ANSWER: RENOIR USED ALUMINUM BACK
I spent the morning in an antique mall I haven't been to in ages, and was thrilled to find a Rebajes brazilian mask link bracelet--my very first piece by this designer. Though the front of the bracelet was in perfect shape, I was very surprised to see that the back of the links were a dull, silvery color. Is this typical for the bracelet, or was it (as I assumed when I sadly put it back) damaged?
Carrie Pollack
I spent the morning in an antique mall I haven't been to in ages, and was thrilled to find a Rebajes brazilian mask link bracelet--my very first piece by this designer. Though the front of the bracelet was in perfect shape, I was very surprised to see that the back of the links were a dull, silvery color. Is this typical for the bracelet, or was it (as I assumed when I sadly put it back) damaged?
Carrie Pollack
"have a lot of copper jewelry and have noticed that some of the pieces..especially bracelet..are worn off on the underside..exposing a white colored or brass colored metal. Even some that are marked Renoir, I'll have to take a picture. I do love copper stuff though. It really looks good against a tan." --Sharon Hall, 10/08/08
"Actually that is the finish on the back of his bracelets. I have this one that you are able to see the same finish. I think it was done that way so the copper didn't turn one's skin green with contact like copper can do especially when it is a hot and humid climate." --Cynthia Fore Miller, 10/08/08
"I really believe they were made with an aluminum back. Mine is not worn in any way. It is just aluminum pressed with copper. If you google Rebajes and look you will see many of the cuff bracelets with the aluminum back.
Here is a page by a deceased member of Jewelcollect, Katie Atikian. Look at all the bracelets and you can see the aluminum backs. She had an extensive collection of copper pieces by Renoir, Matisse and Rebajes. I just don't think they would all wear on the backs and not on the fronts." --Cynthia Fore Miller, 10/08/08
"Here is an article written by a niece who talks about using aluminum in some of the jewelry.
http://www.modernsilver.com/unclefrank.html" --Cynthia Fore Miller, 10/08/08
"In the "Copper Art Jewelry" book by Matthew Burkholz and Linda Kaplan they state that " ...aluminum was sandwiched with copper on bracelets to protect the copper from discoloring due to contact with skin oils."" --Lenae Williams, 10/08/08
"The green on the copper backed piece would be from contact with the skin such as the green found on Haskell, etc but with copper it would be more pronounced.
I can wear a copper bracelet and in a manner of a few hours have green on my wrist." --Dan Day, 10/08/08
Other Sizes: Original Medium