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c1960 MCM Matisse Renoir Enamel Clip on earrings set. Unused condition, they<br>were tucked away in a box when I found them. 1 3/16" wide.<br><br>HISTORY OF MATISSE RENOIR VINTAGE JEWELRY<br>Matisse jewelry and Renoir jewelry are two separate lines housed under the same<br>umbrella. They first came into the market during the mid-20th century. Both<br>vintage jewelry lines used solid copper, which was once again available during<br>the post-World War II years.<br><br>Arts and Crafts Movement Influences<br>From the 1890s, and extending through several decades, the Arts and Crafts<br>Movement influenced several United States decorative art styles, including<br>jewelry making. The movement’s enthusiasts believed in a strong connection<br>between the artist and their handcrafted work.<br><br>First and foremost, Arts and Crafts artisans emphasized the use of top-tier<br>materials and functional designs.<br><br>For example, jewelry makers, like Matisse Renoir, insisted on using solid copper<br>rather than a copper-coated base metal. The artisans didn’t compromise on this<br>basic tenet. This was true whether they made a copper bracelet and matching<br>earrings or a striking copper brooch and clip-on earrings.<br><br>Due to metal purification advances, jewelry makers were able to access<br>higher-quality raw copper materials.<br><br>And, improved knowledge of copper’s properties enabled artisans to manipulate<br>the copper better, producing intricate designs.<br><br>In particular, Arts and Crafts-inspired jewelry often features nature images,<br>such as leaves and berries. A Matisse green enamel leaf brooch is a good example<br>of this nature-themed motif.<br><br>American Mid Century Designers’ Creative Inspirations<br>The Arts and Crafts Movement certainly influenced 1940s and 1950s jewelry<br>designers. Many mid-century modern designers incorporated abstraction and<br>surrealism into their pieces. And, numerous items display biomorphism, or shapes<br>that bear a resemblance to organic forms.<br><br>The bold copper motifs appealed to forward-thinking women who no longer wanted<br>to wear their mother’s or grandmother’s understated jewelry. For these ladies, a<br>copper choker, cuff bracelet, or Nefertiti necklace made the perfect accessory<br>for a night on the town.<br><br>Renowned Mid-Century Costume Jewelry Houses<br>During the post-World War II years, copper was a striking base material for<br>different jewelry genres. Deco, Native American, and modernist designs<br>prominently showcased this versatile metal.<br><br>Numerous costume jewelry manufacturers jumped on the copper jewelry bandwagon,<br>each introducing its own line of jewelry accessories. Copper is an extremely<br>adaptable metal. Not surprisingly, specialized copper jewelry makers understood<br>its properties best.<br><br>As a result, several renowned manufacturers produced most of the highest-quality<br>vintage jewelry available today. Matisse Renoir copper pieces carry a notable<br>pedigree. In addition, copper jewelry by Bell Trading Co., Francisco Rebajes,<br>and Gret Barkin remains very collectible.<br><br>Matisse Renoir Copper Jewelry Origins<br>In 1945, Jerry Fels, a Brooklyn, New York native, moved to California.<br>Previously a fighter pilot in World War II, Fels had cultivated his design,<br>painting, and sculpture talents at New York’s National Academy of Design. In<br>1946, a new jewelry style began to take the United States by storm, and Fels was<br>at the forefront of it.<br><br>Upon his arrival in the Los Angeles area, Fels and his brother-in-law Kurt<br>Freiler teamed up to create “Renoir of Hollywood.” The two later changed the<br>name to “Renoir of California,” then to “Hand Made Renoir of California,” before<br>finally settling on “Renoir.” Renoir specialized in creating copper jewelry that<br>incorporated bold geometric forms.<br><br>Not content to rest on his laurels, Fels launched “Matisse Ltd.” in 1952.<br>Matisse (which later became part of the Renoir jewelry business) also produced<br>finely crafted copper jewelry. Matisse’s decorative enameled embellishments set<br>it apart from Renoir.<br><br>From the mid-1950s until 1960, Renoir also marketed a third jewelry line called<br>“Sauteur Sterling Silver Jewelry.” The Sauteur pieces are much less common than<br>the companies’ copper jewelry items.<br><br>Renoir: A Jewelry Industry Innovator<br>Renoir was an innovator in the jewelry industry. Besides being at the forefront<br>of a jewelry style revolution, Renoir jewelry displayed three distinctive<br>product finishes that set it apart from its competitors. The first finish is the<br>“Copron” coating, which minimizes tarnishes from fingerprint oils.<br><br>Some Renoir jewelry also contains a corrosion-inhibiting shiny lacquer finish<br>that Fels obtained from an Air Force chemist friend. Unfortunately, Fels didn’t<br>note the formula, and the company’s chemists couldn’t successfully re-create it.<br><br>Finally, the third finish is the shadow. Some modernist jewelry makers<br>exaggerated their soldered copper marks by adding a black shadowing effect<br>around the soldered area. Collectors who buy these pieces are advised not to<br>polish the area to avoid eliminating the shadow.<br><br>The Renoir jewelry fabrication facility also pioneered three other innovations.<br>First, skilled machinists handled all the pre-production prep work. This left<br>the artisans free to finish, brush, and polish each piece by hand. As a result,<br>the jewelry attained a handcrafted appearance.<br><br>The Renoir shop area benefited from a complicated ventilation system that<br>prevented workers from breathing dangerous fumes. And, Fels and Freiler often<br>hired disabled and minority workers, a very uncommon practice during the 1940s<br>and 1950s. Matisse’s Curtis Tann was a highly respected African American enamel<br>artist of the era.<br><br>Matisse Renoir Ceases Production<br>Three unfortunate events collectively led to the end of Matisse and Renoir<br>jewelry production. During the early 1960s, jewelry sales were strong, and the<br>companies expanded their production facilities.<br><br>Then, American jewelry tastes began to change, and the demand for bold geometric<br>jewelry waned. At the same time, Matisse and Renoir were frequently mounting<br>expensive legal defenses against cheap copycat manufacturers.<br><br>Finally, the companies faced constant problems with a popular (and troublesome)<br>enamel design. High rejection levels led to massive losses, and finally, the two<br>companies went bankrupt and closed in 1964.
