Established in 1942, Fashioncraft Jewelry Co., Inc., 20 W 36th Street, New York City, was a manufacturer of costume jewelry and novelties. The company was the result of a partnership between Robert Levy, David Jaffe, and Irving Landsman. True to its name, Fashioncraft created fashionable trends in jewelry design under the brand name Robert Originals, Originals by Robert, or simply Robért.

Robert Levy, the main designer, was primarily an artist who painted in oils and watercolors. That is why the logo of the firm, Original by Robert, was shaped like an artist’s palette. This allowed him to infuse his knowledge of color into jewelry combinations.

In addition to Original by Robert (since 1942), Fashioncraft launched Pinless Pin trademark in 1945. Both trademarks were nationally advertized in fashion magazines, mostly Vogue.

Mr. Roberts, as he was known, collaborated with renowned designer Tina Lesser (1910 – 1986), with whom he developed a jewelry line emphasizing color combinations. For brown he combined topaz and gold, amethyst and pearls for gray, pearls and gold for apricot, and so on.

Collaboration with fashion designers and film corporations

Robert Levy also created glamorous jewelry for other designers, notably Samuel Landau (1903-1998) and his Tula Lingerie fashion show in the 1950s. In fact, created for Tula jewelry was an adaptation of his jewelry collection made for the 1950 film “Black Rose” in collaboration with the 20th Century Fox Film Corporation.

In 1952 Mr. Roberts created jewelry for the 1952 Viva Zapata movie, Oscar nominated film with Marlon Brando. It was from this time that Robert Levy’s company became known as Robert Originals.

Patented Designs

Noteworthy, Robert Levy was the author of not only jewelry designs, but also metal and glass works, photo frames and magnifiers, which he patented from 1962 to 1972.

Robert Levy led the company until 1972. After 30 years at the firm, he retired at best, and died at worst. Oddly enough, the birth and death dates of the talented New York artist, designer, and jeweler Robert Levy are unknown.

Robert Originals by Ellen

The new owner of the company was Ellen Jaffe, daughter of one of the company’s co-founders, David Jaffe. Initially, she retained the well-known brand in the name of the re-branded company—Robert Originals by Ellen—but since 1975, she has run the corporation under the name Ellen Designs.

Original by Robert ads