Schreiner of New York domed pink and green brooch

Henry Schreiner (1898-1954), a jewelry artisan born in Premich, Germany, immigrated to the United States in 1923. In 1932, he established the Schreiner Jewelry Co. in New York City. His daughter, Terry, and her husband, Ambros Albert, joined the family business in 1951. After Henry’s passing, they continued to produce Schreiner jewelry using the original molds.

The firm flourished in the 1950s and 1960s when their large, intricate rhinestone jewelry was in vogue. During these decades, the company crafted jeweled buckles, buttons, belts, brooches, necklaces, and earrings for top American fashion houses. Notable clients included Pauline Trigère, Norman Norell, Adele Simpson, and Christian Dior. Schreiner jewelry was featured in numerous fashion shows and photo shoots for Vogue, including the covers of the June 1, 1952, and March 1, 1954, issues. Due to this significant exposure, the company never needed to advertise.

Most of the stones used came from pre-war Czechoslovakia, and later from Germany, where Czech immigrants continued to produce them. Some stones were custom-made specifically for Schreiner. Their signature stones, kite-shaped crystals, were crafted by Czechs in post-war Germany. These were featured in the famous ruffle pin, designed by Terry in 1957, and in Maltese crosses.

The company never registered a trademark. Only pieces made for department stores were stamped with “Schreiner” or “Schreiner New York.” Jewelry created for fashion houses was unsigned. Despite the lack of a maker’s mark, many Schreiner pieces are easily identifiable due to their distinctive style, elaborate designs, and high-quality materials. Common characteristics include unfoiled and inverted stones, intended to reflect the color of the underlying material; large, unusually-shaped crystals; dome-shaped brooches; imaginative and unconventional color combinations; large triangular prongs; japanned settings; and hook-and-eye construction. Schreiner pieces were hand-set and finished, resulting in limited production. Particularly rare are the large bib necklaces and parures.

Schreiner’s work is documented in the book by Carole Tanenbaum and Eve Townsend, “Schreiner. Masters of the Twentieth – Century costume jewelry”. Despite this seminal work, much research remains to be done to elucidate the many facets and subtle combinations of the Schreiner’s family creative work.