the beginning
Blanche Viano was a young housewife who wanted to earn as much money as possible to support her family, but as a housewife and mother, it was not easy for her to go out to work.
With little cash on hand, she takes a gamble in 1949 . She started her own company from her home in Illinois.
Blanch-Ette Company, quickly became a reality, with her husband Aldo Viano joining as general manager and establishing a home sales-style sales method in Chicago, Illinois.
In 1949, Sarah Coventry started selling jewelry using the home party style, which was a popular trend at the time.
Hostesses who sold Judy Lee jewelry were called "Queens" and were given points called "Diamonds for Datings" which allowed them to purchase jewelry based on their sales.
Judy Lee jewelry was also given to contestants in the Miss America beauty pageant, and she produced the Miss California Winner's crown as well as special jewelry for each contestant as the official jeweler of the contest.
A 1965 ad headline reads, "Judy Lee jewelry are worn and appreciated by the most beautiful woman in America."
The black and shocking pink box attracted many American women at the time.
Judy Lee offered pearls, evening wear, and summer jewelry including unique brooches.
Their wallet-friendly prices and private shopping experience quickly gained popularity in the Midwest.
Many fashion Stylist queens sold the products from their homes, and customers received a 60-day warranty and free replacement of lost stones.
For instance, if you lost one earring, you could replace it for half the price of the pair.
The jewelry pieces are of high quality and many are still in good condition today, proving their durability.
The company existed until around 1972 when it was acquired and stopped selling jewelry.
You can recognize Judy Lee's jewelry by the characteristic riveted stone bases or the filigree on the back of brooches and other metal fittings. There are also many different colors of the same design.
There is a link to the catalog here.
Most of the jewelry pieces are named like Sarah Coventry did. The designs are generally Victorian in style, and gunmetal becoming popular in later years.