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Trifari -a brief history

by: sarastreasure( 1276Feedback score is 1000 to 4,999) Top 1000 Reviewer
70 out of 76 people found this guide helpful.
Guide viewed: 4203 times Tags: trifari | costume jewellery | parure | brooch | pin


This fantastic company was founded in 1925 by Gustavo Trifari, Leo F Krussman and Carl M Fishel, in New York, 377 Fifth Avenue.

Trifari was born in Naples and recieved his training working for his grandfather in his small Goldsmiths workshop. Leaving for New York in 1902, were he began  working for a jewellery company called Weinberg and Sudzen before launching his own business  in 1912. This company went on to be called Trifari and Krussman after Trifari met Krussman who had been working as a salesman for Rice and Hochster, the biggest producer of hair accessories in the US.

Together they started to produce their own hair accessories, and a small amount of costume jewellery which, though considered poor quality compared to their later products, are  historically very desirable. These are marked TK on the reverse. In 1925 Carl Fishel joined responsible for commercial activity. Many people regard this as the completion of the company but I feel the company was only complete when Alfred Philippe joined.

In 1930 Alfred Philippe was recruited and quickly became head designer, producing some of the companies finest and most recognisable pieces.

With the war came rationing of materials, a death knell for many companies, but not Trifari, it is in this peroid that the company produced many of its finest pieces, including the lucite 'jelly bellys'. It also invented 'Trifanium' a mix of metals that mimics gold.

In 1952 Gustavo Trifari sadly died,leaving Krussman and Fishel to continue without him until 1964 when the sons of the founders took over.

In 1975, the companys Golden Anniversary year, it joined Hallmark cards Inc, which was bought out my Crystal Brands Jewelery Inc in 1988 and finally Trifari became part of the Monet Group.


Guide ID: 10000000000710261Guide created: 01/26/06 (updated 08/12/08)

 
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