Cause A Frockus

Coro Jewelry

Oct 1, 2014 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns

We have a deep love and affection for vintage costume jewelry and we’re not alone. We recently had the opportunity to meet with the amazing Pamela Wiggins. She is one of the most well-respected jewelry experts in the country and is a free-lance writer, co-founder of Costume Jewelry Collectors International, the antiques expert for About.com, and owner of Chic Antiques. We’re very excited to announce that in November the two of us will be presenting a free seminar focusing on vintage costume jewelry!

Want to learn more about jewelry through the ages or do you have a burning question about a mystery heirloom? Please join us on Wednesday, November 5th at 6:00pm for an evening all about 100 years of vintage costume jewelry. We will be presenting at the Faulk Central Library in Austin, TX.

To celebrate this upcoming event, we’re going to focus this article on one of the most creative costume jewelry firms in America: Coro.

The history of Coro Jewelry

Coro jewelry started out as a partnership between Cohn and Rosenberger in the early 1900s. Their factory based in Rhode Island was famous for producing more pieces than any other competitor. Coro made designs and used techniques that allowed them to create accessories for every price range. For this reason, you’ll find a range of markings. Coro as a name was adopted in the early 1940s and Vendôme (the more costly collection) was introduced around the same time. Other lines include Corocraft, Francois, and Glamour. A complete list of markings is found here.

This variety of collections makes it a challenge to describe the essence of Coro style. Diversity was king for this firm, but some motifs were consistent: feminine appeal, romantic lines, and the incorporation of floral elements and figurals.

Coro had a difficult time transitioning to new trends by the 1970s and ceased production. The company’s rich history gives the collector a great selection of offerings, however it’s important to note that pieces from the 1930s-1940s are considered more valuable. So let’s explore some of the key pieces that created Coro’s legendary appeal.

What is Coro Jewlery known for?

Perhaps the most desirable kind of Coro collectible is the duette clip. This ingenious accessory made its debut in the early 1930s, at the height of the Art Deco movement. A duette clip consists of two dress clips, held in place to make a brooch. But it’s true glory is in its versatility: the elements can be removed to be worn separately on the corners of a neckline or collar.

The most coveted of all styles is the Quivering Camellia Duette, designed in 1938 by Gene Verri. Verri was the most iconic designer in the firm; a student of the renowned Rhode Island School of Design, he stayed with Coro for a little over three decades, only leaving in the mid-1960s to create Gem Craft.

While the duette clip remained popular through the late 1940s, other pieces took the fancy of the female consumer. One of the biggest trends was known as the trembler. This kind of jewelry consists of a component (commonly a flower) mounted on itty bitty metal springs, so when the wearer moves the jewelry shakes or “trembles.”

If you want to know more about Coro and other amazing costume jewelry design firms, be sure to add Pamela’s latest book to your reference library. (And join us in November – we’ll save a seat for you!)

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Cause A Frockus would like to thank their amazing resources: Pamela Wiggins, The Ganoksin Project, Jewel Collect, and Collectors Weekly.

For our readers: Which is your favorite costume jewelry design firm? If it’s Coro, which piece is your favorite? Tell us all about it below!

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