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NETTIE ROSENSTEIN Jewelry
1935-1975
Well designed and with obvious quality, Rosenstein jewelry pieces are elegantly
finished with great attention to detail. Nettie Rosenstein was a
multi-talented lady, making clothing and accessories as well as a wonderful
line of costume jewelry.
Rosenstein jewelry comes in every size, shape and color, with favorites being
the sterling vermeil pieces, Oriental motifs and portrait jewelry.
I ran across
a 1942 issue of "Time Magazine" and found, to my delight, a short feature about
NETTIE ROSENSTEIN, the fashion designer. I would enjoy sharing it with
you.
Known in the trade as "Miss
Rosie", Nettie Rosenstein designed clothing, accessories and jewelry. She
was born in Austria in 1890, migrated with her family in the 1890s, and
became an American fashion designer based in New York City. Rosenstein made
clothing privately starting in 1917 in her brownstone house.
By 1921 she had moved to a space in the East Fifties. She sold in
California’s I. Magnin, Neiman Marcus in Dallas, Mrs. Blum’s in Chicago
and Nan Duskin’s in Philadelphia. Her dresses sold for $60-300 a piece
wholesale. By the 1940’s she was selling exclusively through Bonwit
Teller’s in Manhattan.
Pearl Harbor and World War II caused her business to decrease 50-90%,
especially the evening wear. Between that and the shortage of fabrics, she
was going out of business in 1942, according to this article, but she
returned to business a few years later. She discontinued the fashion part of
her business again in 1961, but her line of jewelry was kept alive by her
partner Sol Klein until 1975 when he retired. Mrs. Rosenstein died in March
of 1980.
For more about Rosenstein jewelry and how it was designed, click
HERE.
To purchase NETTIE ROSENSTEIN jewelry please click
HERE.
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ROSENSTEIN textured gold tone and rhinestones and aqua cabochons pin
of an oriental lady with carved face holding a flower in her hand, circa
1960, 2-1/3". This is the same piece seen in Christie Romero’s "Warman’s
Jewelry", 3rd Ed, page 204.
View
View
View #X9287 |
ROSENSTEIN textured
gold tone and rhinestones Siamese musician brooch with lovely facial
expression, 2". (Seen in Christie Romero’s "Warman’s Jewelry, 3rd Ed, page
204.) View #X18322 |
ROSENSTEIN textured
gold tone and rhinestones fisherman brooch with bearded face. This is
the same piece seen in Christie Romero’s "Warman’s Jewelry", 3rd Ed,
page 204. View #X17299 |
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ROSENSTEIN textured
gold tone and rhinestones Thai dancer brooch with shy face, 2-3/4". This
is the same piece seen in Christie Romero’s book, "Warman’s Jewelry",
3rd Ed, page 204.
View
#X17212 |
Rosenstein design pencil sketch for a bejeweled headdress brooch. |
ROSENSTEIN textured gold tone and rhinestones Siamese dancer brooch
with shy face circa 1960, 2-3/4".
View #X21201. |
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ROSENSTEIN Asian
lady brooch with faux coral flowers and cabochons and clear rhinestones headdress,
circa 1960, 2-1/3" by 1-1/4". This is marked "Nettie Rosenstein" in an elongated oval
on the back. Included is the one-of-a-kind original hand drawn Rosenstein design
pencil sketch for a this brooch, what a treat to have.
View #X23986 |
Rosenstein design pencil sketch for a bejeweled headdress brooch,
shown at left. |
ROSENSTEIN jester brooch with blue cabochons and faux pearls set in
gold tone, black enameled face, 2". View
#X22504 |
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ROSENSTEIN elephant brooch
with jeweled carved head, circa 1960, 2-1/3".
View #X24138 |
ROSENSTEIN aqua and
red rhinestone elephant pendant on 22" thick gold tone twist chain,
circa 1960, 2-5/8".
View #X28152 |
ROSENSTEIN standing elephant
brooch with red, aqua and clear stones, circa 1960, 2".
View View #X24220 |
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NETTIE ROSENSTEIN article in a "Time Magazine" issue from 1942. Known in
the trade as "Miss Rosie", she made clothing, accessories and jewelry. She
was born in Austria in 1890, migrated with her family to America in the 1890s, and
became an American fashion designer based in New York City.
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Rosenstein made clothing privately starting in 1917 in her
brownstone house. By 1921 she had moved to a space in the East Fifties. She
sold in several stores, including California’s I. Magnin, Neiman Marcus in Dallas, Mrs. Blum’s in
Chicago and Nan Duskin’s in Philadelphia. Her dresses sold for $60-$300
apiece wholesale. By the 1940’s she was selling exclusively through Bonwit
Teller’s in Manhattan. |
Pearl Harbor and World War II caused her business to decrease 50-90%,
especially in evening wear. Between that and the shortage of fabrics, she
was going out of business in 1942 according to this article, but she
returned to business a few years later. She discontinued the fashion part of
her business again in 1961, but her line of jewelry was kept alive by her
partner, Sol Klein until 1975 when he retired. Mrs. Rosenstein died in March
of 1980 |
This article was a small feature in "Time Magazine" March 1942.
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NETTIE ROSENSTEIN
carved water lily brooch with clear rhinestones set in gold tone,
circa 1960,
2-1/4". View
View #X36489 |
NETTIE ROSENSTEIN
original art work in pencil for the
carved rose brooch, shown at the right.
View
View
View #X36485 |
NETTIE ROSENSTEIN
carved rose brooch with clear rhinestone leaves set in gold tone,
2-1/4", and original jeweler’s illustration for this piece, circa 1960.
View
View
View #X36485 |
ROSENSTEIN apple brooch
with gold tone leaves, as is with a missing leaf, circa 1960.
View #X36687 |
ROSENSTEIN pear brooch with
textured gold tone leaves and stem, 2". View #X36689 |
ROSENSTEIN pomegranate
brooch with gold tone leaves, circa 1960, 1-1/2".
View #X36688 |
ROSENSTEIN gold tone trembler
leaf brooch with textured gold tone, circa 1960, 2-1/3". View
#X36548
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ROSENSTEIN gold tone mushroom
brooch with molded cap and clear rhinestone accents, circa 1960, 2". View
#X36720
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ROSENSTEIN apple pendant
set in gold tone with a 16" chain, 1-1/2" by 1-1/8" apple with textured
gold tone leaf, circa 1960s. I had thought all these years that
these pieces in the Rosenstein line were made of ivory, but we recently
got a broken piece so we could test it more rigorously and we find it as
a plastic, not ivory. View
View #R37183 |
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ROSENSTEIN brooches set in
gold tone metal, circa 1960.
View
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NETTIE ROSENSTEIN trembler
pansy flower brooch and
earrings set with tiny aqua glass beads and clear rhinestones in a brushed
gold tone setting. The brooch and both earrings have two tiny springs
each, allowing the petals to tremble, and all 3 pieces are marked on the back
"Nettie Rosenstein". The brooch is 1-5/8" by 1-1/2" and the earrings are
each 1-1/8" by 1" clip backs. Circa 1960, all the pieces are in excellent
vintage condition.
View #X40154 |
NETTIE ROSENSTEIN portrait locket brooch in the shape of a pocket watch
with a clear rhinestone halo around the edge. Set in gold plated
sterling silver, it is easy to remove and replace the portrait inside with
one of your own if you want to. The charming girl in the portrait, which is a print
with a fold in it, wears a cap, a strand of pearls and a lacy topped dress. I think this was made in the 1950s.
View
View #X42301 |
ROSENSTEIN textured gold
tone and rhinestones royal lady brooch, 2-1/4" and man brooch 2-1/8".
View #X26545 |
ROSENSTEIN bust
brooches circa 1960. |
ROSENSTEIN King
brooch with a profile head, body in gold tone set with clear rhinestones, some
graying, circa 1960, 1-5/8". View
#X26594 |
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ROSENSTEIN 1-3/4"
king and 2" queen pins with black carved possibly wooden heads and gold
tone bodies with rhinestone accents.
View #X23563 |
ROSENSTEIN
oriental man and woman pins with green glass faces, black enameling on
gold tone and clear rhinestone accents. Man is 1-1/3" and woman is
1-1/2".
View #X22914 |
ROSENSTEIN
brushed gold tone oriental lady figural 2.5" fur clip with green glass
face and cabochons and clear rhinestones.
View #X12157 |
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ROSENSTEIN
gold plated sterling enamel and rhinestone frog pins and earrings set circa
1940s.
Set includes 2-1/3" pin, 2" pin, 1-1/4" pin and 1-1/4" earrings.
This can be seen in Brunialti’s "American
Costume Jewelry, Art & Industry" on page 45, where they say it was shown
in Fall 1944, part of a collection of animal brooches which were offered
in set of 3. A set with pieces similar to this can be seen in
the book "Bijoux" by Deanna Cera on page 230.
View
View #X23083 |
ROSENSTEIN
sterling enameled and rhinestones bracelet circa 1945.
View #X23719
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NETTIE ROSENSTEIN sterling vermeil wrapped
heart fur clip with unusual pink rhinestones shot through with lavender,
circa 1940, 2-1/4" by 1-3/4". This "By Love Entwined" theme is done
using the most amazing pink unfoiled rhinestones that flash with blue and
lavender highlights almost like a dragon’s breath does. It is
marked on the back, "Nettie Rosenstein" and on the clip back, "sterling".
Circa 1940, it is in good vintage condition with only very slight wear to
the finish here and there and an all but invisible chip on one stone, and
the stones on the knot are grayed. View
View #X23599 |
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ROSENSTEIN sterling fish fur clips, 2-5/8″ and 2″ with
1-1/4″ earrings.
View View #X24350 |
ROSENSTEIN sterling and enameled2-3/4″
flying fish fur clip with green rhinestone eyes.
View #X24351 |
ROSENSTEIN jester 3-1/4″ brooch and two matching 1-1/4″ scatter pins.
View #X24139 |
NETTIE
ROSENSTEIN heraldic regal pendant necklace with a crown and olive wreath
for victory, made in about 1965. Created of textured gold tone metal with a
pearlized central glass cabochon surrounded by clear rhinestones, the
pendant is 3" on a 21" long gold tone chain. The pearl like center reminds
me of a "coque de perle", a
pearl-like stone cut from a nautilus shell. Signed on the back "Nettie
Rosenstein" it is in excellent condition in every way, a substantial and
very high quality piece.
View
View
View #X24850 |
ROSENSTEIN lion pendant on wide gold tone chain necklace, lion 2-1/3" and
chain 26". View #X31841
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NETTIE ROSENSTEIN regal cross pendant with blue enamel and clear rhinestones
set in gold tone with clear rhinestones, circa 1965. The wide chain is 22"
long and the pendant 2-1/3". Signed on the back "Nettie Rosenstein" it is in
excellent condition. This is the very same piece seen in Christie Romero’s "Warman’s
Jewelry", 3rd Ed, page 205.
View
View #X9554
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ROSENSTEIN
sterling vermeil heart pendant with gold tone artificial pearls, clear
rhinestones and a rose glass cabochon center, 2-1/8" heart and 17" chain, circa 1946 as documented by this
Harper’s Bazaar Magazine 1946
advertisement. High quality and well made as is most
Rosenstein.
View
View #X22136 |
ROSENSTEIN
Harper’s Bazaar 1946
Illustrating the heart pendant shown at left. |
ROSENSTEIN yellow square
rhinestone 2-1/3" pendant on 24" gold tone chain. This chain is
probably a replacement.
View #X27643
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ROSENSTEIN gold plated base metal with clear rhinestones apple trembler brooch,
2". View
#X28533 |
ROSENSTEIN gold tone and
clear rhinestone coin pendant and earrings, 15" by 5/8" chain, 1-1/3" coin, 1"
earrings. View
#X28161 |
ROSENSTEIN circle fur clip
with clear rhinestones, circa 1940, 2-1/4".
View #X61133 |
ROSENSTEIN Nettie Rosenstein
sterling key pin with gold wash, circa 1940s 2-1/4". #X64775 |
NETTIE ROSENSTEIN necklace and
earrings of cylindrical celery green glass beads with gold foil, clear
rhinestone roundelles 17" long with a 2-1/2" dangling beads, 2-1/8" dangle
earrings, marked on earrings only.
View #X35340 |
ROSENSTEIN trembler stylized
flower brooch and earrings with green oval cabochon, clear pave rhinestones
and artificial pearls set in gold tone, brooch 2-1/3" clip back earrings
1". View #R35820 |
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NETTIE ROSENSTEIN cross and crown brooch. View
#X19817 |
ROSENSTEIN pocket watch fur clip with clear rhinestones. View
#X66225 |
MAGAZINE advertisement for Nettie Rosenstein sword and pocket watch
brooches or clips. |
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ROSENSTEIN sterling vermeil and clear rhinestones flower brooch,
circa 1945, 3-1/8". View
#X25851 |
ROSENSTEIN
gold tone, clear rhinestones and artificial pearl 2" flower trembler
necklace, 15". View
#X25989 |
ROSENSTEIN sterling vermeil
shamrock pin with clear rhinestones, 2-5/8".
View #X25102 |
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ROSENSTEIN hand
painted portrait brooch in gold tone with artificial pearls and clear
rhinestones, 2". The tiny portrait was hand painted on celluloid in
wonderful colors and detail, and the setting displays it perfectly. View
#X26513 |
ROSENSTEIN portrait jewelry. |
ROSENSTEIN hand painted
portrait brooch in gold tone with artificial pearls and clear rhinestones.
View
View #X26514 |
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ROSENSTEIN hand painted
portrait brooch set in ornate gold tone with clear rhinestones and
artificial pearls, 2-1/2" by 1-3/4", circa 1960. The lady in the
portrait wears wonderful jewelry and a powdered wig.
View #X11708 |
NETTIE ROSENSTEIN artificial
pearl and rhinestones set in gold tone earrings, 1" clip backs. These looks
wonderful with the Rosenstein portrait brooches with pearl surrounds. In
excellent condition, these are circa 1960.
View #X24342 |
ROSENSTEIN
hand painted portrait brooch in gold tone with artificial pearls and clear
rhinestones.
View #X22409 |
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ROSENSTEIN elegant lady hand painted
portrait 2" pendant with clear rhinestones on 22" gold tone chain.
View #X28503 |
ROSENSTEIN sterling
vermeil and clear rhinestones brooch with delicate hand painted Degas-style ballerina
center,
1-5/8". The charming miniature painting is done on celluloid. View
#X22135 |
ROSENSTEIN portrait
enameled on metal set in gold tone with clear rhinestones brooch, 2-3/4".
View #X27683 |
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NETTIE ROSENSTEIN portrait brooch with a hand painted child wearing a
lace edged cap surrounded by glass pearls and clear rhinestones and all set
in textured gold tone, marked "Nettie Rosenstein" on the back, circa 1960s,
2" by 1-1/3". This is in very good condition with only a few clear
rhinestones turning a bit gray. Included here just for fun is a jpg of a
group of these Rosenstein portrait pieces so you can see the wonderful
variety they made
HERE.
View #X38986 |
NETTIE ROSENSTEIN earrings with glass pearls set in matte gold tone
around a Romanesque bust profile, 1". They are beautifully made, and even
the textured back sides are lovely. The back of both clips is marked "Nettie
Rosenstein". These are clip back earrings in excellent condition.
View #X39410
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ROSENSTEIN portrait brooch with signed hand painted portrait of a soldier,
set in textured gold tone with a clear rhinestone border, 2" by 1-1/3".
View
View #X37720
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ROSENSTEIN
stars brooch and earrings with green aurora cabochon and clear
rhinestone accents.
View View
#X19418 |
ROSENSTEIN very
unusual sterling
sword fur clip with face, 3-1/2″.
View
View #X21892 |
ROSENSTEIN embossed gold tone brooch with Indian motif.
View #X19272 |
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SIMILAR PORTRAIT BROOCHES by other
makers
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HASKELL/VRBA this fabulous portrait pin was made for a Broadway play
by Larry Vrba when he was the designer for Miriam Haskell Jewelry. There was more
of this regal-looking jewelry made for the same
play, and I dream of finding other pieces.
View
View
#H10012 |
PORTRAIT JEWELRY by Nettie Rosenstein, Lawrence Vrba, Miriam Haskell and Florenza. |
FLORENZA
portrait brooch/frame. It is interesting that this image is so similar to the
Rosenstein portrait brooch and the Haskell/Vrba brooch.
View
#X21469 |
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