history
Since the 1920s, Trifari has been one of the most successful manufacturers of costume jewelry in the United States.
Born in Naples, Italy in 1883, Gusabo Trifari gained knowledge of jewelry while working at his grandfather's goldsmith shop.
In 1904, Gustabo immigrated to New York and began manufacturing costume jewelry with his uncle.
In 1910, Gusatbo and his uncle founded the company Trifari & Trifari and began selling jewelry, but soon after, Gusatbo went out on his own and founded Trifari in 1912, a company that manufactured and sold high-quality costume jewelry.
In 1917, Leo Krussman was appointed sales manager and the following year the company's success led to the name being changed to Trifari & Kussman.
In 1923, Karl Fishel became a salesman and the company continued to grow, changing its name to Trifari, Kussman & Fishel (TKF), although it was generally known as Trifari.
Alfred Philippe
The brand gained instant fame when Alfred Philippe, a master of costume jewelry design who also worked for William Scheer, whose clients included Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, was appointed as its main designer from 1930 to 1968. The line designed by Alfred is especially popular among collectors, and some pieces are quite expensive.
In Cartier's fine jewelry collection, the method of setting gemstones from the back of the jewelry was proposed to maximize the brilliance of the stones, and the craftsmen were required to have highly advanced setting skills.
At Trifari, pieces called "Dynamite King" that use an abundance of Swarovski crystals are often seen.
Alfred's creations feature glittering rhinestones. Many of them are very glamorous.
Crown and Jelly Belly
The crown and the jelly belly are the signature pieces of Alfred Trifari, and the pieces using large round cabochons called crowns and jelly bellies are very popular. The most famous Trifari piece is the crown brooch, which was introduced in 1941.
It was produced in three sizes and with different colour variations until the 1950s, and a special edition was made in 1953 to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
The early pieces were made during the war, so the base was made of sterling silver, and the larger ones are the most expensive. They are made up of large colorful cabochons on either side and small clear Swarovski crystals scattered throughout.
If you are a Trifari collector, this is a piece you will want to have.
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 (1932~1954) is a mark of the brand that was used mainly for jewelry designed by Alfred during this period, when there was no copyright for jewelry designs.
Trifanium
It is second only to Coro in popularity, but Trifari seems to be of higher quality. Trifari's plating technique is very high, and while it is common to see other vintage jewelry with plating that has peeled off over time, Trifari's plating technique, called "Trifanium," peels off, or rather, becomes thinner, and in most cases, even if it becomes dull, it can be polished to restore its original shine, so it is said to look just like real gold.
Due to the metals restrictions imposed by the 1942 war, Trifari used sterling silver as the base, which did not affect sales even though it caused a sharp increase in selling prices. This technique was introduced after the war to satisfy consumers who were attracted to Trifari's sterling silver.
The prototype alloy (metal) is carved to create a mold, which is then polished and then plated to give the surface a smoother look.
Trifarium has the smoothness and luster of Sterling.
Day & Night Dual-use Parure
In the 1950s and 1960s, various designs of parures with natural motifs made of rhinestones and pearls were made as daywear and were very popular.
The pieces feature textured metal and their designs are delicate and sophisticated, making them instantly recognizable as Trifari.
This set, which could be worn regardless of day or evening, was extremely popular among women of the time, who often switched jewelry between day and evening.
Many of the designs are natural and feature pearls. They are extremely popular and are becoming harder to come by.
Reissue design
Around this time, Alfred's designs from the early 1950s were redesigned to fit the trends of the time and sold as a line. The glittering and glamorous mirrored pieces were given a more subdued look with etching, while the dazzling rhinestone styles of Bave were given a matte finish.
It was sold in a relaxed atmosphere.
The glossy one is Alfred's original. The textured one was released later.
Collection by Japanese designers
There is a Japanese designer who was responsible for Trifari's designs for pieces in the 70s.
Matsumoto Kunio is a designer who likes natural motifs and abstract designs.
His pieces are extremely rare and highly sought after by collectors.
There are many large designs and very gorgeous pieces.
The engraving is "Tri-fari" and "Kunio Matsumoto". Each piece is rare and therefore trades at a high price.
The last Trifari and limited edition jewelry
Finally, there is the Trifari™ line, which is relatively new, dating back to the 1990s, so it is too early to call it vintage, but it is collectible as the “last of TRIFARI.” The designs are modern, using enamel and small rhinestones.
Among the products from this period are the "Limited Edition" products sold in the late 90s, all of which were sold in limited quantities (only around 300 per product), were reproductions of designs from the 40s and 50s, and were all reproduced with high quality. These are traded at higher prices than other products, and are rare. Those with boxes and cards are especially expensive.
Limited edition with ™ mark. Boxed and carded pieces are rare.
After this, in 2000, TRIFARi was acquired and the accessories are sold under a different company, but they are treated as modern accessories and are completely different. They are mass-produced and cheap, manufactured in Asia.
Engraving
Trifari was one of the first brands to advertise that "all products are engraved," and although you may occasionally come across Trifari products sold without the engraving, this is something that is impossible. When Trifari became a popular brand at the time, there were also some "fakes." However, Trifari also outsourced designs, and occasionally, there are brooches with the exact same design as jewelry from other manufacturers.
In recent years, we have come across a number of fake Trifari pieces. They are mainly made in China and Italy, and are of poor quality and have cheap plating, so if you own some Trifari jewelry, you will be able to spot them right away, but please be careful.
Markings and Dating Trifari's jewelry can be roughly dated by the markings on it.
