Providence, the jewelry manufacturing center of the USA, numbers hundreds manufacturing jewelers of Italian extraction. Among the well-known Italo-American manufacturers were Uncas (Vincent Sorrentino), Imperial Pearl Company (Alfred Marsello), Gustavo Trifari, Ralph Tortolani, and many more.

One of the most notable designers was also Angelo del Sesto (June 10, 1896 – November 13, 1992), founder of Van Del jewelry brand.

Angelo del Sesto

Born in Providence, June 10, 1896, Angelo del Sesto was the son of Antonio and Maria (Telia) Del Sesto. He attended the Providence public schools and Rhode Island School of Design. At an early age he went to work in local jewelry factories, starting first as an apprentice and later as a jewelry craftsman.

Del Sesto later helped build up the Barker & Barker Manufacturing Company, of which he was president from 1929 to 1939. During this period he received prestigious jewelry awards and recognition as a talented jewelry designer. In addition to being a manufacturing jeweler, he has taught jewelry design at Rhode Island School of Design for 19 years.

Noteworthy, such prominent jewelry designer as Guido Verrecchia studied jewelry designing under Angelo Del Sesto.

On June 18, 1938, Angelo Del Sesto married Sarah Devlin of Providence. In 1939 he founded his own jewelry firm Van Dell Corporation with an office at 1 85 Eddy street, Providence, Angelo Del Sesto was the sole owner, president and treasurer of Van Dell Corp., manufacturer of gold-filled and sterling jewelry.

Business expansion

In 1956 Van Dell Corp moved its factory from 185 Eddy Street to the entire third floor of the Wall Building, 162 Clifford St., Providence. As a result, the 17-year-old company expanded its plant by more than 50 per cent and achieved both modernization of facilities and a better production flow.

Advertising

Van Dell jewelry pieces graced the covers and pages of fashion magazines of the time. In 1957 Angelo del Sesto presented Mrs. Eisenhower with a scarab belt, matching bracelet, and two pairs of matching earrings.

The company’s last advertisements date back to the mid-1960s, and jewelry production continued into the 1970s. However, when the Van Dell owner was nearly 80 years old, the company went through a change of ownership and a merger after 1980. Van Dell jewelry used several different design marks Van Dell 1/20 12K GF and Van Dell Sterling.

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