Coro Lucite Jelly Belly Duette vintage angel fish vermeil gold gilt sterling silver, 1940`s ca, USA. Uniquely the Lucite bellies are embedded with rhinestones. They are decorated with more rhinestones. The fish eyes are red rhinestones, while the open mouths are blue navette rhinestones. There is some light surface scratches on the Jelly Bellies which seems to be consistent with others on the market. The individual clips are marked Coro in script on the upper fin, sterling on the clip mechanisms, and sterling on the lower fins. The duette frame is marked sterling, Coro Duette, and utility Pat. No. 1798867. They are featured on page 54 of `Costume Jewelry 202` by Julia C. Carroll, page 20 of `Fun Jewelry` and page 186 Judith Miller (2003). Included is a photo of the 1944 patent issued to Coro designer Adolph Katz and a 1949 advertisement with the Jelly Belly Fish pin. Gift box included.
During the war, many metals were restricted but surprisingly not silver. Trifari was forced to use silver which increased the cost of their pieces. Vermeil is sterling silver coated with gold. To be considered vermeil, the gold must be at least 10 carat (42%) and be at least 2.5 micrometres thick. Vermeil was used in the 1940`s when resources were limited and this is part of it`s appeal to collectors.
Adolph Katz was Design Director at Coro in 1924. He developed Duettes based on a 1927 designed by Cartier. Like the Cartier frame, the Coro version had two openings in it, one for each pin. Pins could be attached to the frame to be worn as a set, or detached and worn individually.
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