1950'S Cellinicraft Rhinestone AB Necklace & Earrings

The Cellini shop a picture of which is shown below, opened in 1914 in Evanston, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by Walter Gerlach and Hans Gregg who created jewellery and tableware. The name Cellini was chosen as a salute to Bienvenuto Cellini the 16th century goldsmith. During the 1930's they opened a subsidiary business called Cellini Craft Ltd and became highly successful in their production of an aluminium material which combined the use of aluminium, ceramic tile, and bakelite - tableware they called Argental (meaning silver like). This became the mainstay of their business and it is a vintage product highly collectable today.  Jewellery was a smaller part of their business but the same hands on approach was used and amongst a sea of costume jewellery being produced during the 1950's - 1960's period, theirs was a standout in both design and execution. 

This beautiful set of necklace and earrings from the 1950's-60's period is still in its original box, now tattered and worn but poignantly beautiful.   The necklace is beautifully made with a string of aurora borealis rhinestones which would have been a new innovation at the time of its production. From that hangs 9 gold tone filigree embellishments each with a cluster of ruby red rhinestones. All still in beautiful condition. Each has a 2cm drop, and length of the necklace end to end is 38cms finished with a hook clasp. (Choker style)  The clip on earrings reflect the centrepiece with an added row of small aurora borealis stones.

All in excellent condition, along with the original gift box.