The Haskell signature has varied over the years, but most important is to remember that dating pieces by the type of signature can be unreliable. The metal filigree back was adopted after WWII. Haskell had/has millions of beads and findings which were used over a number of years and collections. The signature plaques (horseshoe, oval, etc.) were pre-soldered to the filigrees, and the particular one used was dependent on the amount of room available for its application. When the jewelry was assembled, the filigree with signature would be selected based on the design of the piece. Hooks can have a flower, dove, turtle decoration or, in the mid 1970s, were plain. Hooks used in the early 1950s did not always have a signature. It is important to consider the entire picture--fronts, backs, beads, leaves, findings, design style--and these parts of the whole can lead to an estimate of time. This album also provides numerous examples of beads, findings, leaves, etc. so that you can get a small idea of the range of materials she used.
Date(s): October 20, 2002. Album by Cathy Gordon. Photos by Cathy Gordon. 1 - 97 of 97 Total. 52128 Visits.
1 Haskell horseshoe plaque. This is the earliest signature plaque, used primarily in 1948-1950 but are still in Haskell's inventory today. Haskell soldered the design plaques onto the filigree backs long before they were used on a piece of jewelry, using whichever one (horseshoe or oval) that fit best on the backing. Then, when jewelry was made, a piece with the applied plaque was used based on fit. Apparently the horseshoe was discontinued because it bent too easily when being soldered onto the backs.
2 Haskell oval hang-tag with stamping carrying through to back side. Use started in approximately 1950-1951. Easily detached and reused on jewelry that is not Haskell, so identification of a piece should also rely on other factors such as beads, findings, etc. Later oval hangtags were flat on the backs, an indication that the jewelry was made starting in 1979 (or so) to present.
3 Two dove clasp ornaments. The top shows an incorrect dove (or one that was being considered as a finding, but not used) and the bottom shows the commonly used dove configuration. According to Millie Petronzio, the lower dove was used into the 1970s. You will also find it used as decoration on pins.
Haskell most commonly used the flower as a clasp ornament, but you will find the dove and also a turtle.
4 Hook (not) showing the Haskell signature. Imagine that you could see Haskell in block letters in the area indicated by the black square. Anyway, this is the location to look for the signature on the hook.
5 Haskell oval plaque first used in 1950-1951. This is soldered to the filigree back. The oval mark is still used today by Haskell Jewels. When used as a hangtag, the contemporary tags are flat on the back while the pre-1979 tags show the Haskell imprint in reverse on the back side.
6 Back of a set showing a variety of Haskell identification. The back of the hook is also signed.
7 Raised, stamped label, found on necklace and bracelet clasps starting from the early 1950s. In rare instances, the signature is indented.
8 Design plaque used by Haskell for their contemporary Limited Edition series from the earlyy 1990s. These pieces are numbered and come with a Certificate of Authenticity. Picture from an eBay auction.
9 Primitive screw clips that are probably from the WWII era when metal was unavailable. Beads are wired directly to the metal. Unsigned Haskell.
10 Early Haskell blue glass bead earrings, showing one of the earliest clip styles, c. 1930s. Unsigned Haskell.
11 The two styles of unsigned flat clips I have definitely identified as Haskell.
12 Unsigned clip back; this is a hoop earring.
13 Early Haskell screw clips with metal plate covering pierced metal. Unsigned Haskell.
14 French wire earring back used from the late 1940s. These earrings are unsigned, but on later earrings, the signature would be located on the contact plate on the filigree backing.
15 French wire clips. Note the metal plate covering the pierced metal on the left and a later version using a filigree back (probably mid-late 1940s but pre-signature). Unsigned Haskell.
16 Various styles of signed Haskell clip earring backs (top 2 used starting in 1980s, bottom 2 use started in the early 1950s). Flat clip backs were used up until the mid-1940s, when comfort complaints caused Haskell to start using the french wire style. Haskell transitioned to different flat clipbacks in the early 1950s, after the french styles also proved problematic. Haskell adopted the adjustable screwback earring in 1960-1961.
More recent Haskell flatbacks (starting in the 1980s) are signed HASKELL while the older ones are signed MIRIAM HASKELL.
17 Signed Haskell earclip showing filigree and construction. Note--there is NO center rivet attaching the clip back to the filigree.
18 Adjustable screwback clips on these Haskell pearl button earrings. This style was used from 1960-1961 until the 1990s. There are two styles of these adjustable screwbacks, the first showing a patent number on the top bar and the later version with "Haskell" stamped on the top bar. Signature may also appear on the contact area.
19 Adjustable screwclip earrings in use starting in 1960. These clips have the patent number (2,400,513) stanmped on the top bar of the clip, with the Haskell signature on the small metal circle at the solder point.
20 Second version of the adjustable screwclips, marked HASKELL on the top of the earring "bar." Haskell started to use these in 1965. Note how the screw goes through a double loop, making the adjustment more secure. These are patent number 3,176,475; occasionally, you will find these earrings marked solely with the patent number on the flat bar, with no Haskell signature.
I have also seen 2 pairs of earrings using this finding marked Miriam Haskell in script on the top of the screw mechanism.
21 Pierced metal back.
22 Filigree back of necklace. A filigree is a type of metalwork made by interlacing metal wires and soldering them to one another. Haskell then electroplated the filigree by a process whereby the metal was immersed in a galvanic bath, as the result of which a thin layer of gold, silver or rhodium-colored layer formed on the immersed material. Verdigris (or the dread greenies) happen when the metal or wiring has lost its plating and is corroding.
23 Gilt metal spacer beads.
24 More elaborate metal spacer beads.
25 Gilt metal flowers with glass beads and roses montees.
26 Metal filigree surrounding a black glass bead. Note metal head pins through beads in background.
27 Gilt metal flower with pearl center and coral-colored glass leaves.
28 Flower-shaped gilt metal finding with a seed pearl center. These findings have two pieces that hide the wires.
29 Gilt metal flowers with turquoise glass beads in varying shapes.
30 Gilt metal finding on rose pink glass flower.
31 Silver-tone metal flower with Chinese red glass beads.
32 Silver-tone metal beads, filigree and "dangles."
33 Silver-tone filigree with turquoise glass beads.
34 Gilt metal filigree leaves form a layered look with a turquoise art glass flower and filigree center, and oblong turquoise art glass beads.
35 Gilt filigree flowers with turquoise glass beads.
36 A (poor) example of roses montees, defined as: : rhinestones cut into a rosette with flat backs and mounted into cup-shaped settings that conceal the wire used to attach it to the support.
37 Roses montees, gilt floral findings and vaseline glass beads.
38 Roses montees formed into a rhinestone ball.
39 Pot metal leaves with glued-in rhinestones. It was confirmed by a long-time Haskell employee that Haskell did glue in rhinestones (pre-signature pieces, many from WWII).
40 Another example of pot metal leaves and glued rhinestones.
41 Roses montees mounted into rondelles (defined as a small, round disk, pierced for stringing, in metal, plastic or glass, and used as spacers).
42 Marquise-shaped rhinestones, not a common shape for Haskell.
43 Channel set rhinestones in a metal frame, c. 1930s.
44 Two flowers showing channel set rhinestones in metal frames, c. 1930s.
45 Early pearls were often round. Note the greenies on the end bead....
46 An example of a blister pearl. When I first saw this clip, I thought the pearl had a serious problem!
47 The famous Haskell baroque pearls, which are irregularly-shaped simulated pearls made by the Niki Company (Japan) whose pearl coating came from a dozen baths in a mixture of material extracted from fish scales, cellulose and acrylic resins. Imported from Japan starting in 1958 and came in white, light gray, dark gray, gunmetal ( a tapue metallic color), pale blue and pale pink (these last 2 colors are rare).
48 Glass beads in the form of grapes.
49 Chinese red glass beads and gilt metal beads with an oriental flavor. Note the striated spacer beads.
50 Flattened pate de verre beads (crushed glass made into a paste, colored with metal oxides, fused, then molded and fired. The resulting glass is dense and opaque) and gilt metal leaves painted on the surface.
51 Striped art glass beads in green and pink ending with a floral silver-tone metal finding and bead.
52 Clear, oblong glass beads and green seed beads (tiny glass beads cut from a glass rod).
53 Moonstone glass beads with silver metal and rhinestone findings.
54 Tones of orange in these dangling wheel-shaped beads.
55 Pearl glass melon beads, small saucer-shaped blue glass separator beads and large blue glass beads.
56 Pressed glass flowers in pink, pale blue and clear tones with large oblong glass beads and tiny pink end beads..
57 Purple art glass beads.
58 Red melon beads.
59 Turquoise art glass bead and turquoise glass flowers ending in a cranberry glass bead.
60 White glass beads in a ball.
61 Green glass beads in wood cups.
62 Autumn-toned wood flowers, lime green wood beads and green seed beads.
63 Wood pods and small wood beads with gilt metal findings and beads.
64 Wood beads in a variety of shapes and dyed different colors.
65 Tiny square wood beads in fuschia with yellow glass bead centers
66 Dyed wood bead flowers with seed beads. The wood has probably lost its color (e.g., the blue ones on the left).
67 Wood walnuts and wood beads.
68 Brilliant yellow glass beads in varying sizes.
69 Silver glass flowers and petals with blue-gray bead centers.
70 Blue glass stars.
71 Wood balls hanging from a pin back covered with leather. WWII era.
72 Turquoise bakelite petals and glass bead centers.
73 Tan bakelite rounds.
74 Green bakelite leaf.
75 Bakelite acorns. These are really dark green in color.
76 Orange plastic petals and (what appears to be) gold metal foil ball.
77 The famous lampshade in the form of a pink Chinese lantern with cobalt blue seed beads.
78 Bright red plastic roses with red glass leaves.
79 Glass leaves and flowers with smaller aqua glass leaves.
80 Aqua glass leaves tipped with seed beads.
81 Gilt metal lily leaves and pate de verre beads.
82 You will see these enameled green leaves used a lot over a long time span.
83 Cascades of small glass leaves with white glass beads.
84 Large glass leaves as part of a floral necklace.
85 Hot pink glass leaves and seed beads formed into a flower shape.
86 Mother of pearl and pink glass leaves and flowers.
87 Haskell construction
Bottom row left: metal finding with grooves and a hole through the center
Bottom row center: pearls on wires are strung on the grooves and then through the center hole. Only the wires remain in the hole, with the pearls pushed along the wire to the outside for the next groove.
Bottom row right: a finished metal piece, showing the wires in the center and the neat knot tying it off.
Top row: finished motif with a gilt metal finding on the bottom. A headpin goes from the bottom up through the finding and the center and is attached at the top to the floral piece.
