - Who Am 1?

Time for some fun again. This is another in my ongoing guessing game blog about vintage jewelry designers. I'll give you some clues and pictures and you see if you can guess which designer it is. Ready?

Here are your clues:

• Dates of operation were 1937-1966 in the US
• Design Studio in Greenwich, New York
• Born in the Spain
• All Pieces hand crafted and unique
• Jewelry shows artistic and cultural influences
• Considered a master of Copper Jewelry
• Pieces are very collectible

Here are two pictures of my designs:

I am considered a high end designer of copper jewelry. I returned to Spain in 1967 and continued making jewelry until my death in 1990. I am considered the star of the Modernist jewelry movement.

For more information and the answer to today's riddle, you can go to this designer page of the resource library on my website Vintage Jewelry Lane. (answer is also shown reading backwards at the bottom of this blog post.)

I'll be doing more of these riddles over the next weeks and months. Have fun with the series. ANSWER: (read it backwards): sejabeR

Wordless Wednesday - Some of my Favorite Vintage Jewelry Items

Jewelry Find of the Week - Matisse Renoir Demi called "Laurel"

I adore copper jewelry. It is right up their in my list of favorite materials, along with sterling silver. And collectors of vintage costume jewelry are well aquainted with the designs of the California designer Renoir.

This fabulous Demi paure by Renoir is called Laurel and is just stunning and in wonderful condition. The design features pure white enamel on the lower layer of copper leaves and a top layer of the most detailed smaller leaves.

The design came in all color combinations but this one is just perfect for summer. It would look wonderful on just about any color outfit.

The fabulous Matisse Renoir copper demi parure is available in my Vintage Jewelry Lane store this week for $105.99. It is signed on all pieces Matisse Renoir.

Renoir was a California Company who manufactured between 1946 and 1964. They specialized in solid copper jewelry of the Arts and Crafts style. The pieces are distinctive with superior designs and of very high quality. Matisse was a subsidiary company which was established in 1952 - often using copper with colorful enamel as this design shows. All Renoir jewelry is popular but Matisse Renoir pieces are very highly collectible and much sought after.

The Healing Powers of Jewelry - Copper and Arthritis

I have a fascination for all things metaphysical. I read my horoscope, enjoy a tarot reading, meditate every day. Some of my interests are for fun, and some are part of my spirituality.

I have a strong conviction that the mind is capable of healing all sorts of diseases and ailments. I have used various healing techiques with success on more than one occasion in my life. So, when I started my jewelry blog, it was natural for me to start researching the healing qualities associated with various gemstones and jewelry.

Copper has long been associated with various healing qualities, particularly in the treatment of arthritis. The legends of using copper as a form of pain relief dates back some 10,000 years. Copper is a wonderful conductor of electricity and heat, so many believe in copper's power to heal the mind and body, based on these energy conducting properties. The metal also lends itself to spectacular jewelry design techniques such as this stuning Mohawk Trail Native American copper bracelet design.

During the 1970s, the use of copper as a healing agent began to increase in the US. In addition to the relief of pain from arthritis, copper is also thought to promote the smooth function of the glands, to alleviate cramps, reduce inflammation, aid in blood circulation, and to ensure that the joints remain in good condition.

Notable early designers of vintage copper jewelry are Rebajes, Matisse and Renoir. Both have resource books devoted to their designs. One particular book on my wish list at Amazon.com is Copper Art Jewelry: A Different Luster.

My website Vintage Jewelry Lane has a whole page devoted to vintage copper jewelry. My latest acquisition is this lovely copper leaf set by Matisse. This pretty set is an outstanding example of the enamel on copper jewelry produced during the 1960s. It is a book piece featured in both Copper Art Jewelry and Julia Carroll's book Collecting Cosutme Jewelry 101. All pieces are signed and it is in wonderful condition with very little wear. You can add this to your vintage jewelry copper collection for $110.00.