The history of Mazer Bros costume jewelry manufacturers founded by Louis Mazer (1884-1952) and his younger brother Joseph J. Mazer (1887-1961) began in 1920 in Philadelphia. The firm moved to New York in 1926 to 6 West 32nd St, and continued at this location for 14 years.

Initially, the brothers’ company produced ornamentation for shoes and buckles. Notably, the famous B. A. Ballou & Co., Inc., Providence, R. I. filed a lawsuit against the Mazer brothers in 1927. Ballou, in particular, accused the Mazer brothers of making and selling shoe decorations with illegal use of Ballou’s patented invention. The company demanded that the production and sale of these decorations be stopped, as well as compensation for damages.

Undoubtedly, that was one of the reasons why the Mazer brothers’ company moved into costume jewelry. In addition, Marcel Boucher, a famous jewelry designer, inspired the brothers to create costume jewelry. Marcel Boucher designed jewelry for Mazer from 1930 until he opened his own company in 1937.

Marcel Boucher’s jewelry included floral and plant motifs, as well as classic bows and ribbons, adorned with the finest Austrian rock crystal and cultured pearls. Mazer Bros earned a reputation for producing good quality, affordable replicas of fine jewelry.

In 1940 Mazer Bros Inc changed the location to a larger and more modern facility at 20 West 33rd Street. However, already in the late forties, when the adult sons of the Mazer brothers joined the family business, the division of the company became inevitable.

Mazer Brothers Jewelry Company History (1927 – 1952)

As a result, Louis Mazer, the president and treasurer of the company, continued the business with his son Nathan under the former name Mazer Bros., Inc. Unfortunately, after only four years the company ceased to exist due to the death of its founder Louis Mazer.

Meanwhile, Joseph J Mazer and Co, better known by its brand name Jomaz, produced costume jewelry until 1980. Although many sources consider Mazer Bros and Jomaz to be almost the same company, this is a completely different company and a different story.

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