Knoll & Pregizer

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Knoll & Pregizer

THE ROBIN DEUTSCH COLLECTION
Jewelry by Knoll & Pregizer. Pforzheim, Germany. 1887-1975
Knoll and Pregizer Jewelry History. KP Germany Sterling 925 935 Victorian-Edwardian-Belle Epoque-Art Deco Jewelry and Watches through Post WWII. This website was started June 2009.

COPYRIGHT©ROBIN DEUTSCH 2009-2012. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The use of any information or images from this website is PROHIBITED without my prior written consent.If you choose to use the information I have provided in a public setting, book,article, webpage (whether in a sales venue or not), etc., please use the following credit:
"INFORMATION REGARDING KNOLL & PREGIZER IS COURTESY OF ROBIN DEUTSCH".

I have been collecting this exquisite jewelry for over ten years now, unfortunately compared to the size of some of my other collections this one is much smaller as it is usually hard to find. Each acquisition of a piece of Knoll & Pregizer has been a joy to acquire. In my collector's eye, they are the Cartier of German costume jewelers. This is just a small portion to give you an idea of the quality of jewelry made by this amazing company, as I have many incredible pieces that are not on this site. Sometimes the KP punch is so small that you might not even know you have a piece. I have had pieces for a couple of years before I found the mark. Sometimes I will buy a piece of it missing stones knowing I might never be able to repair it just to have it in my collection. Each piece is handcrafted from sterling silver, using the finest paste and imitation glass stones mimicking platinum,diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds, also copies of fabulous "tutti frutti/fruit salad" stones. Sometimes they will use semi-precious stone colors such as amethyst and onyx. The pieces are constructed exactly as a piece of fine jewelry would be, and I am sure the same jewelers working on real jewelry also made these exquisite imitations. My saddest loss was not being able to buy a Cartier copy of an Art Deco Egyptian Revival scarab brooch they made but I will never forget that piece. You never forget the ones that get away...and sadly several have.

For years it remained one of those jewelry mystery marks that remained unsolved to us American collectors. I had noticed the company name listed in the Theodor Fahrner Jewelry Book of registered German companies not as KP, but as Knoll & Preziger (misspelled) and that piqued my interest.(Just the name was listed, there was absolutely no information on the company itself). I have been a passionate collector of some of the most marvelous German art deco sterling and paste jewelry with a mystery mark of KP in a shield with the letters intersecting for years trying to discover who this mark belonged to with no avail. I tried researching the name every way possible and all I would get on occasion would be watch auctions but nothing that showed the trademark. One day as I was researching I could not believe what I found. An eBay auction from a seller in Uruguay of all places who was selling a 1953 Atlanta Post catalogue containing German jewelry and accessory companies. The seller listed the names of the companies in the auction and photos of many pages. There it was. A photo of jewelry with the KP Trademark and the company name. Buying this catalogue was one of the most important purchases I’ve ever made.(After I received it, I saw that all of the ads from the companies were in German, but the descriptions in the back of all of the items were in Spanish. The writing on the cover translated to "Journal of International Trade. Spanish Edition". Many Germans had emigrated to South America and there was a large market for their products). In all my years of research this was probably one of my happiest and proudest moments. To be able to connect and confirm all of the information together. I am also proud to be the person who has been able to give Knoll & Pregizer the respect and admiration for posterity that it deserves, since before the publication of this website virtually nothing about this company was known.

This 1953 catalogue page shown below confirms without a doubt the attribution of jewelry marked KP Sterling Germany (or KP 925 or KP 935) to Knoll & Pregizer of Pforzheim, Germany.

What is fascinating is in their long history they made Victorian/Art Nouveau, the garland style jewelry popular in English Edwardian and French Belle Époque and the MOST extraordinary (and my favorite) breathtaking Art Deco jewelry. Because of the 1953 catalogue page you can see the change in their style of jewelry after WWII. Amazingly, I have discovered several patents dated from 1906 thru 1975 registered in Germany, France, the United States, and the UK. The jewelry was ALWAYS made in Germany except for the movements to their timepieces which were Swiss. The patents approved and registered for other countries were to protect their designs/inventions that were exported as well as their trademark. Many of their watches were made in 14K gold as well as sterling silver with pastes or marcasites. I now know they also made jewelry in 14K/585 gold, 18K/750 gold and 9ct gold (for export to England). This site is always a work in progress and I am updating my information as I make new discoveries.

An important note. The K and P are ALWAYS intersecting as shown in the advertising and images below. Sometimes the shield/flower might be lightly struck but the letters will ALWAYS intersect. I have already noticed some eBay sellers trying to attribute pieces marked KP in a rectangle or K.P.(notice the periods) Sterling as Knoll & Pregizer. They are not. The mark MUST match their registered trademark.There are some other jewelers out there that have the initials KP which are stamped on the jewelry. Be vigilant and wary because misattributions abound. It was a requirement that registered German manufacturers of precious metal items had to be stamped with the fineness mark for metal and their registered trademark as they were responsible for assaying their own jewelry, and Knoll & Pregizer made a lot of jewelry for export. I have several exquisite pieces destined for the French market as they are marked with the swan in an oval for small silver articles imported into France. The different grades of silver fineness used were to fulfill the minimum silver requirements for export to certain countries, but the majority destined for the European market were made in 935 silver which would cover export to every country except Poland whose minimum was 940. Pieces marked Sterling or Sterling Germany were destined for the Canadian and/or US market. On certain pieces they will be marked Sterling Germany and the European silver fineness in order to be sold everywhere. Throughout my collecting and research in addition to Europe, the US and Canada, I have found pieces sold as far as Australia, South America and South Africa.

One of the reasons that Knoll & Pregizer probably fell into obscurity is because, as far as I can tell, except for trade journals and catalogues, they did absolutely no advertising in the way Theodor Fahrner did. They were not known as a "brand", except for their watches. (Someone once sent me a picture of their gorgeous LOTOS paste watch in a marked LOTOS velvet case). Their jewelry seems to have been made for the carriage trade and sold in the finest upscale jewelry and department stores in Paris, London, New York (they had a US rep and their trademark and patents were registered here) and other major cities across the globe. Pforzheim firms (not just Knoll & Pregizer) made some of the best paste jewelry I've ever seen. I have a magnificent KP art deco necklace that I purchased in its original unsigned jewelry store box, satin lined inside and leather on the outside with gold tooling. It came from a Massachusetts estate and by the markings on the jewel I can tell it was made for the European market. This dazzling piece was probably bought on holiday in Europe in the 1920s or 1930s at a fine jewelry store...a time of unparalleled glamour and luxury. It looks exactly like carved jade and diamonds and was cared for as such, by the beautiful,almost pristine condition it is in 90 years later. I believe that the best of KP jewelry was sold not just to women who couldn't have the real thing, but to many women who COULD, and considered it "travel jewelry"...copies of their real pieces that they could wear that would fool the eye, but not to be afraid to wear for fear of losing or being robbed of their real jewels. However, fine paste jewelry itself was always desirable on its own...not just as a copy of real jewels for the "have nots". Many women of discriminating taste and style wore paste jewels lavishly, and no one would be the wiser that they were not wearing Cartier or Van Cleef & Arpels. Stores such as Asprey in London sold and advertised paste jewelry, and I have a 1930s advertisement of theirs showing a page of jewels with a paste watch looking very much like my Knoll & Pregizer deco watch below, along with double clip brooches, ear clips, pendant earrings, rings and bracelets that would be undetectable to the eye. Jewelry stores like that would have sold the pieces in their own fitted cases, not identifying the jewelry as an outside manufacturer. In the US, there were companies making sterling paste jewelry such as Diamonbar by Wachenheimer in Providence, RI, and New York firms such as Fishel Nessler and Ciner. Other companies were making exquisite reproductions of fine jewelry in rhodium plated metal with the finest paste stones such as Trifari, Mazer, and DuJay as noted in 1934 and 1936 Saks Fifth Avenue ads I have where the copy would say "reproduced from a fine jeweler's piece".

Like many incredible jewelers of the past, all good things must come to an end. By what I have seen of the gold pieces I believe these were made while the company was winding down in the 1960s-1970s. Nothing is as grand or as extraordinary as their heyday up until the late 30s and the start of World War II. I do have several pieces marked West Germany that are post WWII and lovely, but I still think the pre-war pieces were the best. As with every manufacturer, they made different qualities of jewelry for different markets and price points. As I've continued to collect I've found the same models made with less fine manufacturing techniques for lower end production. Unfortunately, as the company was nearing its end in the 1970s, they made some of the most atrocious pieces I have ever seen. To see them go from the magnificence of their early days to some of the ugliest, modernist monstrosities, was very sad indeed.

Marks:
KP Sterling Germany
KP Sterling (usually with a retailer or mystery mark)
KP Sterling Birks in SCRIPT or CAPS (For Birks in Canada)I need to add a caveat for these Birks pieces. ONLY if it is marked Birks WITH the KP trademark was it made by Knoll & Pregizer. Many other companies made jewelry for Birks. If it does not have the KP mark then it is NOT KP.
KP 925
KP 935
KP Sterling West Germany
KP 925 or 0925 West Germany
KP 585 (14K) West Germany
KP 750 (18K) West Germany
KP 9ct for export to England

*****Knoll & Pregizer KP REPRODUCTION ALERT*****
I have added a pair of earrings to the album that have been making the rounds on eBay as recently as September 2011. I bought my pair shown below about 10 years ago on eBay knowing full well they were reproductions and not authentic deco paste, but I never took any notice of the KP mark. My first pair of art deco paste reproduction earrings were, in fact, purchased in person, by me, at the Chelsea Antiques Fair in London 16 years ago while on vacation. At the time I knew little about paste jewelry and nothing of reproductions and believed them to be completely authentic, until I saw my English "antique" earrings start to turn up by the boatload a few years later on eBay sold by a host of different sellers. Very expensive but important lesson learned. Authentic period earrings were not made in huge multiples in different colors. The same earrings could not possibly be sold by a multitude of sellers at the same time and be original. This has nothing to do specifically with KP, just reproductions in general, so from my experience I know this has been going on for at least that amount of time, probably longer. A friend alerted me to a pair recently on eBay and I said "I have those" and pulled my exact pair out. Sure enough, there it was. The KP trademark. Apparently these reproductions were made from an authentic pair of KP earrings that were used to make the mold. I know they are different earrings made at different times because they have different surmounts from mine. The ones I saw are brand new, and mine have the patina of age, so this means they have been making this earring for at least 10 years. Usually KP put their trademarks on the screwback fitting and not the jewel itself, but I do have an authentic pair of KP earrings where they are marked on the back of the earring like these. The earring I am showing is the only reproduction piece I have seen thus far. I am fairly certain that at that time years ago when the original earring was copied, the mark meant nothing to whomever manufactured them, they just liked the style. I have not seen mention of the KP mark in the auctions yet, but it is only a matter of time before someone tries to sell these as authentic. See my description below to know what to look for.

Founded in 1887 by Theodor Eberhard Friedrich Knoll and Friedrich Pregizer.
Friedrich Pregizer left the company in 1907 and was replaced by Carl Knoll.

Registered in 1887 (Theodor Fahrner by Schmundt-Weber-Becker book page 68) misspelled.

Along with jewelry, they made watches signed Goldsiegel(Gold Seal) registered in 1938, KAPE registered in 1935 and 1938 and also signed LOTOS (registration date unknown). I have a very early and elegant art deco paste watch that has no name on it except SWISS on the front of the face and the KP mark on the back along with a registration number. I've recently discovered a watch they made marked NICOLET for the Armand Nicolet Co. from Switzerland post WWII. Other marks on their watch faces include LOTOS, KAPE, KP, Knoll & Pregizer,or other retailers or companies where KP manufactured the watch cases for them. Sometimes, but not always, the movements themselves will be marked KP. They probably had a Swiss company manufacture those movements for them. One of my most interesting purchases was of a wonderful 14K Man's Military Watch.

I have found many patents of theirs in my research including the earliest ear clip finding patented in Germany in 1906 and later registered here in the US in 1912. In contrast, the first American company to patent an ear clip was Ballou in 1934 so they were way ahead of their time.

KNOLL & PREGIZER, of 16, Goethestrasse, Pforzheim, Germany
455 Zugang 1992-53 Nr. 372 Post WWII Archive Records that show they were registered as a business from 1948-1973 (many of the business registration records for German jewelers were destroyed during the war hence the date of 1948 for KP) however I have found a patent for a watch crystal as late as 1975. This, along with the 1887 date of registration as a company from the Theodor Fahrner book, patent info, and other trade publications confirms that Knoll & Pregizer were in business from 1887 thru AT LEAST 1975. Please see some U.S. Trademark information for Knoll & Pregizer that I found recently in the United States that was registered in 1962/1963 by Walter Knoll who ran the company during those years for costume and precious jewelry as well as watches. You can see these documents at at the end of the album. The trademark expired in 1987, but since I have not found any information about the company since 1975, I am "assuming" they were given a 25 year US trademark. Will update if I find any further information.

I found a listing from the 1970s of Der Deutsch-Amerikaner von heute:Deutsch-Amerikanisches Adressbuch fur due-by Stefan Deubel Page 383:
US Rep: Sterone Corp. 43 W. 61st Street NY, NY. Knoll & Pregizer, Pforzheim Watches & Jewelry

Pforzheim, Germany had hundreds of jewelry manufacturers on par with Providence, RI here in the US. I have many pieces of jewelry just marked Sterling Germany, but **UNLESS THE PIECE IS MARKED KP, IT WAS NOT MADE BY KNOLL & PREGIZER**. This is important to note as it would be IRRESPONSIBLE and UNETHICAL to attribute jewelry to a company without their known trademark. THEY WERE DILIGENT ABOUT MARKING THEIR JEWELRY.

Per his great-great grandson Thomas Wolfgang Maguire on 8-12-09 the family tree is: Theodor Eberhard Friedrich Knoll ( 1851-1928) (Great-Great-Grandfather) ---- Theodor Knoll(Great-Grandfather) (1881-1961)----- Margarete Nestlen nee Knoll (1914-1984) ---- Margrit W. Maguire nee Nestlen (1943) --- Thomas Wolfgang Maguire (1981) His mother Margrit is the granddaughter of Theodor Knoll.

VERY EXCITING NEWS PER GREAT-GRANDSON THOMAS WOLFGANG MAGUIRE ON 9-10-09:
"The History of Knoll & Pregizer according to the Archives in Pforzheim and translated from German." (This is exactly as it was translated, I have not made any grammatical corrections)

"The Knoll Family originates from Schwäbisch Gmünd, there they had a small shop inside their home to make Jewelry for the Areas Jewelry Stores.

After Theodor Eberhard Friedrich Knoll learned to be Goldsmith in the Home Business of His Father and learned at a Technical School did he go to The Military. After he left the Military in 1877 did he take up a position as a Apprentice in a Fine Pforzheim Business, after two years he made himself independent and founded a small business in Pforzheim. In 1882 did he take into the company The Merchant and Traveling Imitation Jeweler Friedrich Pregizer. The Company now was run under the Name of Knoll & Pregizer.

The offer was extended to the production of Imitation products using Fine Pour Technique. In the future the company was able to begin thanks to a little competitive pressure to increase their sales steady and even train their own apprentices. There was establishing or further branches and others in Nagold. In 1907 Pregizer resigned from the business.

After the two eldest sons, Carl and Theodor of merchants had completed training in Pforzheim stores, They picked up their father as an employee and left them after 1914, the sole managing director. From the effects of World War I. The production activity (could be maintained only in very restriction. The Nagold branches had to be closed.) Recovering the company after the war, again due to high demand, was relatively quickly.

Carl Knoll, the eldest son and later on the city council had received since 1906 with the departure of Frederick Pregizer transferred the commercial management of the business. He married about 1908 Margarete nee Nestlen with which he had three children, Ilse (born 10.12.1908), Marianne and Walter (both born on 27.5.1911) had. The latter subsequently took over the lead. Erich Keller, son of Ilse Knoll first marriage, was transferred in 1957 by the participation in the business.

Both Life Stories which are steepened the above information is taken to give a great insight into the families and Company history, especially from the Pforzheim Foundation 1879 to 1958. In addition, the city archives has in its files Commercial Papers (Knoll & Pregizer, jewelry and watches factory, manufacture of watches and jewelry, Walter Knoll; Friedenstr 62; Goethe Strasse 16."

All of the pieces and pictures are from my collection except where noted.

Many thanks to my dear friend and colleague Dr. Kristin Rheinwald in Germany who so patiently helped me translate and navigate these German archives. She has been invaluable to me and a wonderful friend.

I would also like to thank the very gracious keeper of the Knoll Family History, Thomas Wolfgang Maguire, great-great grandson and great-grandson of both TEF Knoll & T. Knoll for being so generous sharing his time and family history and wonderful photographs.
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©ROBIN DEUTSCH 2009-2012. No information or images may be used without prior consent. Please feel free to contact me at: Knollandpregizer@gmail.com
While I am happy to answer any questions you may have regarding Knoll & Pregizer jewelry, I do not offer appraisals.

I am a member of:
The American Society of Jewelry Historians (ASJH)
Association for the Study of Jewelry and Related Arts (ASJRA)
Jewelcollect
Jewelry Ring
Costume Jewelry Collectors Int'l
Private Collector and Jewelry Researcher/Historian
My article on Knoll & Pregizer was published in Vintage Fashion & Costume Jewelry Magazine Vol. 19, No. 3, 2009
Lender to the exhibit "Finer Things" at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens. Akron, Ohio. April-October 2012

Date(s): June 16, 2009. Album by Robin Deutsch. Photos by Robin Deutsch. 1 - 103 of 103 Total.

enlarge 239KB, 851x1023 1 Knoll & Pregizer KP Jewelry Advertisement 1953 From the 1953 Atlanta Post Catalogue that was filled with German companies selling jewelry, handbags, eyeglasses, etc. This FINALLY connects and confirms the KP mark as Knoll & Pregizer. Pforzheim, Germany. The KP trademark with their intersecting letters is consistent with all their markings. The bottom reads Knoll & Pregizer-Pforzheim. Fabrik feiner Juwelen-Imitationen (Manufacturers of Fine Jewelry Imitations)	enlarge 172KB, 791x1024 2 Knoll & Pregizer KP Jewelry Advertisement 1953 Another page of gorgeous imitation jewelry by KP from the 1953 Atlanta Post Catalogue. You can see how different the style of jewelry is in these 1950s pieces compared to most of the deco pieces that I collect.
enlarge 164KB, 820x1023 3 Knoll & Pregizer KP Watches Advertisement 1953 The 1953 Atlanta Post catalogue also yielded this wonderful page of Knoll & Pregizer watches. I believe the ones that look like diamonds are sterling and paste. It's possible some of the others are 14K.	enlarge 97KB, 708x1032 4 Knoll & Pregizer KP Germany Deco Front Probably my most extraordinary piece of KP bought from one of my dearest friends and incredible collector Cathy Gordon. Cathy's site is www.imageevent.com/bluboi.Thank you Cathy for the pictures in 4-6-7-8 It's quite long and breaks apart into two bracelets of which I have not figured out how to do and probably never will. Look how exquisite the pendant is, and the entire necklace chain and top part of the pendant is made out of baguettes. This is one of the best pieces of KP I have and will treasure not just for it's beauty, but for the fact that it came from such a wonderful friend. c.1925
enlarge 249KB, 833x1024 5 Close-up of the Knoll & Pregizer KP Pendant Incredible workmanship.	enlarge 95KB, 678x1088 6 Knoll & Pregizer KP Germany Deco Back Back view. When you look at these pieces there is no difference in their construction compared to real jewelry. Probably the jewelers that worked on these pieces also worked on fine jewelry in their careers.
enlarge 133KB, 883x768 7 Knoll & Pregizer KP Germany Deco Marks Close up of the workmanship and marks including the KP registered trademark. These hallmarks cover export to just about any country in Europe or the US and Canada.	enlarge 50KB, 800x274 8 Knoll & Pregizer KP Germany Deco Close This is a closeup of the most unusual of the marks on the necklace. It is the initials EG on either side of the Jewish star. Someone once floated the idea that the jeweler, because he was Jewish and working in Germany during the 1930s, had to include that in his stamp, the same way he probably would have had to wear a Jewish star around the sleeve on his arm. But I don't know if this is necessarily true, as I have found during more research there were German jewelers working much earlier who also have stars of David in their marks, so for now this will have to remain a mystery. Several KP pieces I own have other jeweler or sponsors marks, and they are usually the ones for export. The fact that this piece is marked both 935 (European sterling fineness mark) and STERLING GERMANY means this could be exported to any European country or the US/Canada or other countries which would have required the STERLING mark for fineness and GERMANY for country of origin.
enlarge 102KB, 539x570 9 Knoll & Pregizer Sterling Marks 935-Sterling Mark KP-Knoll & Pregizer Jewish Star with EG on either side-Probably the jeweler who worked on the piece. There's also another indecipherable mark that is probably for import to another European country. You can see close up even after so many years how wonderful the millegrain mounting is with brilliant, masterfully bead set stones just like real diamonds would be. All of this was hand done.	enlarge 69KB, 1024x216 10 Knoll & Pregizer KP Sterling Deco Paste Bracelet c. 1930. This had baguettes in very bad condition so I removed them all with the plan to have the bracelet restored one of these days.
enlarge 46KB, 800x191 11 Knoll & Pregizer KP Deco braceletc. c.1925 Edwardian/Deco Bracelet "The Cathy Gordon Collection" www.imageevent.com/bluboi	enlarge 33KB, 900x321 12 Knoll & Pregizer KP Sterling Deco Faux Jade Bracelet c. 1925 One of the finest pieces in my collection. So exquisite, looks like platinum, jade and diamonds.
enlarge 88KB, 602x721 13 Knoll & Pregizer KP Deco Faux Jade Bracelet Clasp I think they covered all of the import/export bases with these 6 marks: Germany Sterling 935 M KP 3	enlarge 149KB, 838x961 14 Knoll & Pregizer KP Germany Faux Jade Dress Clip This matches my bracelet and is actually quite small.I was able to find another one of these so I have a pair, there is a slight difference in color between the greens.
enlarge 142KB, 697x800 15 Knoll & Pregizer KP GermanyFaux Jade Clip Back Always as pretty as the front. Marked: Sterling Germany KP	enlarge 141KB, 1280x452 16 Knoll & Pregizer KP Art Deco Paste Bracelet c1930s This is typical 1930s Hollywood glamour. Construction of heavy, solid sterling silver with stones set in open back mounts, each of the 6 circular panels contains 21 prong set unfoiled emerald pastes in a bow tie motif surrounded by bead set white pastes and channel set baguettes set east and west alternating with oblong pavé set connector links. Hidden safety clasp. Marked Sterling Germany KP and the number 27 on the tongue of the clasp. Every stone is perfect. This is an exact imitation of a fine emerald and diamond platinum art deco bracelet, no one would know the difference. A superb example of Knoll & Pregizer at its best.
enlarge 192KB, 945x960 17 Knoll & Pregizer KP Art Deco Paste Bracelet c1930s The unfoiled round green pastes are all prong set, the round pastes are bead set and the baguettes are channel set. Marked KP Sterling Germany 27.	enlarge 108KB, 583x654 18 1920s Knoll & Pregizer KP Sterling Germany Deco Paste Clip This beautiful use of color and style of this clip has an Indian influence so prevalent in art deco jewelry. A mixture of calibré-cut,baguette,round and even a triangular stone. Bullet nose emerald colored cabochons on either side of the top. Wonderful workmanship and extremely high quality. Similar clip also by KP in European Designer Jewelry by Ginger Moro in her German section page 127. The reference is only to KP on the clip. There was no knowledge of Knoll & Pregizer at that time.
enlarge 162KB, 692x828 19 c.1920s Knoll & Pregizer KP Deco Dress Clip Back Marked Sterling Germany and Makers Marks KP. The workmanship even from the back is extraordinary. Notice how the clear calibré and baguette stones are set in open back settings, even though they are foiled. You only see silver foiled pastes on older jewelry. If you ever see gold foil backed stones in these settings, it means the stones are replacements.	enlarge 40KB, 539x679 20 Birks Knoll & Pregizer KP Germany Sterling Paste Deco Tree Perfect little pastes in millegrain settings and channel set squares on the top of the pot. It's just exquisite and PERFECT!!!
enlarge 45KB, 538x702 21 Birks Knoll & Pregizer KP Sterling Paste Tree Back Marked Birks in script possibly for Birks-Dingwall. There is some conflict between dating and usage of the Birks signature in script and the one in CAPS. Henry Birk & Sons absorbed many companies over the years in Canada, and they used different fonts in their ads and catalogues (sometimes even during the same year) strikings on jewelry, and also depending on whether something was an article of jewelry or for their silverware and hollowware. 1933 is when Birks-Dingwall merged.The style and the scale of the jewelry says to me earlier as does the non-rhodium plating, but I will leave Birks-Dingwall as the connection until I find out otherwise. Please remember that UNLESS these signed Birks pieces are ALSO marked with the KP trademark then they were NOT made by Knoll & Pregizer. I have KP jewelry with both script and CAPS marks. There were many German suppliers making jewelry for Birk's. Knoll & Pregizer was one of many.	enlarge 56KB, 467x572 22 Birks and Knoll & Pregizer Marks Birks in Script (Retailer) Sterling Silver KP Makers Mark I've noticed that the Canadian pieces that I have are not marked "Germany". It is the US that required country of origin. This was the first time I ever saw Birks in script. I was fortunate while researching to find the Birks-Dingwall mark in an ad that confirmed the script signature. Until I can find out anything more accurate, I am going to "assume" these Birks in script pieces were for the Birks-Dingwall stores. My research is still continuing. I dont't think at this point in time the signature can be used for dating with any kind of accuracy. Birks is considered the "Tiffany of Canada" and a very high end retailer.
enlarge 8KB, 366x73 23 Birks Dingwall mark This is the mark for Birks Dingwall that I found in a 1940 ad. It matches the Birks in script on the back of my little tree brooch and the only Birks script mark found so far on KP jewelry. Per the fantastic sleuthing of my dear friend Meg Andrews below, she has confirmed D. R. Dingwall was taken over by Henry Birks & Sons in 1933 and renamed Birks-Dingwall. http://www.virtual.heritagewinnipeg.com/vignettes/window/more/006.htm I also found in the Winnepeg Free Press dated 10-17-1935 the obituary for D.W. Dingwall (His father was D.R.Dingwall the original founder). "Two years ago it merged with Henry Birks and sons, being the President of Birks-Dingwall Ltd. at the time of his death". This confirms the 1933 merger date of the two companies.	enlarge 151KB, 989x737 24 Fabulous Knoll & Pregizer KP Sterling Deco Brooch Marked 935 KP as well as Sterling Germany. 3" long. The top section is 1" in width and the bottom section at it's widest point is 3/4". 935 Sterling Silver millegrain mounting with sugar loaf high dome onyx,amethyst and emerald glass cabochons all bezel set. The narrow central section has square cut faux amethyst pastes and onyx baguettes channel set. The entire setting is open backed with the white pastes bead set. The purple and green colors are more deep and vivid and the pastes whiter than my scanner shows. The extraordinary use of color and different shapes and cuts of stones is very typical of art deco jewelry. One of the best pieces in my collection. c.1925
enlarge 128KB, 640x254 25 Exquisite Knoll & Pregizer KP Germany Sterling Bow This piece is magnificently made and looks exactly like sapphires and diamonds. Like any manufacturer, some pieces are better than others, but this one defies detection as faux. I own another one of these in faux ruby. circa 1930s	enlarge 124KB, 640x254 26 Exquisite Knoll & Pregizer KP Germany Sterling Bow Back view.
enlarge 147KB, 640x480 27 Exquisite Knoll & Pregizer KP Germany Sterling Bow Close up of Marks	enlarge 43KB, 410x288 28 Knoll & Pregizer KP Germany Sterling Double Clip Brooch c.1930. Sterling silver. This is two dress clips attached to a frame and worn as a brooch. The stones were yellow and dull in horrible condition but they were in open back settings. I soaked it in a bath of vinegar and salt removing all the foil. You would never know this was not platinum and diamonds. I love the mixture of the geometric cuts of stones. Double clip brooches were made by practically every jeweler in the 1930s up to the 1950s whether in real or costume. If the stones are in CLOSED back settings and they are yellow or greenish, there is NO way to clean them regardless of what a dealer tells you. Yellow,dull stones means there is foil damage and the only fix is to have the item re-stoned or live with it. Since these vintage stones are not made anymore and are of a different cut than a modern rhinestone,I would think very carefully about spending a lot of money for a piece that is not in great condition. Yellow is damage and decreases the value of the piece.
enlarge 125KB, 928x768 29 Knoll & Pregizer KP Germany Sterling Double Clip Brooch The dress clips are shown removed from their frame and can be worn seperately. Terrible photo. These are so stunning in person.	enlarge 159KB, 1024x480 30 Knoll & Pregizer KP Germany Sterling Double Clip Brooch Marked Sterling Germany KP and 5 on each clip. Here you can see the stones are all set open back and the damaged foil removed and look like real diamonds. You cannot remove the foil if the the back is solid silver.
enlarge 180KB, 933x551 31 Knoll & Pregizer 935 Sterling Double Clip Brooch Marked KP 935 c. 1930s. Breaks apart into two dress clips.	enlarge 102KB, 751x768 32 Knoll & Pregizer 935 Sterling Double Clip Brooch Split apart as two dress clips and the frame. One of the large clear prong set stones on the frame is a replacement because the foil is gold, not silver that was used by KP. But it's beautiful the way the frame is set with stones on either side that integrate into the design when the clips are in place.
enlarge 120KB, 784x1003 33 Knoll & Pregizer 935 Sterling Double Clip Brooch Each clip is marked 935 KP	enlarge 61KB, 865x419 34 Knoll & Pregizer KP Germany Day/Night Brooch Channel set clear and sapphire calibré cut pastes. Probably depicting night and day with the pearl as the moon in the night sky. The brooches of the early art deco era are small in scale. C-clasp. Marked 935 KP c.1915-1920
enlarge 219KB, 1050x1024 35 Knoll & Pregizer Sterling Tiger Brooch Inspired by Cartier, this beautiful cat is magnificently sculpted out of 935 sterling silver and has black enamel stripes alternating with white bead set pastes between the stripes, on the face, tail and paws and green paste cabochon eyes. You can see the sensuous movement of the cat from the back. Marked 935 on the back paw and KP on the front paw. Measures 2" wide from the head to the end of the tail and 1" high. This is a heavy piece. Made in Germany. c.1930s (The red is from the light on my scanner, the piece is completely black and white)	enlarge 71KB, 687x393 36 Knoll & Pregizer KP 935 Sterling Penguins This tiny pin is of two charming penguins. Beautiful millegrain metal work. Bezel set paste bodies. One of the large stones is a replacement. Missing one tiny red eye. Black Enamel. Rhodium Plating. c.1930s Marked 935 KP. Another rare piece with the jewelers mark of EG on either side of a Star of David. I had it for a few years before I noticed it. This now resides (as it should) in the collection of Margrit Maguire and her son Thomas Wolfgang Maguire. The granddaughter and great-grandson of Theodor Knoll. Ironically, a couple of years after sending this to Thomas and his mom, I found another one of these but with a "C" clasp, marked only 935 KP, mine were also missing the ruby eyes (they are so tiny) This tells me that Knoll & Pregizer repeated styles over the years, as the one with the "C" clasp that I now own would have been earlier than the one in the photo. I have since seen multiples of several of their novelty type pins also made years apart.
enlarge 110KB, 644x516 37 Knoll & Pregizer KP Germany Brooch Marked Sterling Germany KP The brooch is in gorgeous condition and unfortunately it is the scanner that makes the stones look yellow. In person it is vivid and much whiter and sparkly.	enlarge 105KB, 786x600 38 Knoll & Pregizer KP Germany Brooch Back Marked Sterling Germany KP All the baguettes are backed with silver foil in open back settings.
enlarge 29KB, 457x600 39 Knoll & Pregizer KP-blue-necklace c1953 This necklace is extraordinary and I would have thought it was from the 1930s but if you look at the necklace chain and the bows they match the jewelry ad in #1 from the 1953. Ads are a priceless tool for research. From The Evelyn Yallen Collection. www.intotemptation.com Now happily part of the Robin Deutsch Collection. Marked Sterling 'Made in Germany' KP. This is definitely post WWII. It is a small choker length, very typical of 1950s jewelry.	enlarge 29KB, 600x491 40 Knoll & Pregizer KP-animals c1920s A charming array of sterling and paste animals. A peacock and a lizard. These belong to my dear friend Evelyn Yallen. Visit her website at www.intotemptation.com
enlarge 254KB, 895x1024 41 Knoll & Pregizer KP Peacock From Evelyn Yallen. Now part of The Robin Deutsch Collection. Look how brilliant these pastes still are after all these years. I love the tiny ruby cabochon eyes and little feet.	enlarge 129KB, 676x768 42 Knoll & Pregizer KP Peacock Back
enlarge 127KB, 1024x685 43 Knoll & Pregizer KP Peacock Marks Good view of the markings. Germany Sterling KP	enlarge 24KB, 452x600 44 Knoll & Pregizer KP-earrings I never cease to be amazed at how beautiful their jewelry is. Another wonderful piece from The Evelyn Yallen Collection. www.intotemptation.com Now happily part of The Robin Deutsch Collection.
enlarge 69KB, 726x768 45 Knoll & Pregizer KP Deco Sterling 'Emerald' Drop Earrings Exquisite Art Deco faux "Emerald and Diamond" paste pendant earrings. One of the finest pair of Knoll & Pregizer earrings I've ever had the pleasure of owning. Art Deco in style, the surmounts are all pierced and millegrained sterling silver with a crown of bead set pastes, a central large bezel set large round paste with 3 channel set baguette pastes underneath, terminating in a double row of sterling, asymmetrical in length, solid articulated bezels set with round paste stones with open back prong set unfoiled glass emerald cut faceted "emeralds" hanging from them, each with a bezel set baguette and square cut stone above them. The emeralds are more green in person. All of the clear stones are set in open back settings with silver foiled pastes. Each screwback is marked Sterling Germany 935 KP with a letter P. The tops are 1/2" wide and the length including the longest drop is 2 1/4" long.	enlarge 140KB, 765x679 46 Knoll & Pregizer KP Earrings Back On the screwback it is marked Germany Sterling 935 KP and a letter P. Because of the markings, these were able to be sold in Europe or exported to the US and Canada.
enlarge 111KB, 1017x1024 47 Knoll & Pregizer Sterling Deco Bracelet Marked Sterling Germany KP. Faux "sapphires and diamonds" . Beautiful unfoiled faux sapphire prong set glass stones and bead and bezel set clear pastes in sterling mimicking sapphires and diamonds in a platinum setting. The pavéd sections are in the form of leaves. Very real looking. I believe this might be an early, post WWII piece. Not every piece after the war was automatically marked "West". It has the feel of their later jewelry and I have a similar brooch with faux emerald stones and these pavé leaves marked KP that was re-assayed in England with English markings and a date letter for 1961, also showing that they re-used castings to make other jewelry items.	enlarge 198KB, 1280x575 48 Knoll & Pregizer Sterling Deco Bracelet I find using a scanner much better for certain jewelry items and think you can see in the picture next to the ones taken with my camera that it's far superior..you can really see the detail and the beauty in this stunning bracelet.
enlarge 54KB, 1024x188 49 Knoll & Pregizer KP Sterling Germany Bracelet Taken with my camera.	enlarge 48KB, 1024x167 50 Knoll & Pregizer KP Sterling Germany Bracelet Finished as beautifully as the front. All stones, even the foiled ones are in open back settings just as a fine jewelry bracelet would be made.
enlarge 172KB, 993x937 51 Knoll & Pregizer KP Detail of Bracelet hallmarks Marked Sterling Germany KP.	enlarge 116KB, 428x1024 52 Stunning Knoll & Pregizer KP 925 Sterling Double Clip Brooch c. 1930s. Mimicking platinum, diamonds and rubies, this can be broken apart into two dress clips or worn together as a single brooch as shown. Marked 925 KP Sterling on the back of each clip back also numbers 5 and 6 that correspond with the placement on the frame. From "The Meg Andrews Collection"
enlarge 43KB, 353x800 53 Knoll & Pregizer KP sterling paste pendant c.1909 Edwardian/Belle Epoque. This is a beautiful example of an early all white lavaliere made of sterling and pastes mimicking a pierced platinum setting with diamonds set in millegrain mountings. It's a wonderful piece of early 20th century jewelry. Circa 1909 as the pear shaped drop is used in the 1909 pictures. Beautiful, elegant and much smaller in size than the picture shows. Hanging from a fine sterling chain. Formerly part of "The Cathy Gordon Collection" and now part of the Robin Deutsch Collection...thanks for the picture Cathy! www.imageevent.com/bluboi	enlarge 136KB, 1359x309 54 Knoll & Pregizer KP info Goldsiegel-Uhren (Gold Seal Watches) Kape & Lotos are for watches. KP is always on the jewelry but also marked on the back of the watch cases. A couple of the movements on the Goldsiegel and Lotos watches I own have the KP mark on the movements. Most of the times the movements are just marked SWISS. http://www.mikrolisk.de
enlarge 143KB, 687x660 55 A Magnificent Knoll & Pregizer KP 925 Sterling Paste Diadem c. 1900. Found in records of an online European auction several years ago. This is a magnificent example of the Edwardian/Belle Epoque jewelry they were making at the time. Made from sterling 925 vermeil the millegrain edges, perfect old cut pastes, knife edge settings. Just gorgeous. I can't imagine any woman wearing that and not thinking she was wearing anything less than a real diamond diadem. http://katalog.auktionshaus-wendl.com/de/cmd/d/o/119.57.695/auk/57/p/1/	enlarge 197KB, 1024x958 56 Knoll & Pregizer 1909 Research from my dear friend and JC member Dr. Kristin Rheinwald of Germany. These are magnificent copies done in sterling and paste of jewelry done in the garland style. Very typical of English Edwardian or French Belle Epoque.
enlarge 154KB, 1024x735 57 Knoll & Pregizer Tiara 1909 Research from my dear friend and JC member Dr. Kristin Rheinwald of Germany. Exquisite tiara done in sterling and paste. Edwardian/Belle Epoque.	enlarge 95KB, 700x712 58 Theodor Knoll 1882-1961 I am thrilled to be in contact with the great-great grandson of Theodor Eberhard Friedrich Knoll, founder of Knoll & Pregizer, a lovely young man named Thomas Wolfgang Maguire. He saw my article at Illusion Jewels and contacted me through Dotty. This is a picture of founder T.E.F. Knoll's son and Thomas's great-grandfather (and his mother's grandfather) Theodor Knoll who had Knoll & Pregizer as well as "Th.Knoll Co.". Thomas is trying to find out more info about this. This picture is property of Thomas Wolfgang Maguire and may not be used without his consent.
enlarge 245KB, 922x779 59 Thomas Wolfgang Maguire and Theodor Knoll Many thanks again to Thomas Wolfgang Maguire for these priceless pieces of history. 8-12-09 This picture is property of Thomas Wolfgang Maguire and may not be used without his consent	enlarge 218KB, 1024x791 60 The Knoll Brothers From Thomas Wolfgang Maguire 8-12-09 This picture is property of Thomas Wolfgang Maguire and may not be used without his consent
enlarge 160KB, 1024x577 61 Margarete Theodor & Frieda 1935 Another wonderful family photo from Thomas Wolfgang Maguire 8-12-09	enlarge 231KB, 1280x883 62 Journal der Goldschmiedekujnst 1907 Page in the issue describing Friedrich Pregizer leaving the firm on July 1, 1907. Translation by Thomas Wolfgang Maguire. I also tranlated this through Google: Knoll & Pregizer with a branch in Nagold: With the withdrawal of the industrialist Friedrich Pregizer started on 1st July 1907 the company dissolved. The business went on with the company at the recent shareholder Theodor Eberhard Knoll. Carl Knoll is the merchant here, given power of attorney.
enlarge 85KB, 887x435 63 Knoll & Pregizer KP Information Post WWII Knoll & Pregizer as well as Kollmar & Jourdan. Per Kristin, this is archive information showing the registration dates of these companies mostly post-war WWII. But because of the 1887 registration date in the Fahrner book and this archive, and a 1975 patent I found, it confirms KP was in business from 1887-1975.	enlarge 167KB, 1320x422 64 Knoll & Pregizer Marks I have never seen anything with the tree in the oval mark from Th. Knoll & Co. but mostly everything I have Googled related to Freiburg/Silesia has to do with watches and clocks. I am also *assuming" anything produced by them would certainly be way before WWII. Today this area is Świebodzice, Poland. It passed to Polish jurisdiction in 1945. http://www.mikrolisk.de
enlarge 41KB, 451x550 65 Knoll & Pregizer KP 14K Violet Diamond Basket Brooch Carved Jade, Amethyst Flower Basket Pin with Diamond, Pearl Accents. Trombone Clasp. Hallmarked 585,(14k), West Germany and Knoll & Pregizer (KP) mark. Measures 2-1/4 inches tall and 2-inches wide. From the Collection of Christia Schutt. www.grandmasjewelrybox.com This piece came to me through my friend Christia and shows how imparting knowledge to each other in the world of research is so important. Knoll & Pregizer is known as a costume jewelry company. Their ads even say "Imitation Jewels". In a Post WWII German record I found a listing for KP as "Goldschmuck"-Fine Jewelers (meaning they worked in at least the minimum of 8K gold as well as making imitation jewelry in sterling.) Until I had seen this piece, the only gold jewelry I knew of was their watches. However, I found the registered KP trademark in the US in 1962 as "sellers of precious and imitation jewelry", so the 60s must be when they began making this type of jewelry. They probably decided to go into the fine jew...	enlarge 41KB, 443x500 66 Knoll & Pregizer KP 14K Violet Diamond Basket Brooch The back of the brooch. German companies used the trombone safety clasps on occasion which is almost always considered a characteristic of French jewelry, although since I have now seen many similar KP flower brooches of for sale,also using ordinary regular rolling clasps as well, they just probably used whatever pin was handy. And I have seen other German companies used the trombone clasp, it proves it is not unique to KP. These pins are not rare. I have seen at least 5 of them so far since posting this piece. Where there's five (and earrings) trust me, there are many, many more out there. Since it is marked West Germany and because of the motif, I think this dates the piece to the 1960s-1970s. towards the end of their production to keep them a float. This one has subsequently been sold.
enlarge 23KB, 237x158 67 Knoll & Pregizer KP 14K Violet Diamond Basket Brooch Marked 585 (European mark for 14K) and KP in a blume as shown in #71 From the Collection of Christia Schutt. www.grandmasjewelrybox.com	enlarge 40KB, 404x316 68 KP 14K Violet Diamond Basket Brooch Marked West Germany along with the 585. Because of the motif and workmanship I feel this piece was made in the 1960s-1970s. From the Collection of Christia Schutt. www.grandmasjewelrybox.com
enlarge 102KB, 600x800 69 Lotos Knoll & Pregizer KP 935 Sterling Marcasite Watch c.1950s Marked LOTOS Swiss Made.	enlarge 44KB, 750x1024 70 Lotos Knoll & Pregizer KP 935 Sterling Marcasite Watch The leather watch strap is identical to the one shown in the ad from 1953 above. I've also confirmed the date of the 1950s based upon the numerical marking on the back which is a little later than my Nicolet Knoll & Pregizer watch case that was manufactured in West Germany. The watch is in nice condition despite several marcasites missing and it keeps very good time. The inside of the watch case is marked 935. The movement is marked SWISS. LOTOS. KP trademark in the flower. SEVENTEEN 17 JEWELS UnADJUSTED.
enlarge 65KB, 300x300 71 LOTOS Knoll & Pregizer KP 935 Sterling Marcasite Watch The back of the case has the KP trademark in the flower and numbered 64514. c.1950s	enlarge 49KB, 1037x1024 72 Knoll & Pregizer Sterling Nicolet Watch Beautiful Knoll & Pregizer sterling guilloché yellow enamel watch with pink roses and green leaves from the 1950s with a double corded band and vermeil clasp. Keeps perfect time. 17 Jewels. Nicolet stands for the Armand Nicolet watch company that began in 1875 in Tramelan, Switzerland. Knoll & Pregizer seems to have been one of the jewelry companies that made the watch cases for them.
enlarge 94KB, 795x734 73 Knoll & Pregizer Sterling Nicolet Watch Close up of the lovely face. Marked Nicolet 17 Jewels. The gold plating on the lugs have worn off.	enlarge 143KB, 800x600 74 Knoll & Pregizer Sterling Nicolet Watch Marked 64287 and the KP mark in a flower. I opened up the watch case and removed the movement. The inside of the case is marked Knoll & Pregizer. Sterling. Made in West Germany. So this is definitely post WWII c. 1950s or later. The movement itself is marked A.Nicolet & Co. (Armand Nicolet & Co.) SWISS. SEVENTEEN JEWELS. UNADJUSTED.
enlarge 43KB, 1025x1024 75 1920s Knoll & Pregizer Sterling Deco Paste Watch Fabulous Art Deco 1920s Knoll & Pregizer Sterling Watch with old cut paste stones set onto the watch and 4 links of the band mimicking platinum and diamond watches that were so popular during the art deco period. The remaining portion of the band is double corded with a sterling silver clasp. The arabic numerals and hands are blue enamel and the white face has no name. The winding stem has a faux paste sapphire cabochon. This is a beautiful example of a sterling and paste watch from the 1920s. The missing stone has been replaced. The bands at this point in time were very small. 6" long. This watch is part of the exhibit "Finer Things" at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, April-October 2012 in Akron, Ohio.	enlarge 74KB, 600x1557 76 1920s Knoll & Pregizer Sterling Deco Paste Watch One of the rarest pieces to find of Knoll & Pregizer if you are lucky, are their early Art Deco 935 sterling paste watches. While their later production of mens and ladies watches wasn't exceptionally interesting, this one is gorgeous, mimicking the style of platinum and diamond watches made by Cartier. The face has no name, but is marked KP on the back of the watch case and number 18606 which indicates early production. All of the pastes are bead set by hand. Arabic numerals and hands are blue enamel as well as the border around the rectangular face for the minutes. The case itself has a beautiful engraved design around the perimeter, as well as a faux sapphire cabochon on the stem. Swiss Made movement of 15 jewels. The watch case was Made in Germany.
enlarge 52KB, 210x644 77 1920s Knoll & Pregizer Sterling Deco Paste Watch I popped open the case and there are no markings inside although the watch tests for sterling. It is marked Swiss on the bottom of the face under the numeral 6 and a double enamel border around the numbers with hash marks for minutes. Some of the stones have darkened but it's in beautiful condition for a piece that is probably at least 90 years old. The rectangular case has beautiful etched work around the perimeter of the case, and out of the several I now have, this is the only one with the faux sapphire cabochon on the winding stem that I just love.	enlarge 61KB, 495x600 78 c.1920s Knoll & Pregizer Sterling Deco Paste Watch The back of the watch is marked KP within the flower and numbered 18608 which is a very early number. This is probably one of the earliest watches they made as noted by not only the early number, but the striking of the mark which is small and a little different than their later pieces. As far as dating, I was given to publish a beautiful watch (last two pictures) of a sterling and marcasite piece serial number 19258 from 1938. So since I don't know exactly the range of dates, it's possible this piece is from the 1930s as well. As always circa dating is not definitive.
enlarge 41KB, 1024x931 79 Knoll & Pregizer Goldsiegel Sterling Paste Watch Beautiful Goldsiegel (Gold Seal)sterling and paste watch. Sterling expandable band set with pastes that have darkened or slightly yellowed and two safety catches.It looks like there is an extra extender link. This has a loop for a safety chain which is now gone. Black enamel face. Silver numerals and hash marks for the minutes. There is no brand name on the front of the watch. The square face has beautiful engraving around the perimeter of the watch case. Goldsiegel (Gold Seal) watches are a trademark of Knoll & Pregizer and were registered July 23, 1938. Although the numerical marking would suggest an earlier date,by the styling and the patented face it is from the 1950s. It is possible the numerical markings were different for Goldsiegel and Lotos brands.	enlarge 99KB, 484x710 80 Knoll & Pregizer Goldsiegel Sterling Watch Face Goldsiegel (Gold Seal) sterling watch by KP. The face is black enamel and the numerals, hands, and minute hash marks are silver. Many of the pastes have darkened but I had to have it for my collection. The jewel-like faceted watch crystal was patented by Knoll & Pregizer.
enlarge 123KB, 600x800 81 Knoll & Pregizer Goldsiegel Watch Back Marked STERLING KP and 31765. The KP looks to be double struck. When I opened the case there were no markings engraved inside.	enlarge 121KB, 707x763 82 Knoll & Pregizer Goldsiegel Watch Movement This is what the movements of these watches look like. I can see a fair amount of rust and it's been over wound so it's not working and is not repairable. It is marked Swiss Made. KP. 15 Jewels. Goldsiegel. There was probably a Swiss watch company that manufactured the movement for Knoll & Pregizer as can be seen by the KP mark and their Goldsiegel trademark incised on the workings. The rubies are synthetic. Thank you to my dear friend Carolyn Sunday of www.sundayandsunday.com for her guidance and information.
enlarge 161KB, 1280x623 83 Knoll & Pregizer Prince of Wales Feather Pin This is a delightful brooch, small in scale, 1 " by 1 1/4". High grade sterling silver with bezel set pastes. Marked 935 KP. Done in the shape of Prince of Wales feathers which is the heraldic badge of the Prince of Wales of England. The real Prince of Wales feathers would have a crown at the bottom holding the 3 feathers together, but it's such a lovely motif. This is a sweet type of (at the time) inexpensive novelty pin that KP made a lot of. The pastes do not fill up the entire design,those little bumps at the bottom give the look of stones without having to set them, so it was cheaper to manufacture.	enlarge 209KB, 1280x864 84 Exquisite Knoll & Pregizer Double Clip Brooch Art Deco from the 1930s. No chic woman would be seen without a pair of these versatile brooches. Not only can it be worn as shown, but the end terminals are tiny dress clips that can be removed and worn on the edge of a neckline, with or without the brooch that can also be worn on its own. Made of 935 Sterling silver. Marked 935 KP on the back of the removable clips. All of the stones are bead set except for the large round central stones which are bezel set and the baguettes are channel set. The clip brooch in its complete form measures 2 3/4" x 3/4".
enlarge 164KB, 1290x665 85 Knoll & Pregizer Clip Brooch Seperated Here you can see what a versatile piece of jewelry this really is. The brooch on its own is very beautiful, but then you have the extra option of having a set of dress clips that can be worn alone or along with the brooch. The brooch on its own measures 1 3/4" x 3/4" . Each small clip is on 3/4" long tapering to a 1/4 of an inch, and 1/2" wide.	enlarge 70KB, 826x504 86 Back of the Knoll & Pregizer Clips These show the markings. Each is marked 935 KP at the tip of the clip mechanism.
enlarge 268KB, 784x1381 87 Knoll & Pregizer Early Deco Paste Pin An absolutely exquisite, small and very fine brooch pin by Knoll & Pregizer. From the art deco era but almost Edwardian in style. It has an emerald cut faceted glass faux sapphire set open back in the center surrounded by 10 large bead set clear pastes bordered by tiny bead set pastes with millegrain around the edges all set in heavy 935 sterling silver. This is a weighty piece for something so small in scale. You would swear these are real diamonds and platinum. I have never seen pastes of this age with so much fire and brilliance. My scan could not even capture the beauty of it. The sapphire color is quite deep and the scratches are only visible with a loupe and obviously enlarged by the scanner. Measures 1" long and and 3/4" wide. Marked 935 KP. It's so striking I'm toying with the idea of having it made into a ring with a gold shank. Today with the miracles of laser, no damage would be done to the piece.	enlarge 84KB, 639x567 88 Knoll & Pregizer Early Deco Paste Pin Same brooch as in the previous picture but with a black background. I think it shows the stones off more beautifully. However, the stones are totally white but you are seeing the flashes of color from my scanner.
enlarge 111KB, 1024x727 89 Knoll & Pregizer Art Deco Barpin Very sweet 2 1/2" long x 1/2" wide art deco bar pin made of sterling silver. The central element is a bezel set navette paste with 3 channel set faux sapphire paste baguettes on the top and bottom and 3 bead sets pastes on either side in a foliate design edged in millegrain. Marked Sterling and KP with an unknown mark that I've never seen before either denoting a country or possible jeweler or retailer's mark. c.1925	enlarge 99KB, 721x734 90 Knoll & Pregizer Edwardian Giardinetti Brooch Truly one of the most unusual and exquisite KP pieces I've ever had. Yes, their deco is 2DIE4, but this little Edwardian treasure is so unusual. C.1910 this is a miniature work of art in the form of a tiny little flower basket. The pierced wire basket is bordered on the top and bottom with tiny little bezel set white pastes sprouting glorious little sapphire and clear paste forget me nots and roses in bezel settings. It's 1 1/4" x 3/4". 'C' Clasp. Extraordinary condition. Marked 935 KP with an unknown jeweler mark. The tiny little 'C' clasp has the mark of the swan which is an import mark for France. C'est Magnifique!
enlarge 229KB, 1280x866 91 1930s Knoll & Pregizer Double Clip Deco Brooch Same brooch as the one in #28,29 and 30. But you can see the wonderful cuts of stones more clearly and how beautifully it's made. It can either be worn complete like this or comes apart as shown above. The workmanship on this piece is really astonishing in person. A complicated design with several cuts of stones. Every stone was hand set by a fine jeweler.	enlarge 243KB, 1254x710 92 Knoll & Pregizer West Germany Beautiful post WWII brooch marked Sterling KP West Germany still made with excellent workmanship. Stylized bow motif with channel set blue baguettes. All silver foiled stones are set in open back settings. The clear stones are in gorgeous condition. The blue channel set calibré cut stones have a few chips not noticeable except for under a loupe. One of the few pieces of Post WWII KP I own.
enlarge 129KB, 931x1024 93 Knoll & Pregizer Set c.1950s Here you can see the jewelry has the same feel as the 1953 ad shown in #1. By this time I think their jewelry is starting to wind down a bit. This is very typical of 1950s white "diamond" jewelry. The earrings are clip backs but the clipback mechanism is not entirely made of sterling. Inside it is marked "metal", probably to keep costs down. The large stones are open back in prong settings but the other stones are channel or bead set. Still lovely, but the jewelry is becoming a little more pedestrian. Marked Sterling West Germany KP. This particular set came from Australia, so their jewelry was probably exported far and wide.	enlarge 90KB, 589x867 94 Knoll & Pregizer KP Earrings Reproduction Alert Marked KP 925 and SIL in an oval cartouche with 9 ct gold shephard hooks. I bought these earrings on eBay c.2000 knowing they were reproductions although the seller did not--giving them the benefit of the doubt(I own at least 10 pairs of different styles all purchased over the years from the UK. These are the only paste repros I've seen with a makers mark). I never checked the back because usually they never have markings other than SIL (for Silver) or 925. A friend of mine wrote to me recently about these earrings and said "look at the mark". I looked at the pictures in the auction then pulled out my ten year old pair of earrings and there it was...the KP trademark. These reproductions were made from authentic Knoll & Pregizer earrings which were used to make the molds. The ones sold now in 2011 have slightly different surmounts than mine, but the pendant part and the marks are identical. In all fairness to the recent seller there was no mention of the mark, only 'art deco sty...
enlarge 209KB, 1024x1128 95 Knoll & Pregizer KP Earrings Reproduction The SIL in the oval cartouche was added to the mold. The 925 KP marks are from the original earrings from which the mold was made. Modern cut rhinestones are sloppily GLUED into the settings and don't even fit the cups properly. Many times you will see the traces of glue under a loupe. The originals would have been hand bead or bezel set like real diamonds. The KP punch is not crisp because who knows how many pairs of these have been spit out from the same mold over the years. Despite the bad lighting, mine show the patina of ten years worth of age. That in itself is a problem because as these repros age, they look more authentically old,especially if you don't know what to look for. The ones I have seen recently are bright and shiny and new.	enlarge 197KB, 1024x1133 96 Knoll & Pregizer KP Earrings Reproduction This is as close as I could get to clear pics of the marks. This is the characteristic intersecting KP in the flower/shield but the earrings themselves are crude and poorly finished and not like fine KP quality of the period. FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE!! As an avid collector of European and American paste jewelry,I know reproductions WERE made to deceive and as a novice I paid dearly ,but KP was barely known 10 years ago, and it's just an unfortunate coincidence that these PARTICULAR earrings were made from a signed piece whose mark is now collectible. Due to the vast amount of repro paste jewelry that has flooded the market over the years, knowledgeable collectors have become wiser. However, who knows if at some point in the future an unethical manufacturer will knowingly make fakes of KP jewelry, and it is only a matter of time before an inexperienced (honest)or unethical dealer will try to sell these as authentic Knoll & Pregizer, so know what you are buying.
enlarge 75KB, 644x484 97 Knoll & Pregizer Sterling Marcasite Watch 1938 "The Jennifer Stanford Collection" This beautiful 935 sterling and marcasite watch was Jennifer's great-grandmother's and left to her mother, who in turn left it to Jennifer. Jen's mom was from England, grew up in South Africa and then came to Canada and met her dad in Newfoundland. The watch is engraved with her great-grandmother's name and the date.	enlarge 97KB, 644x484 98 Knoll & Pregizer Sterling Marcasite Watch 1938 "The Jennifer Stanford Collection" The dating on this watch is a treasure, allowing me and other collectors/dealers to know that the serial number 19258 is from 1938. Marked 935 KP. It's also engraved with her great-grandmother's name Marjorie Wynne and was purchased at A. Fischer Co. Ltd, a South African jeweler and engraver. Thank you Jennifer for the pictures and information on this beautiful and sentimental piece.
enlarge 13KB, 612x792 99 Knoll & Pregizer Trademark USA 1962 This is Knoll & Pregizer's registered trademark filed by Walter Knoll, a family member who in the 1960s was in charge of Knoll & Pregizer, for their trademark to be used in in the US for costume and fine jewelry filed in 1962 and registered in 1963. This expired in 1987. Since I have no proof of anything past 1975 being made/invented or sold by the company, I am "assuming" that they held the rights for 25 years until 1987, at which time the trademark was dead.	enlarge 157KB, 647x657 100 kp tradmark details1 All of this relates to trademarking the KP in the flower (lily,tulip,orchid, etc) that is their official trademark to be used on precious and costume jewelry as well as time pieces here in the U.S. It was from 1962-1987. Since I not found anything mentioned, patented, or made since 1975, I am assuming they were given 25 years protection for their trademark in 1962 which expired in 1987 and was not renewed. If I do discover anything, I will update my information.
enlarge 181KB, 628x828 101 kp tradmark details2 This shows that not only precious jewelry was covered, but precious stones and watches and clocks. Goethestrasse 16 Phorzheim, Germany is the location that Knoll & Pregizer was in since at least 1937 according to one patent that I found. Their 1907 patent gives a different location.	enlarge 137KB, 637x751 102 kp tradmark details3 Walter Knoll was the last family member of that I know of who stayed in the family business. They had other industrialists that joined and ran the company afterwards.
enlarge 173KB, 652x682 103 walterknoll-KP

Sign the Guestbook. Displaying 16 of 16 entries.

Hello Robin,

Thank you for your interesting article and beautiful pictures. I recently discovered a Knoll & Pregizer gold 4 leaf clover pin that was passed on to me by my grandmother. I was wondering if you could share any history about it with me.
Thank you!
- Jeanne, Mon, 5 Mar 2012 11:44AM

thankyou for the information on k&p.i found your pages whilst searching for silver marks and dates.i have been lucky enough to find a lapel pin sterling silver 935 with paste stones.i actually thought they were diamonds at first.it is so lovely.thankyou again.sue
- susan fretwell, Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:38AM

Hi, Just read this great & informative article which I found when search for the KP mark. I've just bought a Victorian style spider & fly brooch marked 925 KP and wanted to find out more about it. Costume is a new world for me but I can see how addictive it can become.

Thank you for sharing.
- elaine | www.nicholsonsjewellers.co.uk, Sat, 15 Oct 2011 3:51AM

Robin, Robin, Robin,
I just read (every word) of your stunning Knoll & Pregizer tribute. You are absolutely amazing and a true historian. How utterly kind of you to share your vast knowledge. Thank you so very much. This is fantastic!
Best regards,
Andie of CA
- Andie Haynes, Thu, 6 Oct 2011 5:45PM

hi Robin,
i love you page, it is one of most beautiful jewellery what i seen so far. But i have a question: couple days ago i bough of internet paste dress clip with watch,the dress clip marked: "metal", but i test it and it made of solid silver, also watch marked: metal rhodiant, lily with blue enamel inside and letters KP, 673706; on movement says: swiss made 696 17 jewels fig. Can it be Knoll & Pregizer and how much this dress clip can worthing? and why it made of silver and marked metal.
thank you very much, Tanya
- Tanya, Fri, 22 Jul 2011 5:13AM

Fue un gusto encontrar una página que haga referencia a estos joyeros, ya que poseo un collar firmado por los mismos. Además de contar con partes de plata 935, posee también varios hilos con perlas. Estoy interesado en su venta. Queda registrado mi dirección electrónica. Cordiales saludos
- Gustavo, Thu, 13 Jan 2011 3:18PM

Hi I really enjoyed reading your research, and wondered if you might be interested in a KP watch i have the serial number is 14960 it is marked 935 but remarked inside the case 925 it still works but I feel it could do with a service/clean if you are interested please let me know.
- tony, Wed, 29 Dec 2010 10:58PM

I was fascinated to see the 14k brooch with amethyst violets w/diamonds, jade leaves. I own the identical matching earrings with 3 flowers and one leaf on each earring; purchased from a fine jewelry shop in Palm Beach County in 1977. Until now, only knew they were from W. Germany. Would be very curious of value and would consider selling. Any help/reply would be appreciated.
- Peggy, Thu, 23 Dec 2010 4:21PM

i have a 14k gold kp lotos watch. i was looking for this brand and came accross your web. thanks for your research. the antique dealers i went to were so crass as to take apart the watch and just weight it for gold value. it still works after 60 years
- CHRISTEL, Fri, 3 Dec 2010 7:07AM

This research along with the most wonderful photos is a definite must see for any admirer of the art of jewelry. The beautiful workmanship of this jewelry is timeless. Thank you Robin for recognizing the amazing beauty of yesteryears jewelry , and for sharing your knowledge and your beautiful photos of your collection and more. Best wishes, Linda
- Linda Caricofe | http://www.rubylane.com/shops/rcantiques, Tue, 5 Oct 2010 3:20PM

Hello Robin, Thanks for writing about all the fine jewelry that my great-great grandfather had a hand in. I hope you have a good day.
- Thomas, Sun, 5 Sep 2010 3:22PM

Hello Robin, Enjoy your beautiful pies of Knoll and Pregizer jewelry. I do have a wonderful piece that was my Aunts and I am looking to find out what it is worth. I am looking to sell it but no one knows anything about the name. I have done research and you are the best in giving information on the designers of KP. I would appreciate your help with this piece.
- virginia, Sat, 17 Jul 2010 1:57PM

Robin, Wow! I'm bookmarking this page! I have a "drop dead" beautiful brooch with a large "topaz", 2 small light blue rhinestones, and some delicate enamel work, all on beautiful exquisitely worked "935" sterling. It has the "E Star of David G" mark on the prong (so small that I too had this for years before I found it). I had originally planned on selling this pin, but am not sure what to do - it suddenly has much greater significance. I have not found any other maker's marks although they might be very well hidden... Any suggestions?
Thanks for such a wonderful site!
- Bonnie, Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:32PM

Robin, I simply had to say what a joy it was to find your K & P page! I have a beautiful silver bow brooch with clear stones(marked 935 KP in what looks to me to be a heart) which seemed to be 'something special'. Today I finally set to research the hallmark, and found your page. I am not an expert, but seeing the pictures of the hallmark, it looks the same. Is there a definitive way I could check its' authenticity? Any advice would be most welcome. Regardless, it was so interesting to read the history and view the beautiful jewellery. Thank you!
- Natasha Hall, Sat, 27 Feb 2010 5:17AM

Robin...I am so thankful to have located your site. My mother passed not long ago and left me a beautiful KP,still in working order, Lotos ring watch with the numbers 32147 beneath the KP impression on the back of the watch. She always told me the 60+ round stones and 4 bagets were diamonds but thanks to you I know this lovely piece is a gorgeous piece of costume jewelry. I do wonder if I should protect it in a safer place now that I know its story.
- Debra Moore, Wed, 27 Jan 2010 8:08AM

Robin, Thanks so much for your extensive research. You've saved me from who knows how many hours, days, or years of fishing for info on these marks. I acquired a duette brooch just last Thursday and here it is Sunday and I already have my answer! I am so grateful. I'd love to chat with you about it.
- Meg Andrews, Sun, 13 Sep 2009 4:54PM