1940s Miriam Haskell Striped Agate Screw Back Button Earrings

Description

These vintage 1940s Miriam Haskell Striped Agate Screw Back Button Earrings are truly fabulous! The six-pronged setting — in typical Haskell style — not only secures the lovely cream and tan colored striped agate stones in place, but they add an elegant gold finish to this classy pair of earrings as well. They most definitely are worthy to be part of any sophisticated buyer’s vintage jewelry collection.

• Dimensions: 1″W x 1″L
• Condition: Excellent vintage condition; please see pics for details.
• Marks: Marked “Miriam Haskell” and “Haskell” on both earring backs.

About Miriam Haskell

Miriam Haskell jewellery is some of the most prized and beautiful costume jewellery from the 20th century. The intricate designs coupled with their novel colours and materials have made Haskell jewellery hugely coveted by collectors, with the most elaborate pieces fetching many hundreds of pounds. Miriam began her fashion career in New York city working as a milliner but pivoted to jewellery in 1926 when she opened her first shop, named Le Bijou de l’Heure. Haskell was a very private lady and not a lot of information is known about her personal life, however she was recognized as an elegantly dressed lady with style and a keen business sense. Her eponymous jewellery line swiftly gained recognition for its handmade, top-quality pieces. The scrupulous attention to detail and beauty of the jewellery quickly won fans among Hollywood stars and the most stylish ladies of the era. It isn’t known if Miriam herself ever designed any of the pieces sold by the Haskell company. Although she was very involved in the day to day operations of her business, one of her most crucial decisions was to have hired a jewellery designer, former Macy’s window dresser, Frank Hess. Frank was with the company for decades and helped to develop the Haskell signature style. Over the 1930s the Haskell business was expanded until it occupied multiple shops and had headquarters on the famed Fifth Avenue. Haskell jewellery was also sold in the most exclusive department stores in America with pieces available in Europe at top end shops like Harvey Nichols in London, UK. Sadly, Miriam became ill in the 1940s and eventually sold her company to her brother in 1951, although Frank Hess stayed on and held a central role for many years. Miriam eventually passed away in 1981.