Ruby Lane's Past Times Newsletter for February 2010

In This Issue

• YouTube Video: Happy Valentine's Day from Ruby Lane!
  
• Ruby Lane Ranked #1 Site for Sellers In Recent AuctionBytes Marketplace Survey
  
• Join Ruby Lane On Twitter and Facebook!
  
• Coro: America's Jeweler
  
• Shop Sampler: Books on Ruby Lane!
  

YOUTUBE VIDEO: HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY FROM RUBY LANE!

Valentine's Day is coming! Click here to see a special valentine message from Ruby Lane, or go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-plbdZxNUo

RUBY LANE RANKED #1 SITE FOR SELLERS IN RECENT AUCTIONBYTES MARKETPLACE SURVEY

Recently, AuctionBytes.com, an independent trade publication for online merchants asked online sellers to rate 15 e-commerce marketplaces to find out which were the best venues on which to sell. We are pleased to report that Ruby Lane came in first place across the board – receiving the highest ratings in every survey category! It is very meaningful, and a great validation, to have such wonderful praise from our shops. We will continue to place our customers at the forefront of our business and will strive to provide our very best service to both buyers and sellers.

Check out the complete Auction Bytes survey, Auction Bytes survey results, and related comments, or go to:

http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y210/m01/abu0255/s02

JOIN RUBY LANE ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK!

We want to let all shops know that Ruby Lane is now active on both Twitter and Facebook, and we invite you to join us. Both services are free to join and participate. Follow us on Twitter: Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook

CORO: AMERICA'S JEWELER

Coro grew from a small venture by two merchants to become the largest fashion and costume jewelry maker in the world. They dominated the American costume jewelry market for nearly three-quarters of a century.

Emmanuel Cohn, a New York merchant saw an opportunity at the dawn of the 20th century. The department store was the new sales venue, and they devoted little space or marketing to costume jewelry. He called upon the jewelry expertise of Carl Rosenberger, and Coro Jewelry was born in 1903. The early pieces were marked with the founders' initials, CR. Cohn departed around 1910, but Rosenberger remembered the founding partner with the name Coro, and the official company name was Cohn and Rosenberger until the 1940's. The script lettered Coro mark adorned the production from 1919 on.

The early production, done in a Broadway location in New York City, consisted of standard turn of the century items: beads, pins, some mourning jewelry, assembled by employees from jewelry components. As the company grew, the lines expanded. The company fully exploited the market for monogram jewelry in the 1920's and was in a strong position at the start of the Great Depression. Manufacturing facilities were now located in part of a building in Providence, Rhode Island. In a very bold move, the Cohn and Rosenberger Company expanded, opening a manufacturing facility of 100, 000 square feet. By the 1950's, they would occupy the space of a city block, with over 3500 employees,
with additional foreign facilities.

Coro Around the World

Coro had buying offices in Japan and Germany, both opened in the 1920's, which kept materials flowing to their manufacturing plants until the years of World War II. They also opened a manufacturing plant in England in 1933, where the Corocraft name was used, to avoid confusion with the Ciro Line, already established there. This operation was sold to Swarovski in the late 1960's and was soon shuttered.

Coro also had a manufacturing facility in Canada, which opened in 1934 . These operations continued as part of Coro until Richton International, owners of Coro at the time, filed for bankruptcy in the 1970's. The Coro, Vendome, and Oscar de la Renta lines were then produced at this facility from 1979 until 1984.

When World War II made certain materials unavailable, many costume jewelry manufacturers started producing pieces in sterling and gold vermeil. Coro went one step further. Gerald Rosenberger had a vacation home in Mexico, and bought an interest in a major production facility in Taxco. Hector Aguilar's workshop, the Taller Borda, was involved, and these pieces are marked Coro and Mexico. Pieces were produced there until 1950, bearing the Coro name.

Coro Innovations

Some of the innovations that Coro brought to the costume jewelry business helped the company become the largest in the country.

One of the great innovations Coro brought to the costume jewelry industry was a training facility, the
"Rhinestone University" in the Coro Building. Here, people with no jewelry skills, often from the immigrant community of Providence, were trained in jewelry production, and were paid while in training. In the tough years of the depression, this engendered great loyalty. Other Providence manufacturers may have paid skilled workers a bit more, but no one matched this effort at training.

A new method of using rubber molds was developed in the 1930's, and Coro was the first to apply this technology to jewelry production. While it was hard to keep a secret in the costume jewelry industry in Providence, Coro managed to get years out of this new method until the secrecy was finally broached, probably by Trifari. The innovation allowed Coro to make some designs that no one else could duplicate during those years.

Branding

Coro also had some marketing tricks up their sleeve. They started national advertising campaigns shortly after Trifari broke the ground in that field. Coro also developed some different brand identities within the company. They registered over 140 different names over the years. Some were the names of actual divisions of the company, some were names of specific lines the company created, and some were related to devices or features that Coro had patented.

The Coro mark, in script, was used from 1919. The Corocraft name was used from 1937. It was actually developed as a result of the expansion into Great Britain. Sterling Craft Coro was used on a lighter weight
sterling and vermeil line, staring in 1942. CoroCraft Sterling was used from 1942 until 1944, and was the company's premium line, at that time. The use of Coro Craft, as two words, became standard practice after World War II, though some earlier examples of this use exist. The Pegasus mark also appears to have been introduced after World War II, although some sources claim this mark was used somewhat earlier. Vendome was created as a premium designer Line in 1944 and soon captured a large portion of the simulated pearl market.

The Duette name was also registered. This design was actually adapted from a piece of fine jewelry from France, and Coro registered patent 1798867 for the mechanism. The Duette pieces, which featured interlocking pieces on a hand cut frame, became top sellers, and Coro protected their exclusive rights zealously, filing successful actions against all attempted infringements.

Some of the Coro Duettes incorporated another feature the company was known for - the "trembler". Based on a concept popular in some 19th century jewelry, a portion of the piece would move. Often these were floral designs, with a stone-set bud which would "tremble" at the slightest motion by the wearer. Adolf Katz is sometimes credited for promoting the trembler items.

Coro also launched the Francois line in the 1930's, drawing on the popularity of Art Deco Design. Originally created as an exclusive line for a department store, Coro expanded this to a much larger series, marked
with the Francois name and marketed under that name.

Some Notable Members of the Coro Family

No one is too sure what happened to Emmanuel Cohn, one of the company founders. While some sources indicate that he died in 1910, this has never been corroborated. Some claim he simply disappeared.

Adolph Katz is a well-known name to anyone that has looked up a Coro patent. As plant manager, Katz was involved in approving these designs, but was never actually a designer, although a patent search might make you think that he was.

Gene Verri, born Eugene Verrecchia, became head designer at Coro in 1933 or 1934, at the age of 22. In addition to being the most important design force at Coro for the rest of its days, Gene was also allowed to start his own company, which became Gem-Craft Corporation. His brother, Alfeo, was also involved in this venture, and Alfeo had worked with Urie and Robert Mandel, also Coro alumni. Gem-Craft did work for many other firms, including Cadora, Tancer, and Kramer.

Mike Tancer was the first head of the Vendome division at Coro, and helped maintain the high standards associated with the line. Mike Tancer was also the man approached by Marge Borofsky and Lynne Gordon, sisters who had been producing their MyLu line for major department stores. It appears that Coro had copied some of their designs. Tancer pulled the pieces from production, and offered the ladies positions at Coro. In 1968 they decided to accept the offer, and the MyLu Division of Coro
made all the Christmas and holiday pieces from that time. After bankruptcy finally closed the doors at Coro, the sisters joined forces with Mike Tancer and produced the Tancer & II line for nearly a decade.

Coro had established itself as the major maker of fashion and costume jewelry, and dominated the American market for decades. Like many other costume jewelry firms, they had trouble finding their way in the 1970's. Tastes had changed, marketing channels had changed, a newer generation was not embracing the industry, fluctuations in precious metals prices became a common place problem, and inexpensive imports were cutting into the market that was left. After second-generation owner Gerald Rosenberger died unexpectedly in 1967, his family sold controlling interest to the Richton International Corporation in 1969. The English operations were sold to Swarovski at this time. Richton, who also owned the Oscar de la Renta brand, became sole owners in 1970. All divisions of the company were sold or bankrupt by 1979, with the exception of the Canadian operations. Under new ownership, they produced the Coro, Vendome, and Oscar de la Renta lines until closing in 1984.

SHOP SAMPLER: BOOKS ON RUBY LANE!

Bellacasa: Estate Items Added Daily from the Heart of California!

Adorable 1933 Children's Book~ Pink Donkey Brown ~Lydia Stone

This darling children's book is Pink Donkey Brown by Lydia Stone with illustrations by Mary E. Dwyer. It was published by Rand McNally Company in...

Falls Avenue Collectibles: Estate Retro Costume Jewelry Sterling, Vintage Clothing Collectibles

The Great American Antique Toy Bazaar Collector's Book

This softcover collector's book features 5000 engravings from original trade catalogs from 1879-1945. It was printed in the USA and is copyrighted ...

Anna's Antiques: Reasonable Priced Collection of Antiques and Collectibles

Leaflets of Memory Compiled by Editor of Oriental Annual

This early book has no dates, but we are sure from the late 1800's. Published by Leavitt Allen, New York it contains poems and stories and gorgeous...

Barkus Farm Antiques, Collectibles and Fine Art: Unique Collectibles, Antiques and Fine Arts from Around the World

Meissen Reference Book - Porzellan by Gloria Ehret

This is an excellent reference book for the sophisticated and serious Meissen collector. It is in German, and is filled with information and loads of...

Tobyfarm Collectibles, Postcards Paper: Collectibles, Postcards, Victorian Paper, Books, Sterling Silver, Prints, Photographs, Ephemera etc

Scace 1872-73 Childrens book SUNDAY READING FOR THE VERY YOUNG, nicely preserved, wonderful illustrations!

Scarce childrens book, a bound edition of SUNDAY READING FOR THE VERY YOUNG, December 1872-November 1873. NEW YORK, THE AMERICAN NEWS COMPANY, EDITED ...

LILAC VINTAGE Jewelry Antiques Collectibles: 30% OFF PRESIDENT'S WEEKEND SALE! Have a passion for vintage? We have something for every budget!

First Edition: From the Center of the Ring (Inside View of Horse Competitions) by Cherry Hill

This First Edition book (1988) From the Center of the Ring (an inside view of horse competitions) by noted judge, competitor and trainer winner ...

Nicole La Bay: Georgian, Victorian, French, Chinese Antiques, Religious, Linens Lace, Fine Art, Designer Jewelry

Vintage Edition French Renaissance PRINCESSE de CLEVES Jean de Bonnot Tooled LEATHER Gold Leaf MAGNIFICENT!

Possibly the most beautiful edition of La Princesse de Clèves, a Classic of French Renaissance Literature. The book is 45 years old, and was ...

House of Lost Found: Specializing in antiques, investments and memories

1962 Edition: Walt Disney's Story Land

This wonderful vintage story book will keep your little one happy for hours.Why?The illustrations are just so full of charm and the colors are unique ...

Pia's Antique Gallery: Antiques, Decorative Items, and Fine Art for those with discriminating tastes

The Works of John Milton, Leather Bound Books, 8 Volumes, 1851

A stately 8-volume set of leather bound books. The Works of John Milton by John Milton, printed from the original editions with a life of the author ...

Vintage Ladybug: We offer superior customer service with 100% satisfaction guaranteed Welcome!

Royal Family Chuck Di Have A Baby Paper Doll Book

Featuring Charles and Diana Paper Dolls ~ New Arrival William ~ V.I.P Visitors ~ Delightful Fashion Sections ~ When We Met ~ On the Town ~ Engaged ~...