history
Since the 1920s, Trifari has been widely recognized as one of America's most successful manufacturers of costume jewelry.
Born in Naples, Italy in 1883 , Gusabo Trifari acquired the skills and knowledge of jewelry making while working in his grandfather's goldsmith shop.
In 1904, Gustavo moved to New York and began manufacturing costume jewelry with his uncle. In 1910 , he and his uncle founded a company called Trifari & Trifari and began selling jewelry. However, he soon decided to go independent and founded Trifari in 1912 to manufacture and sell high-quality costume jewelry.
In 1917 , Leo Krussman was appointed sales manager and the following year, due to the company's success, the name was changed to Trifari & Kussman .
In 1923 , salesman Karl Fishel joined the company, and the company grew significantly. The name was changed to Trifari, Kussman & Fishel (TKF), but the company became more widely known as Trifari .
Alfred Philippe
Alfred Philippe , who was active as a master of costume jewelry design from 1930 to 1968 , with luxury brands such as Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels as clients and also worked as a designer for William Scheer , became the main designer of Trifari, which made his name known overnight.
Alfred Philippe's jewelry designs are highly valued by collectors, and his works, especially those from Trifari, can be traded at very high prices. His designs are particularly eye-catching among vintage jewelry .
Philippe proposed a technique for setting gemstones from the back of the jewelry in Cartier 's fine jewelry collection, creating a technique that maximizes the brilliance of the stones. This method requires a very high level of craftsmanship, and his jewelry is still praised for its technique and beauty.
Also, at **Trifari**, he is called the " Dynamite King " and is known for his designs that use Swarovski crystals lavishly. Many of his pieces are luxurious and glamorous, and are especially highly regarded among collectors and jewelry fans.
Alfred's creations feature glittering rhinestones. Many of them are very glamorous.
The Crown and the Jelly Belly: Trifari's Signature Pieces
The crown and jelly belly are Alfred Philippe 's signature designs and Trifari 's most popular signature pieces. These pieces feature large round cabochons and are beloved by many collectors for their ornate and noble designs.
One of the most famous pieces is the crown brooch , introduced in 1941. This brooch became Trifari 's signature piece and was produced for the next several decades. By the 1950s , it was available in a variety of colors and designs, and in three sizes . What's more, a special edition was created in 1953 to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II , adding to its historical appeal.
In the early pieces, sterling silver was used because of the war , and especially the larger ones are often traded at high prices . In addition, the large colorful cabochons on both sides and the small clear Swarovski crystals scattered on them further enhance the beauty of these pieces.
If you're a Trifari collector, getting the crown or the Jelly Belly pieces will be a goal.
Jelly Belly has several animal and insect motifs, and they are all expensive.
If you're a collector, you'll want to own one of these crowns. They're also expensive, and prices are rising every year.
The TRIFARI PAT PEND stamp was used between 1932 and 1954 , a period when copyrights on jewelry designs were not established and designers protected their designs by filing exclusive patents . This stamp is especially prevalent on pieces designed by Alfred Philippe.
At the time, jewelry designs were not yet subject to copyright , so the **PAT PEND** stamp served to certify that Trifari jewelry was an original design and prevent other companies from copying it. This protected Alfred Philippe 's innovative designs and ensured that Trifari jewelry continued to be highly valued.
Trifanium: Trifari's high-quality plating technology
Among vintage costume jewelry brands, **Trifari** is the second most popular after Coro , but it is said that Trifari is superior in terms of quality . One of the main reasons for this is the existence of their unique high-quality plating technique, " Trifanium ."
With many vintage jewelry pieces, the plating often peels off over time, but this is not the case with Trifarium . Rather than peeling off, it becomes thinner, and even if it becomes a little dull, it can be polished to restore its original shine , so it is valued as being just like real gold .
In 1942 , wartime metal restrictions forced Trifari to use sterling silver as the base metal , which resulted in higher product prices, but sales were unaffected by the high quality of the product .
In addition, Trifari achieves a smooth and shiny surface by cutting the alloy, polishing it, and then carefully plating it . This labor-intensive manufacturing method is one of the reasons why Trifari's vintage jewelry is still highly regarded today.
Trifarium has the smoothness and luster of Sterling.
Day & Night Parure Set: Refined Design by Trifari
During the 1950s and 1960s , Trifari launched a number of beautiful parures (sets of necklaces, brooches, earrings etc.) with nature motifs , designed as day wear and which proved to be particularly popular.
The brand's distinctive features are the delicate and sophisticated designs that combine textured metal with rhinestones and fake pearls . Each piece boasts a high level of perfection that makes it instantly recognizable as a "Trifari" piece.
At the time, it was customary to change jewelry between day and night, so this parure, which could be worn both day and night , was highly popular among working women and women who enjoyed fashion.
Many of the designs are natural and feature pearls. They are extremely popular and difficult to find.
Reissue designs and the influence of Alfred Philippe
In the early 1950s, some of Alfred Philippe's designs were redesigned to suit the trends of the time and reissued by Trifari.
The original gorgeous and shiny mirror- finished pieces have been given delicate etching and a subdued matte finish , giving them a more elegant and understated impression. The pave style, which features dazzling rhinestones, has also been updated with a sophisticated and modern feel by deliberately reducing the shine.
These revival collections were also popular among those who prefer elegant and chic fashion .
The glossy one is Alfred's original. The textured one was released later.
Trifari collection by Japanese designer Kunio Matsumoto
In the 1970s, there was a collection by Japanese designer Kunio Matsumoto , who designed Trifari. He specializes in nature- inspired and abstract designs , and has created a unique worldview that sets him apart from other Trifari pieces.
Many of his designs are large and gorgeous , and due to their uniqueness and rarity, they are highly popular with collectors around the world . Even today, very few of them are on the market, making them the coveted collections of vintage jewelry enthusiasts .
The engraving is "Trifari" and "Kunio Matsumoto". Each piece is rare and therefore trades at a high price.
Later Trifari and Limited Edition Jewelry
The Trifari™ line is a relatively new collection, launched in the 1990s, and although it cannot strictly be called "vintage," it is currently attracting attention among collectors as "the last Trifari."
Jewelry from this period features many modern designs using enamel and small rhinestones , combining contemporary sensibilities with Trifari's classic charm.
Particularly popular among these is the "Limited Edition" series, which was released in the late 1990s . This series is a reproduction line produced in limited numbers of around 300 pieces of each design , and is a high-quality reproduction of classic designs from the 1940s and 1950s .
The Limited Edition series is rarer than other Trifari™ products and is highly valued as a collector's item , especially if it comes with the original box and certification card .
Limited edition with ™ mark. Boxed and carded pieces are rare.
In 2000, Trifari was acquired by another company , and the brand's direction changed dramatically. Today, accessories bearing the Trifari name are still sold , but they are considered modern accessories and are treated as something completely different from the original Trifari .
Many of these are cheap accessories mass-produced in Asia , and are far removed from the high quality and artistic value of vintage Trifari . For this reason, collectors and enthusiasts generally make a strict distinction between original Trifari from the 1950s to 1970s and earlier and modern items from after 2000 .
About Trifari's markings
Trifari is one of the few jewelry brands that quickly declared their brand policy to "stamp all products ." Therefore, it is basically impossible for Trifari jewelry to exist without stamping .
Occasionally, you may come across items being sold in the market as "Trifari" but without the stamp , but these are most likely not genuine .
It is also said that there were some counterfeits (fakes) on the market when Trifari was very popular . Furthermore, Trifari outsourced some of its designs to external designers, and it has been confirmed that there are brooches and earrings with the exact same design as jewelry from other manufacturers. However, these are very rare cases.
In recent years, fake Trifari jewelry made in China, Italy, and other countries has also been circulating , and is characterized by poor plating and a cheap finish . If you own multiple Trifari jewelry pieces, you may notice the difference in texture right away, but please be careful when purchasing.
Markings and Dating Trifari's jewelry can be roughly dated by the markings on it.
