Vintage Signed Crown Trifari Fruit Salad Carved Glass and Rhinestone Flower Pot/Vase Clip
As promised in last months post, here is the Trifari "Fruit Salad" brooch that looks so much like the Cartier "Tutti Fruitti" pieces as well as some jewels by Tiffany and Van Cleef and Aprels. All three of the fine jewelers mentioned were in business when this piece was produced. A key difference is that these stones are glass and rhinestones and the real jewelry used diamonds and colored gemstones!! Naturally this transferred to the price of the fine pieces versus the costume. Many woman, some newly working still could not afford the real pieces. The USA was still in the "Great Depression" and although we had not yet entered WWII, the price was prohibitive. Even today, most of us cannot afford to fill our jewelry boxes with fine jewels!!
The carved glass stones are known as "Fruit Salad". Some are jeweled colored like these while others are pastel, semi- opaque and clear. Unfortunately, as with other descriptions, this one has been corrupted to include almost any piece with many colored stones.
Click on the image for a larger view and description
1940s Pre- WWII Crown Trifari Fruit Salad Flower Basket Pin/Vase Clip
The Fruit Salad pieces by Trifari began to appear during the mid- 1930s. They were used on just about every type of jewelry including Clip- mates or pin/clip combos. Trifari was not the only costume jewelry to use or have produced for them pieces with similar carved stones.
This clip is rhodium plated. Along with the ruby, sapphire and emerald colored stones are clear rhinestones. The hallmark and the patent number appear stamped on the reverse. Even without the patent number, it would be fairly easy to deduce that this was a pre- WWII Trifari clip due to the lack of use of sterling silver and the hallmark. A larger version of this clip appears in the Brunialti book, American Costume Jewelry, Art and Industry, 1935-1950.
The Fruit Salad items are collectors favorites and are considered to be some of this companies best work! The former statement is why I cannot be a collector as long as I choose to sell. I would want to keep all of these beautiful collectables! Sigh!!
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