Mazer Brothers was founded by Joseph Mazer and his brother Louis in 1926 in New York. One of Mazer Bros. best known designers was the talented Marcel Boucher who left to open his own company in the mid 1930s. In 1946 Joseph Mazer left Mazer Bros. to form Joseph J. Mazer and Co., better known as JOMAZ, while Louis Mazer stayed with Mazer Bros. until 1951, the year of his last jewelry collection.
Mazer Bros. was known for its innovative stance, exploring new design and production methods and continually experimenting with different techniques for creating metal alloys or for use in the refinishing processes. The stones used in their jewelry were frequently made to order by Swarovski in Austria. ( 1 ) p. 216.
The early 1950s jewelry was designed by Andre Fleuridas, and Adolfo designed some of the 1970s pieces for the company.
The company went out of business in the late 1970s. MAZER manufactured high quality jewelry which sold at middle price range and is avidly sought in the collectible market today.
Earlier jewelry is marked MAZER BROS. while later pieces are marked MAZER or JOMAZ.
Signatures:
MAZER BROS. - 1926 to 1951
JOMAZ - 1944 to 1981
MAZER - used by Joseph Mazer from 1946 to 1981
Examples of MAZER's exquisite vintage costume jewelry are pictured below.
[Click on the thumbnails for larger, more detailed images.]
c. 1940's MAZER BROS. Ruby Red Necklace. Much sought after rare ruby red color in this MAZER BROS. rhodium-plated line necklace of alternating emerald-cut and square rhinestones. The emerald-cut stones are slightly lighter in color than the square stones. Ornate fold-over clasp is set with clear round and baguette rhinestones. [The pieces from this design were made to fit together to form a longer necklace.] [See "Inside the Jewelry Box, a Collector's Guide to Costume Jewelry, Identification and Values 2004" by Ann Pitman, p. 17 for matching bracelet.] length: 15", width: 3/16"
MAZER BROS. Ruby Red Bracelet. Rare ruby red color in this MAZER BROS. c. 1940's Art Deco rhodium-plated line bracelet of alternating emerald-cut and square rhinestones. The emerald-cut stones are slightly lighter in color than the square stones. Ornate fold-over clasp is set with clear round and baguette rhinestones. Safety chain. [See "Inside the Jewelry Box, a Collector's Guide to Costume Jewelry, Identification and Values 2004" by Ann Pitman, p. 17.] length: 7-1/2", width: 3/16"
c. 1940's MAZER BROS. Bracelet. Dynamite is the best way to describe this fabulous c. 1940's MAZER BROS. gold-plated flexible link bracelet with a leaf motif centerpiece overlapped with sapphire square rhinestones and accented with clear pavé round and channel set baguette rhinestones. Fold over closure is pavéd. Safety chain. length: 7", width: 1"; centerpiece length: 2-1/8" on white
1940's MAZER Duette/Dress Clip. c. 1940's rhodium-plated duette/dress clips. They are shown attached to the mechanism so they can be worn as one pin; removed from the mechanism there are two separate clips that are as versatile to wear as your imagination. Studded with bezel set and pronged-in brilliant, clear round rhinestones and channel set baguettes. Signed MAZER on reverse and marked U.S. PAT. 2.2143.538 on duette mechanism. total width: 2-5/8", width each: 1-5/16", height: 1-1/2".
c. 1947 MAZER Retro Necklace. Gold-plated silver base metal snake chain necklace with large center ornament. The metal on the the centerpiece is outlined with pavé clear round rhinestones and further accented with pronged in navettes. The fold-over clasp is set with rhinestones. necklace length: 15"; centerpiece: height: 2", width: 1-3/4"
c. 1940's MAZER Choker Necklace. Brilliant unfoiled faceted oval aqua rhinestones accented with mini round rhinestones at corners and a diagonal gold-plated band alternating with three clear rhinestones topped with a row of round and baguette clear rhinestones are the focal point of this necklace. Gold-plated snake chain with fold-over closure set with clear round rhinestones. Signed MAZER on reverse. centerpiece: width: 3/4", length: 5"; total length: 15-1/4"
c. 1940's MAZER Pendant Brooch. c. 1940's signed MAZER gold-tone retro drop pendant brooch. Gold-tone intertwined ribbon of clear paste set round and baguette rhinestones with a freely moving drop of channel set citrine-colored baguette, pronged-in clear round rhinestones and ending in a clear tear drop rhinestone.
c. 1940's MAZER Stylized Floral Brooch. Signed MAZER c. 1940's stylized floral brooch. Three pronged-in clear navettes compose the flower buds, the stem and leaf sprays are pavé set clear rhinestones, 12 clear baguette rhinestones make up two additional stalks. height: 3", width: 1-1/4"
[Duplicates may appear as a result of an item being listed in more than one category in the catalogue.]
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Jewels of Fantasy: Costume Jewelry of the 20th Century, Deanna Cera, Melissa Gabardi, ISBN 0-81093-178-8, Published August 1992, Published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc.