Researching Costume Jewelry History, Companies and Signatures - "F" - costumejewelrycollectors.com (2024)

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RESEARCHING COSTUME JEWELRY
originally created and published by Dotty Stringfield on IllusionJewels.com

Jewelry History – Jewelry Research – Jewelry Marks – Jewelry Signatures – Jewelry Articles – Jewelry Galleries

COSTUME JEWELRY MARKS – F*

Information and images contained in Researching Costume Jewelry (RCJ) were created by Illusion Jewels and are currently maintained and updated by Costume Jewelry Collectors Int’l (CJCI). Written permission by CJCI is needed to use any information obtained from RCJ in any other publication whether written or electronic.

Due to the large volume of requests received, we are unable to answer individual questions about jewelry marks and signatures.

F

“F” in a circle — See FULLER, GEO. H.
F.C.C. — See FORSTNER — FORSTNER CHAIN CORP
F & B — See FOSTER AND BAILEY
FLEUR-DE-LIS CHARM — See MORELAND, DEBRA
BACKWARDS “F” WITH “R” — See FRANCESCA ROMANA
FABIOLA

• Mark: Fabiola Photo courtesy of Rita Perloff.
• Mark: Fabiola Photo courtesy of Barbara Sallen.
• Mark: Fabiola earring card Photo courtesy of Barbara Sallen.
• Notes: “Fabiola name was used between the late 50s to the early 60s based on when this traveling salesman traveled with these samples.” — info from Barbara Sallen.

FABRIK-MARKE — means TRADEMARK
FAC — See FIFTH AVENUE COLLECTION
FAHRNER, THEODOR

• Mark: Original Farhner 925 Photo courtesy of Cathy Gordon.
• Mark: “TF & Germany Photo courtesy of Cathy Gordon.
• Mark: Fahrner made some jewelry for Murrle, Bennett and Co. which was signed with both their marksCourtesy Cathy Gordon
• Mark: TF 935 Depose Courtesy of Cathy Gordon
• Mark: TF & 935 Photo courtesy of Cathy Gordon.
• Mark: Fahrner, TF, 925 Courtesy Ron Maranto
• Mark: TF, 935, Depose, PH (PH for Patriz Huber who designed exclusively for Fahrner from 1901-1902) Courtesy friend of RCJ
• NOTES:
• 1883-Theodor Fahrner Jr. took over his father’s firm which made rings.
• 1887-1895: company expanded to making other jewelry.
• Appox.: 1900-1919 some designers who worked for the company – Franz Boeres, Rudolf Bosselt, Max Joseph Gradl, Hermann Haussler, Patriz Huber, Georg Kleemann, Ferdinand Morawe and others.
• 1901: the TF trademark is introduced.
• 1919: Theodor Fahrner died and company bought by Gustav Braendle and renamed Gustav Braendle, Theodor Fahrner Nachf.
• 1920s-1930s: the Deco style jewelry most often associated with Fahrner is produced.
• WWII: jewelry was still produced , although in 1945 the factory was destroyed by a bomb and all archives were lost.
• 1952: Gustav Braendle died and the firm taken over by his son Herbert.
• 1960s: produced modern silver jewelry with stones, “Antique Art” series of gold and silver jewelry with Roman or Egyptian motifs.
• 1979: Herbert Braendle died and Gustav Braendle, Theodor Fahrner Nachf was dissolved. Most records were destroyed.
• Information provided by Cathy Gordon from the book: Theodor Fahrner Jewelry ..between Avantgarde and Tradition, by Ulrike von Hase-Schmundt, Christianne Weber and Ingeborg Becker.

FAIRDEAL MANUFACTURING CO., Providence, RI — c. 1963

• Mark: ROMA — 1963 (RCJ)

FAIR MAID — 1934 — See PROVIDENCE STOCK COMPANY
FALLOW, SAMUEL —c. 1930

• Mark: Fallowgram Photo courtesy Nancy Hopper.
• Information courtesy Sam Mitchell.

FALLOWGRAM — See FALLOW, SAMUEL
FARAH LISTER — See LISTER, FARAH
FASHION ART (SCRIPT) — See MAZER BROS.
FASHIN FLAIR (SCRIPT) — See CORO
FASHION SQUARE — See CORO
FASHIONATA (SCRIPT) — See CORO
FASHIONCRAFT — See THE FASHIONCRAFT JEWELRY CO.
FASHIONCRAFT ROBERT — See THE FASHIONCRAFT JEWELRY CO.
FASHIONCRAFT JEWELRY CO., INC, NY, NY — SeeTHE FASHIONCRAFT JEWELRY CO.
FEATHAGOLD — See ACCESSOCRAFT PRODUCTS CO.
FEATHERWEIGHTS — See FLORIDA FEATHERWEIGHTS, INC.

• We have found NO documentation linking these marks to Coro. If you have such, please contact us.

FEINBERG, JAY — See STRONGWATER
FELCH — See DANECRAFT
FENICHEL — NY, NY — 1925 — c. 1959

• Mark: Fenichel — notice how “l” is often missing or distorted Photo courtesy of Cheri & Rocky Van Hoover.
• Founded by Louis Fenichel.

FERAUD, LOUIS

• Avon was licensed for his jewelry and perfumes.

FERRA, MARIE

• Mark: Maire Ferra © Photo courtesy of Myrna Seale.
• Mark: Photo courtesy of Erik Yang.

FERRANDIS, PHILIPPE – Paris, France – 1986-present

• • Mark: Philippe Ferrandis Paris Photo courtesy of Jay B. Siegel
  • Mark: Philippe Ferrandis Paris Photo courtesy of Jay B. Siegel
  • Mark: P. Ferrandis
  • Started designing jewelry under his own brand in 1986.
  • Jewelry is made in his workshop in Paris.
  • Sold in boutiques around the world as well as his three stores in Paris and online.
  • Some jewelry was sold only with paper hang tags so it is unmarked.

Added 4/22/2020 by Pamela Wiggins Siegel

FERRAGGIOLI — See PIERRE BEX

FIFTH AVENUE COLLECTION

• Mark: Butler — combination of upper and lower case letters.Photo courtesy of Donna Dunn
• Mark: BUTLER in all capital letters.Photo courtesy of Donna Dunn
• Mark: FAC in all caps script.Photo courtesy of Donna Dunn
• Mark: FAC in all caps block print.Photo courtesy of Donna Dunn
• Dates: 1988 to present
• Founded: Butler family
• Location: Moose Jaw, Canada
• Notes: Direct sales company

FINBERG MANUFACTURING CO. — Attleboro, MA; — 1888 – present?

• Mark: F.M.C. (used in Canada)
• Mark: F.M. CO.

FINN JENSEN — See JENSEN, FINN
FIRE BIRD — See CORO
FISHEL, NESSLER & CO. New York, NY — c. 1885 until at least 1936

• • Mark: F.N.CO. Photo courtesy of Cathy Gordon. Photo courtesy ID: justabunchawildflowers.
  • Mark: A crown & shield with F.N.CO. at an angle across the shield.
  • Mark: A fish with F.N.CO. on it’s body.
  • Mark: A fish with “Sterling” on it’s body Courtesy of Jennifer Lynn’s Timeless Jewelry.
  • Mark: “Torshell” on a crescent with a turtle within the arcs of the crescent.
  • Founded by Henry W. Fishel and S.C. Nessler. Theodore H. Fishel joined the business thereafter.
  • Both Henry W. Fishel and Theodore H. Fishel filed patents on behalf of Fishel, Nessler & Co. in the early 1900s for buckles, pins, and other jewelry items.
  • The business filed for bankruptcy around 1910 and Theodore H. Fishel took over as president of Fishel, Nessler & Co. after reorganization. Henry W. Fishel’s wife and son started Fishel & Co. and he was the manager of that business going forward. Fishel, Nessler & Co. sued Fishel & Co. for patent infringement in 1913.

Updated 4/15/2020 by Pamela Wiggins Siegel

FISHER, J.M.F. CO.Attleboro, MA – c. 1879 to at least 1949

• Mark: J.M.F. CO.
• Mark: J.M.F.& Co. Courtesy of Ed Grimes
• Mark: JMF SterlingCourtesy of Joe Weingarten.
• Notes: Founded by John Melatiah Fisher and Charles R Harris; originally known as Harris and Fisher
• When Charles Harris retired in 1885, the firm became known as the JM Fisher Co.

FLEISCHER, ROBERT — c. March 1963
FLEMMING, VICTORIA

• Mark: Victoria Flemming
• Dates: Made jewelry c. 1940 until early 1970’s
• Founded: Victoria Flemming
• Location: NY,NY, then moved to New Orleans, LA
• Notes: Hand-painted porcelain jewelry of innovative modernistic designs and later used fused glass on porcelain with gold gilt.
• Notes: b. 1918 – d. 2004.
• Source: Information and image courtesy of Cheri Van Hoover.

FLORA DANICA — Denmark — 1953

• Mark: Courtesy of Raefield Designs
• Notes: Founded in 1953 by Orla Eggert who perfected a method of preserving pieces of Danish vegetation by dipping the pieces in sterling and then bonding 24K gold over the sterling foundation.
• Anette and Vagn Ibsen (both fashion and textile designers) purchased the company in March of 2006 and plan to expand the line.
• Information kindly provided by Annette Floystrup.

FLORADORA — See R.F. SIMMONS
FLORENZA — c. 1950 — 1981

• Mark: Florenza — around 1949-1950
• Mark with copyright, after 1955,,, Photo courtesy of Erik Yang.
• Mark: Lorraine Marsel Marsel was a jobber located in Texas. Dan Kasoff put her name on pieces so they would be special to her, but those same pieces were also in their open line. Photo and info courtesy of Jan Gaughan from Larry Kasoff.
• Mark: Rosenfeld by Florenza Courtesy Lorie Mattson. Rosenfeld was a hand bag designer and manufacturer located in NYC, and a Florenza customer from approximately 1960 until 1981. Rosenfeld and Marsel were the only customers whose names were put on jewelry along with Florenza’s.

• Mark: Foil tag used by Florenza Courtesy of Jan Gaughan
• Notes: Not all Florenza was marked.
• Dan Kasoff Corporation was producing jewelry in the 1940s, before using the name Florenza.
• The name “Florenza” came from the name of Dan’s wife Florence.
• Florenza manufactured jewelry for Capri, House of Benedict, Estee Lauder, Albert Weiss, Stanley-Kazlo & Kramer of N.Y.
• Florenza made vanity items signed Florenza, and unsigned for TACOA–The Accessories Corporation of Atlanta–late 1960’s into 1970’s.
• Also see “Kaywin”.
• Info kindly provided by Larry Kasoff, son of Dan.

FLORIDA FEATHERWEIGHTS, Inc. Florida — c. 1966 – 1984

• Mark: Featherweights in arched script; 1966-1984 This is from US Trademark site.
• Notes: The trademark site also states that the mark was a “DESIGN PLUS WORDS”. I think the design was probably a flamingo, which would be logical in Florida. If this is correct, then the mark shown for Greenbaum Novelty in Dolan’s book is not correct.

FLORODORO — See
FLYING COLORS — See PARROT PEARLS
F.M.CO. — See FINBERG MAN CO.
FN CO — See FISHEL
F.N. KISTNER — See KISTNER, F.N.
“FOR THAT PRICELET LOOK” — See CORO
FOLD ON – 1934 — See PROVIDENCE STOCK COMPANY
FORMART CORPORATION — New York — 1988 until present

• Mark: Bellini
• Mark: Bellini by Formart

FORSIT — See FORSTNER — FORSTNER CHAIN CORP
FORSTAR — See FORSTNER — FORSTNER CHAIN CORP
FORSTNER CHAIN CORP., Irvington, NJ — c. 1920 – c. 1980
Later changed name to Forstner Jewelry Manufacturing Corp.

• Mark: Forstner in script — first used 1937
• Mark: Courtesy of Maureen McWilliams
• Mark: F.C.C. 1/20 10 K.G.F. Courtesy of Sandy
• Mark: Forstner in block letters , Courtesy of Andrea Maloney
• Mark: Fortune
• Mark: Snap-Lock
• Mark: Trustyle
• Mark: Dapper
• Mark: F.C.C.
• Mark: Forsit
• Mark: Dubl-Lock
• Mark: Initials W&F with a star between inside elongated hexagon
• Mark: Radio — Oct. 1920
• Mark: Numum — Aug. 1923
• Mark: Image of a Carosel — June 1935
• Mark: Climatest — Dec. 1949
• Mark: Bolita — Jan. 1950
• Mark: Forstar — June 1950
• Mark: Remembrance — 1954
• Mark: Teenette — May 1958
• Mark: Backward “F” with arrow through the center — 1962
• Mark: Token of Love — 1965
• Notes: Have ads from 1947-1956

FORTUNE — See FORSTNER — FORSTNER CHAIN CORP
FOSTER & BAILE — See
FRANCESCA ROMANA, Sao Paulo, Brazil/ Coral Gables, FL — 1988 to present

• Mark: Backwards F with R – 1988 Photo courtesy of Lani Peterson
• Mark: Francesca Romana – 1988
• Mark: Francesca Romana -1988
• Notes: Thanks to Patrick Dolan for the information.

FRANCOIS (SCRIPT) — See CORO
FRANK BUCK — See BUCK, FRANK
FRANK M. WHITING — See WHITING
FRARICO — See RIFAS
FRED A. BLOCK — See BLOCK, FRED. A.
FRED GRAY CORP.

• Mark: Fred Gray Corp. Photo courtesy of BeeGee McBride.
  
• Notes: Some things we do and do not know about the “S” in a star mark:
• “S” in a star — Pin with this mark was seen on an original card which said “Fred Gray Corp.” — Style of pin was 1930s – 1940s
• “S” in a star, “Made in USA” and an applied plate with “Fred Gray Corp.” — all these marks were seen on a bird brooch. (info from Pat Seal)
• Pieces marked only with the “S” in a star, or with the “S” in a star and “Made in USA” may or may not be Fred Gray — we just don’t know.
• It is possible that the “S” in a star and “Made in USA” may be the mark of the actual manufacturer who made jewelry for any number of jewelry companies.

FRED MEYER JEWELERS — 1973 till present

• Mark: Merksamer 1966 — Meyer bought Merksamer Jewelers shortly after 1995 Courtesy of Linda Lange

FREIRICH — c. 1900 – 1990

• Mark: Freirich Photo courtesy of Victoria James
• Originally called Maison David & located in US & France. Bought out by Solomon Freirich in 1922.
• Name remained Maison David in France, but changed to Freirich in US.
• Millinery & dress ornaments; buttons for Chanel & Dior.
• Excellent quality, all handmade jewelry in an antique, Victorian look
• Begin marking their jewelry in 1960s; closed in 1990

FRESHURA — See MARVELLA
FRIED, SAM — Cleaveland, MO; — b. 1910 – d. 1979

• Mark: Sterling Fried Courtesy of Aged and Opulent Jewelry
• Notes: Known for making Sterling silver jewelry in the Moderist style.
• Not all pieces were signed.
• Information provided by Fried’s son-in-law.

FROM, NIELS ERIK

• Mark: N.E.From, Sterling, Denmark
• Dates: 1931
• Founded:
• Location: Nakskov, Denmark
• Notes: He died in 1986 and his factory closed some time after that.

FULLER, GEO. H. & SON COMPANY — Pawtucket, RI — 1858 to present

• Mark: Fuller’s Findings around “F” Photo courtesy of RCJ.
• Mark: “F” inside a circle, without the “Fuller’s Findings” around it.
• Mark: Symmetrical.
• Maker of jewelry findings, badges, class pins, etc.
• View a Fuller’s Findings catalog from 1950.

FUTURA — See CORO
FUTURAMA — See CORO

BIBLIOGRAPHY

PAT SEAL: research files
DOTTY STRINGFIELD: research files
BOBYE SYVERSON: research files.
A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA by Carla and Roberto Brunialti
AMERICAN COSTUME JEWELRY by Carla and Roberto Brunialti
AMERICAN JEWELRY MANUFACTURERS by Dorothy T. Rainwater
COLLECTIBLE COSTUME JEWELRY by Cherri Simonds
COLLECTING COSTUME JEWELRY 101 By Julia Carroll
COLLECTING COSTUME JEWELRY 202 By Julia Carroll
COLLECTING RHINESTONE COLORED JEWELRY by Maryanne Dolan
COPPER ART JEWELRY by Burkholz and Kaplan
COSTUME JEWELRY A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK AND GUIDE by Fred Rezazadeh
COSTUME JEWELRY (2nd Ed.) by Harrice Simons Miller
EUROPEAN DESIGNER JEWELRY by Ginger Moro
INSIDE THE JEWELRY BOX By Ann Pitman
LUCILLE TEMPESTA: owner-publisher of the Vintage Fashion & Costume Jewelry Magazine
MASTERPIECES OF COSTUME JEWELRY by Ball and Torem
MID-CENTURY PLASTIC JEWELRY By Susan Klein
MIRIAM HASKELL JEWELRY by Cathy Gordon and Sheila Pamfiloff
OLD JEWELRY by Jeanenne Bell
WARMAN’S JEWELRY 2nd Ed. by Christie Romero
WARMAN’S JEWELRY 3rd Ed. by Christie Romero

*DISCLAIMER: As in the past, we make every effort to ensure all information contained in the RCJ pages is accurate. However, errors can occur. Neither the prior owner of RCJ, CJCI or its representatives are responsible for your use of these resources.

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All RCJ publications and pages were created
by Dotty Stringfield with the assistance of research contributor Pat Seal
and other valued members of the costume jewelry collecting community.