It started with a dress. In the 1930s, Jonas Eisenberg's Chicago design house was dressing well-heeled American women in high-end fashion, and the rhinestone brooches that finished those dresses were stopping people in their tracks. Not because of the clothes. Because of the jewellery. The rest, as they say, is costume jewellery history.
In this blog, we will explore the history, hallmarks, and enduring collectibility of Eisenberg costume jewellery, one of the most influential fashion jewellery brands that helped define American glamour from the 1930s through the 1970s and continues to captivate serious collectors today.
If you’ve ever held a vintage Eisenberg jewellery and felt that it looked almost too good to be costume jewellery, you weren’t wrong. From the very beginning, quality was the point.
The History of Eisenberg Costume Jewellery
Jonas Eisenberg, an Austrian native who relocated to Chicago in the early 1900s, founded Eisenberg & Sons in 1914 as a women’s clothing business.
Contrary to popular belief, the company’s pivot to jewellery wasn’t driven by theft of accessories from store displays. That colourful tale has been largely debunked by jewellery historians. It was simply a case of commercial success: as the popularity of selling jewellery alongside clothing grew, the rhinestone embellishments that complemented Eisenberg’s dresses gradually evolved into removable brooches and dress clips sold separately.
When the country entered the Great Depression, Eisenberg & Sons not only survived but flourished, building its reputation as one of the most respected names in American costume jewellery history.
By the mid-1930s, the company had committed fully to jewellery design, and the Eisenberg costume jewellery history that collectors study today was well underway.
The Designers Behind Eisenberg Costume Jewellery
Eisenberg’s reputation for excellence was built in large part on a remarkable creative partnership.
Ruth Kamke, working through the New York design firm Fallon & Kappel, became Eisenberg’s lead designer and was responsible for all Eisenberg Original pieces made after 1939, as well as much of the Eisenberg Ice line through 1972.
During this period, Eisenberg had jewellery made exclusively by Fallon & Kappel, and Fallon & Kappel made jewellery exclusively for Eisenberg. This arrangement maintained remarkable consistency over three decades.
Kamke’s designs were imaginative and wide-ranging. Many Eisenberg brooches and pins took the form of mermaids, dancers, animals, or insects, while other pieces featured geometric Art Deco or organic Art Moderne forms in carefully considered colour combinations — pinks and purples, complementary colour pairs, and light-to-dark tonal pairings within the same colour family. These designs are central to what makes vintage Eisenberg costume jewellery so immediately recognisable.
Eisenberg Costume Jewellery Craftsmanship
What set Eisenberg costume jewellery apart from most costume jewellery of its era was an uncompromising approach to materials. The company used Austrian Swarovski crystals with a higher lead content than competing products, which gave Eisenberg pieces their characteristic shimmer and brilliance. Rhodium metals — which do not tarnish — were used in rose, gold, silver, and copper tones to complement the stones, while other pieces incorporated jade, dyed onyx, calcite, enamel, faux pearls, and glass beads.
During the 1940s, wartime restrictions prompted a shift to sterling silver settings, resulting in exquisite brooches, fur clips, and earrings that are now among the most prized pieces in the Eisenberg range. Some were even marketed as “Collector Pieces” when new, owing to their premium price points — a notable distinction in an era when costume jewellery was not typically positioned that way.
The Three Eras of Vintage Eisenberg Costume Jewellery
Understanding Eisenberg costume jewellery product lines is essential for collectors. The brand evolved through three distinct periods, each with its own characteristics and collectibility.
Eisenberg Originals (mid-1930s–mid-1940s)
The earliest collectible pieces: typically large, bold fur clips and dress clips set with clear rhinestones in pot metal. Ruth Kamke’s whimsical figurals from this era — horses, birds, mermaids, ballerinas, and narrative pieces like “Puss in Boots” or “Piggy Goes to Market” — are among the most sought-after pieces in the vintage Eisenberg costume jewellery market.
Eisenberg Sterling (1943–c.1948)
Wartime metal rationing prompted the move from pot metal to sterling silver. These pieces are marked “Eisenberg Original Sterling” and are particularly valued for their historical significance, weight, and quality of stone-setting.
Eisenberg Ice (1940s onward)
Originally a marketing term used in advertising to describe sparkling rhinestone pieces, “Eisenberg Ice” became an official product line marked on pieces in the late 1940s. After a gap, the mark was revived after 1970. In the 1990s, the brand was resurrected under new ownership and additional pieces were produced — including Christmas tree pins and patriotic designs — though the plating and craftsmanship of these revival pieces are generally not on par with vintage production.
Eisenberg Costume Jewellery Value: How Marks Help Date Your Piece
Dating an Eisenberg costume jewellery piece by its mark is one of the most reliable tools for establishing the value of Eisenberg costume jewellery. Here is a quick reference:
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Script “E” or “Eisenberg Original” — approximately 1935 to 1948
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Bold block “EISENBERG” — approximately 1945 to 1958
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“EISENBERG ©” — post-1955 (copyright symbol added to protect designs)
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Paper hang tag only — late 1950s through 1970s; harder to authenticate without original tag
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“Eisenberg Ice” — used on later production and 1990s revival pieces
One important caveat: many earlier pieces are unmarked, and without an original design card, correct attribution can be difficult. If you’re considering a significant purchase, professional assessment matters.
Eisenberg Costume Jewellery Value: What Collectors Look For
Several factors consistently drive Eisenberg costume jewellery value in today’s market:
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Era — Eisenberg Original and Eisenberg Sterling pieces command the most collector attention; 1990s revival pieces are generally less sought-after
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Condition — original stones with minimal wear and no replaced components; even one replaced stone affects desirability
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Design complexity — colourful, intricate, or narrative pieces outperform plainer examples; Ruth Kamke’s 1940s figurals are particularly prized
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Provenance and original packaging — the original blue velvet Eisenberg storage box, when present, adds meaningful collectible value
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Authenticated attribution — given the prevalence of fakes, verified provenance matters significantly
The 1970s enamel art series — hand-painted brooches featuring florals in 18-karat gold — has also found a devoted following among collectors who appreciate that decade’s design sensibility, and represents a more accessible entry point for newer collectors.
Eisenberg Costume Jewellery at Around the Block
At Around the Block, our CPPAG-accredited appraisers bring the same rigour to our costume jewellery collection as they do to fine silver, porcelain, and decorative arts. When vintage Eisenberg costume jewellery comes through our doors, we assess it for period, condition, and authenticity before it ever reaches the floor.
Whether you’re a collector building a focused collection or someone who has discovered a stunning brooch in an estate, we can help you understand exactly what you have.
Browse our current costume jewellery inventory or bring a piece in for a professional assessment. And if you have Eisenberg pieces sitting in storage — we’re always accepting consignments.
