World War II Miriam Haskell Dress Clips

Striking pair of dress clips from the Haskell designer Frank Hess. These feature black glass beads separated by channel set crystal clear chatons. The backs are made of a plastic disc and the beads are sewn on. The clip itself is characteristic of the clip style used during WWII by Haskell. It is unusual to find a pair of clips and even more unusual to find them in such good condition. They each measure 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

In the early 1940's base metals were rationed for the war effort and the supply of findings from Europe ceased. Haskell gradually used up its inventory of metal parts, and then substituted clear pierced plastic for pierced metal. By 1941 most pins and clips were wired or sewn onto a plastic foundation, such as the one used for these clips. Haskell jewelry from this period was unsigned.