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Ciner Drop Necklaces

American

What defines “fine” jewelry? For many aficionados, there’s a clear line separating the golden wheat from the gilded chaff. But the handcrafted pieces made by Ciner, a 128-year-old costume jewelry house with a glittering past to rival some of the hautest high jewelers, call into question our notions of what constitutes preciousness.

Quality? Craftsmanship? Painstaking detail? Vintage Ciner earrings, brooches, necklaces and other accessories have them all in spades.

Much of the Ciner’s allure can be traced to its origins in fine jewelry. Emanuel Ciner, an Austrian immigrant, founded the firm in Manhattan in 1892, crafting pieces from the traditional precious gems, gold and platinum. But World War I and the Great Depression caused purse strings to tighten and materials to become scarce. Rather than try to weather the economic downturn, which shuttered many other American jewelers, Ciner made the risky transition from fine jewelry to costume (or fashion) jewelry — virtually uncharted territory.

Emanuel Ciner’s sons, Irwin and Charles, introduced an array of innovations — rubber casting molds, which are especially durable and produce higher quality results, and white metal alloys, which affordably mimic the look of more precious materials — that would become the standard for costume jewelry. During World War II, Ciner’s advanced molding technology was utilized by the U.S. military to produce munitions and tools. This arrangement gave the firm access to the heavily rationed metals it needed for its jewels, enabling it again to endure conditions that drove others into bankruptcy.

The company hit its stride in the 1960s, when its jewelry was sold at some of the country’s toniest stores, even garnering an Andy Warhol–illustrated ad for Bonwit Teller. Its pieces were worn by the era’s brightest stars. In the famous 1957 Joe Shere photo of Sophia Loren sneering at Jayne Mansfield’s décolletage, Mansfield is resplendent in shoulder-grazing Ciner earrings.

Ciner is unique among costume jewelers in that its pieces aren’t imitations — they are coveted in their own right. Elizabeth Taylor, a voracious jewelry collector with a taste for the very finest, was a longtime client. Several suites of Ciner jewels were included in the 2011 Christie’s sale of Taylor’s collection, with one group of rhinestone-studded ear clips and a bracelet fetching $15,600 — more than 100 times the auction estimate. It’s a reminder of a time, not so long ago, when women of great style wore fine and costume jewelry with equal aplomb, often at the same time.

Today, Ciner — now run by Emanuel Ciner’s granddaughter Pat Ciner Hill and great-granddaughter Jean Hill — continues to adhere to the same exacting production specifications. It is the only jewelry house in New York, and likely the United States, that manufactures all its pieces entirely in-house. Each begins with dozens of elements that are cast in rubber molds and then individually filed and polished, plated in a particularly thick layer of 18-karat gold or rhodium, assembled on the bench and painted with enamel or set with stones. Every step is performed by hand by craftsmen, many of whom have been with the company for more than 30 years.

Find vintage Ciner clip-on earrings, choker necklaces, bracelets and other jewelry on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Ciner
Ciner Art Deco Necklace
By Ciner
Located in New York, NY
Fine Ciner art deco necklace composed of two strands of articulated faux ruby beads with crystal rhinestone pave spacers and clasp. Center focal pendant of hand wired ruby beads and ...
Category

1930s American Art Deco Vintage Ciner Drop Necklaces

Materials

Rhodium, Base Metal

Ciner Victorian Inspired Gilt and Paste Bib
By Ciner
Located in New York, NY
Ciner Neo Victorian gilt necklace with paste set dangles. Dozens of articulated links are set with pastes and graduate down in size toward drops. Impre...
Category

1980s American Vintage Ciner Drop Necklaces

Materials

Gilt Metal

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Couture RobertGoosens 1969-1971 MadameGres RockCrystal Stone HammeredWire Choker
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Robert Goosens, the French haute-couture Chanel-favorite parurier who enjoyed reinterpreting ancient and antique styles of jewelry with rock crystal and faux stones, also collaborated with Madame Alix Gres. Relevant to this statement necklace, the Parisian theatrical-costume designer, who founded the French fashion-house Maison Gres, commissioned Goosens to make spiral-wire adornments for her couture gowns. This handmade hammered brass wire choker necklace with five dropped en-tremblant pendants is decorated with unique colorful beads and wrapped wire. The piece dates between 1969-1971 based on similar unsigned spiraled-wire metal jewelry without goldsmithing marks in the museum collection of TheMet (see our photo), which acquired it from Maison Givenchy founder Hubert de Givenchy, who was one of most supportive fans of Gres. 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Like the hammered-wire jewelry designs of modern artist Alexander Calder, the creative complex construction of this necklace surprisingly required no metalsmith techniques, such as soldering or casting, just great skill with a jewelry pliers and hammer. For a bigger picture of couture clothing by Madame Gres during the decade beginning in 1969, she notably designed many museum-collected one-color silk-taffeta draped long gowns with empire waists and simple high collars or geometric cut-outs. Remarkably, the focal points for some of these unique dresses were at the wrists, from where long pouf sleeves voluminously droop around the hands to nearly the floor like two enormous long-petaled flowers. If paired with this equally downward-focused and balanced necklace from this same period, its bold Greco-Roman elements would have pulled a viewer's gaze of the dress from floor to face. Although there is no significant provenance for this necklace, hammered brass and tinted rock crystal were among the few materials repeatedly associated with Goosens from 1969-71. For example, in his overlapping interior-decor collections based on themes of waterlilies or foliage, Goosens hammered gilt brass wire and sheets (see our closeup photo) to represent plant parts or he wired rock-crystal beads to appear as tiny fruits. While the two multicolor glass or resin beads in this necklace are atypical, the combination of blue, yellow and red is a palette that the designer used for other pieces of rock-crystal jewelry and he created many kinds of multicolor faux stones with glass or resin paste, such as faux Tibetan turquoise including black and white. According to journalism based on interviews with Goosens, he often acquired unusual stones and glass for inspiration during his extensive travels exploring museum-collected antiquities. 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Ciner 1980s Roman Coin Large Link Necklace
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Ciner 1980s Roman Coin Large Link Necklace
H 1.75 in D 0.5 in L 19.5 in
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Ciner drop necklaces for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a range of Ciner drop necklaces available on 1stDibs. Each of these unique items was designed with extraordinary care, often using rhodium. We have 2 pieces in this collection as well as a number of other designs by this jeweler. While this collection reflects work that originated over various time periods, most of these items were designed during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider drop necklaces by Alfred Philippe for Trifari, Sophia D, and Emeralds Maravellous. Prices for Ciner drop necklaces can differ depending upon gemstone, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $875 and tops out at $1,475, while pieces like these, on average, can sell for $1,175.
Questions About Ciner Drop Necklaces
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 7, 2024
    Whether CINER jewelry is real in terms of its materials depends on the piece. Emanuel Ciner, an Austrian immigrant, founded the firm in New York City in 1892, crafting pieces from precious gemstones, gold and platinum. Then World War I and the Great Depression caused people to become more frugal and materials to become scarce. Rather than try to weather the economic downturn, which shuttered many other American jewelers, CINER made the transition from fine jewelry to costume (or fashion) jewelry. As a result, pieces produced in the late 19th or early 20th century may be real in terms of their materials, while those made later typically aren't. On 1stDibs, explore a diverse assortment of CINER jewelry.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 15, 2024
    To date Ciner jewelry, examine its details closely. Most pieces from the 1930s were cast in sterling silver, and marcasite was a commonly used material. Jewelry from the 1950s and ’60s will usually have a matte appearance due to the plating process used at that time. Comparing your jewelry to images shared on trusted online resources can help you estimate its age. However, Ciner's hallmarks are rarely helpful, as the maker has used the same logo for years. If you need assistance dating a particular piece, enlist the help of a certified appraiser or knowledgeable dealer. On 1stDibs, shop an assortment of Ciner jewelry.
  • 1stDibs ExpertNovember 4, 2024
    To identify CINER jewelry, search all over the piece for a maker's mark. Virtually all pieces produced by the legendary costume jewelry brand feature the brand name inside a block or on its own beside the letter “R,” which stands for "registered." If you have any lingering doubts about the maker of your piece, a certified appraiser or knowledgeable antique dealer can be of assistance. On 1stDibs, explore a range of CINER jewelry.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 15, 2024
    Yes, CINER did use real pearls to create pieces during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, World War I and the Great Depression caused purse strings to tighten and materials to become scarce. Rather than try to weather the economic downturn, which shuttered many other American jewelers, CINER transitioned from fine jewelry to costume jewelry. As a result, later jewelry tends to feature Japanese glass beads instead of genuine pearls. Find a variety of CINER jewelry on 1stDibs.

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