SOLD HASKELL 'Grandest' Rhinestone & Faux Pearl Bib Necklace; Early '50s

Jewelry : Vintage : Costume : Vintage : Haskell

$800 USD SOLD
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This glittery rhinestone and faux pearl bib necklace is simply one of the grandest creations by Miriam Haskell I have come across in recent times.

Our necklace seems to be from the "transitional" era of Haskell jewelry, or early '50s, when she began signing her pieces. It is also still in mint condition, and still bears the price tag from "The Fair" department store in Chicago.

The Fair was among the major department stores that helped transform early 20th Century Chicago into a bustling entertainment and leisure center. At its height during the '20s & '30s, it had the slogan "Everything for Everybody Under One Roof". In the late '50s, it was bought by the Montgomery Ward company; by the early '60s, The Fair was gone and became just another Montgomery Ward branch.

Our bib necklace has a string of tiny flowers links along its length, all of them entirely out of glittery rhinestones. The flowers are linked to each other by rhinestone-topped connectors.

Each of these flowers has a pair of faux baroque pearl drops with the prettiest filigree caps and sparkliest rondelles.

The pearl dangles have an uneven length (some have more than one pearl), giving the necklace a nice scalloped edge. Also, the baroque pearls are in two shades and shapes. The smaller ones are off white and more rounded. The bigger ones at the ends, which are offset by the rondelles, are more warm and creamy, and look a tad twisted in shape.

Our necklace measures 17" long, of which 2 1/2" is an extension chain with baroque pearls. It is 1 1/2" at the widest portion of the scalloped edge, and 1" at the shortest. It has a hook closure, with a rhinestone floret tip, mimicking the ones in the necklace itself.

Our necklace has a Miriam Haskell logo on an oval cartouche, but an unsigned hook. My research shows that this was how Haskell labelled her earliest signed pieces, between 1950-1952. A similar bib necklace to ours (with a butterfly motif) can be found in "The Jewels of Miriam Haskell" by Deanna Farneti Cera. Also, a couple of authoritative online references for Haskell jewelry feature similar necklaces, all dating to this transitional period.

As mentioned, this bib necklace is still in its original mint condition and does not show sign of any use. Just two tiniest of "imperfections" that I noticed: one small pearl in the extension chain has some nacre rubbed off and a rondelle near the center portion has lost its ring of rhinestones. Both not at all a distraction. This necklace is as fresh from the showroom as you can get it — even if that showroom has long been gone!

The necklace bears a tag that reads on one side "The Fair" and "Chicago. On the other side, it has its original price of $29.95, which is scratched off to show a markdown price of $15! (My, how times have changed!)

If you're an avid Haskell collector, make this your centerpiece. Or, just get this one for its superlative looks! Picture yourself in this — priceless!

Item ID: 0308-HAS9