"Jewels of Legendary Splendor", a tagline used by Hobé throughout the 1930s and 40s, worked like an incantation, for the costume jewelry they made during that time period manifested into exactly that, even 80 years later. In their day, Hobé costumed the Ziegfeld Follies and was collected by Hollywood stars, defining the era's glamour with their iconic designs. Today, their pieces remain distinctive and collectible as some of the most valued vintage costume jewelry designers. Never before have we come across such a pristine collection! We acquired these pieces directly from the daughter of two New York City retailers who purchased them in the 1940s for their shop but never put them out for sale– they were found in storage decades later, untouched!
This incredible chatelaine brooch is among the rarest pieces we have the privilege of offering. It was likely inspired by the many around-the-world adventure productions of the 1940s– fantastic stories that provided the audience a temporary escape from the harsh realities of the World War. A jeweled fairy-tale carriage connects with a turbaned gentleman, a double-chained swag between them, each dangling six unique charms from chains in various lengths. Fine hand-set glass crystals glitter in gold washed sterling silver, crafted with quality often superior to that of fine jewelry today. The gold wash is intact, though with a vintage patina. We imagine this piece adorning the large padded shoulder of a jacket or shawl, or even worn on the waistline of a skirt. Regardless of how it is worn, it doesn't just complete an outfit, it makes the whole look! Made between 1941 and 1946, the chatelaine brooch is unsigned.
The carriage brooch piece measures about 1 1/2 inches by 2 inches while the turbaned gentleman piece measures about 2 inches by 2 inches. The chains that hang from each brooch range in length up to 3 inches. The swag chain is 11 3/4 inches long, by its shortest chain. It's scale makes quite the statement as the largest chatelaine brooch we've encountered!
Inventory# P11065
*Find other Hobé pieces from this collection in our costume jewelry collection. Additionally, there are many pieces from this collection we haven't added to the website that are available in our shop, please inquire.*