One of the oldest American jewelry companies, Imperial Pearl Co Inc began its history in 1917 in Providence, Rhode Island. Its founder was 24-year-old Joseph Gladstone, who successfully ran the company for forty years. Initially, Imperial Pearl Co Inc manufactured exquisite jewelry under the brands – “IWI” and “Imperial”. The trademark “IPS” (an abbreviation of the company name) appeared only in 1941, when the president of the company Joseph Gladstone renamed it the Imperial Pearl Syndicate.

The design of “IPS” jewelry is quite classic and traditional for post-war jewelry fashion. In particular, exquisite floral motifs, circular brooches with curls, filigree oval cameos, etc. Creating jewelry by hand, the jewelers used gold filling, silver, rhinestones, crystals, and of course, pearls.
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Born in Australia and educated in England, Victor Salomon Silson (1895 – 1979) went into the diamond business in Paris with his brother Jack. In the early 1930s, he moved to the United States and married Mala Kolin (Helena Rubinstein’s niece).

While remaining in the jewelry business, Silson turned to creative work, particularly the design of costume jewelry. His artistic designs included figural brooches and fur clips, for which he filed patents mainly in the 1940s.
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The history of the Ernest Steiner Original jewelry brand began in 1932 in New York and lasted until 1970. In fact, the Ernest Steiner company which owned the trademark was no newcomer in the trade, having been continuously in the costume jewelry field ever since 1911. Ernest Steiner Original was one of three trademarks registered by Ernest Steiner & Co., Inc.

The second trademark “Hot Cha” for the production of bracelets, necklaces, rings, earrings, clips and brooches was also registered in 1932. The brand name Hot Cha is American slang meaning Flashy, vivacious, attractive, desirable. The third trademark ES for gold jewelry dates back to 1962.
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The history of the Goldman-Kolber Co., Inc. jewelry manufacturing and wholesale company began in 1919 in New York City. The president of the company was J. Goldman, who ran the family business in partnership with J. T. Goldman and I. Finegold. According to the 1921 JCK, the company also had an office in Chicago. The last mention of the company in the Jeweler’s Circular Keystone was in 1941. With a short break in the 1940s, Goldman-Kolber Inc. was re-incorporated in 1954 at 42 West 48th St., New York, New York.

The company’s jewelers used 18-24 karat gold, silver, diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, amethysts, and other natural gemstones and cultured pearls. The maker’s mark included letters GK and the gold karat.

Noteworthy, another jewelry makers used a similar GK mark at the same time. In particular, Guss Kroesen Inc. from Oakland, California since 1956, and Goldberg – Kirschman Company, New York, since 1945.

After 65 years of operations in downtown New York City, Goldman-Kolber Inc. moved to the Boston suburb of Norwoods, Massachusetts in 1986, where they opened their office and factory. Led by David Steinhauer as president and treasurer, the company continued to manufacture jewelry for 25 years. However, the company ceased operations in 2012. And finally, re-incorporated in 2018, Goldman-Kolber Inc ceased operations in 2023.
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The history of Art costume jewelry brand began in 1946 in New York and lasted over three decades. Initially the company was known as the Mode Art Jewelry Co., founded by Arthur Pepper (1889 – 1976). Noteworthy, the first mention of the Mode Art Jewelry Co. dates back to 1948. Thus, The New York Times published an advertisement for an assistant bookkeeper at Mode Art jewelry company at 874 Broadway, New York.

Arthur Pepper was a talented and recognized jeweler and his company had a good reputation. He was among five founders of the Costume Jewelry Manufacturers Association of New York, according to the 1950s Jewelers’ Circular Keystone. The president of the Association was Murray Friedman (president of Hallmark Creations), Leo Bernstein (New England Plastics Co.), vice president; Arthur Pepper (Mode Art Jewelry Co.), financial secretary, and Robert Coleman (Active Novelty Co.), recording secretary.

According to the available records, Arthur Pepper acquired Har (owned by Hargo Creations of New York City) after 1956 and renamed the company to Art. Since that time all jewelry pieces included maker’s mark on the reverse – Art with a copyright sign. Located at East 72nd Street (Manhattan) New York City, Art produced beautifully handcrafted costume jewelry. Art original designs included Renaissance-Revival, Victorian and Art Deco styles, as well as Asian or figural motifs.

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