hor Vintage Clip-mates, Duettes, Dress Clips and Fur Clips

 

Clip-mates, Duettes, Dress Clips,
and Double-prong Clips



Dress clips were popular from the late 1920's through the 1950's, with double prong (fur) clips being used as early as 1928 (Cartier by Judy Rudoe).    Pairs of dress clips and fur clips were mounted in removable pinback frames to be worn together as a single brooch and were called "clip-pins".    Many companies and designers made their own versions, with some being patented and others not.    A few were: Coro, Trifari, Polcini, Eisenberg, Haskell, Leo Glass, Calvaire, Fred Block, Mazer, Boucher, Reinad, Nettie Rosenstein, Hattie Carnegie, Deja, Reja, Staret, Vogue.

This dress clip gallery was assembled as an educational tool, not just a place for pretty pictures.    Therefore, a number of the dress clips and fur clips have darkened or missing stones, or other damage.    Some pictures are not the best quality, being pulled from our archives.   Any un-attributed images are property of   Illusion Jewels Vintage Jewelry,  Treasures From Yesterday,   or Mary Walden-Till.  Thanks to Mary Walden-Till and Robin Deutsch for their valuable research.   Most items are not for sale.

Some things to note:
*    Coro Duette was introduced in 1935, based on Candas patent (Brunialti).
*    The mark "Trifari" was used on all jewelry after Dec. 1937, so some early Clip-mates may only have the patent number (VFCJ article).
*    Not all pairs of dress clips and double-prong clips once had removeable pinback frames.
*    There were dress clips and double-prong clips made as singles.
*    Many pieces were unsigned and it is almost impossible to discover the manufacturer.
*    Fur clip style findings are used on heavier pieces of jewelry today (Robin Deutsch).
*    The findings most of us call "fur clips" were originally called double-pronged clips or pin clips

Page 1:     Clip-mates    Duettes    British or European Double Clips??    Other Frame Clips    Double Pins    Mystery Clip

Page 2:   Dress Clips    Double-prong Clips (Fur)

Dress Clips Construction & Patents




*Written permission necessary to use information or pictures from this site in any other publications, written or electronic.

Coro Duettes    --    Click on pictures for larger image.

Coro Peacocks Duette
Fur Clips 1946

Marked Sterling CoroCraft

Coro Lotus Duette

Unsigned

Coro Lotus 1/2 Duette

Unsigned Coro

Signed Coro Duette
Courtesy Gayla Esch


Coro Triquette
Courtesy ID: duplicated; Patti Matijevich

Signed CoroCraft Sterling
and Coro Duette

Coro Love Birds Duette

Back

1941 Love Birds Ad
Glamour magazine
Courtesy Kevin Van Dyke

Coro Duette
Courtesy Pam Kirch

Back


Coro Duette

Back

Coro Duette

Back

  Courtesy ID: dmb1031.

Back


Deco style duette
Courtesy Dinah Taylor

Marked: 1798867
Coro Duette

CoroCraft Sterling Fur Clip
1/2 of Duette

Marked Sterling CoroCraft with Pegasus

Coro Duette- unsigned
Missing Pin Frame

Marked Pat. #116490,
which is wrong.
Correct # is d126490


Coro Lotus 1/2 Duette?

Unsigned

1/2 Duette

Birds Duette
Courtesy Jan Gaughan

Marked: #1798867

Courtesy ID angeldaze

Marked: Coro, Pat. Pending


Coro Duette
Courtesy justabunchofwildflowers

Coro Duette and Earrings
Courtesy Norma

Courtesy ID angeldaze

Marked: Coro, Pat. Pending

Coro Triquette Bracelet
Courtesy Bonnie


Trifari Clip-mates  Clipmates are marked "Clip-mates" inside the mechanism on the dressclip attached inside the bottom of the clip, and may also have a stone setters number.   Clipmates made from 1936 to the end of 1937 would have the "KTF" mark.   Those marked "Clipmates" and "Trifari" would be dated from December of 1937, when the company switched to the Trifari mark.

Click on pictures for larger image.

Clip-mate

Marked KTF, 153
Clip-mate

Clip-mate

Marked Clip-mate
and a patent number

Fruit Salad Clip-mate

Marked Clip-mate
Courtesy ID: jewel-nut


Clip-mate

Marked Clip-mate, TKF

Clip-mate

Marked Clip-mate, KTF, 52

Clip-mate single


Signed Clip-Mate
Trifari, 47

Clip-mate

Marked Clip-mate and Trifari

Clip-mate
Missing clipback

Marked Clip-mate, Trifari


Clip-mate
Courtesy Robin Deutsch

Marked: Clip-mate, KTF, 49,32

Clip-mate
Courtesy Robin Deutsch

Marked: Clip-mate, KTF
Pat. 2050804



Clip-mate

Marked Trifari & Clip-mate
Courtesy ID: jewel-nut

Clip-mate missing pin frame

Marked Clip-mate

Clip-mate -- very Deco

Marked Clip-mate, KTF


Trifari Tie-ups
Courtesy Susan at Eureka

Trifari Tie-ups
Courtesy Rea Maurice

Back


Possibly British or European Double Clips -- All purchased in the UK
Click on pictures for larger image.


















German Marked 299, GESCH





Marked "Metal"



Clips are marked "CP", 36 and 37

Pin frame is marked 36 and 37












British or European
Courtesy ID: palacecrystal




Each piece 2 inches


British Double Clip
Marked: Silver England

Courtesy The Duck Emporium


Marcasite Clips





Courtesy ID: floaty_cobweb


British Hallmarks
TM&Co, 1956 mark shows dress clips were made in England well into the 1950's

Courtesy ID: 4_what_its_worth


Unusual double clip
Probably British

Courtesy ID: ladydocker


Beautiful double clip
Probably made in Great Britian

Courtesy The Duck Emporium




Other Frame Clips    --    Click on pictures for larger image.

Boucher Clip Necklace
See Patent

Marked: 5525, Boucher on necklace
5528, Boucher on clip

Hollywood Clip necklace
Large Clip & pair of earrings

Clip & necklace frame signed Hollywood

Courtesy Mrs. Mud


Mazer Double Clip
Courtesy Cheri Van Hoover

Boucher designed mechanism
while working for Mazer
Marked US PAT. 2034129

Ora Originals Double Clip
Unmarked
Courtesy Cheri Van Hoover

Hangtag: Ora Originals
A Product of Agnini & Singer


Courtesy ID: buzzz7-7


Deco Double Clip Brooch
Courtesy Merry Kaufman

Marked Pat. 1801128
for mechanism
by Waller 1931



Notice odd pin placement.


No markings



3 pieces marked
Pat. Pend

Possibly Coro

Marked Made in USA
Pat. 1852188
by E.A. Phinney for
Fuller & Son


Bracelet with two dress clips

XCourtesy ID: annsdogsnmore

Bracelet with two dress clips
Courtesy Gloria Barnhart

Bracelet with two dress clips


Doubles and Triples
   Click on pictures for larger image.

Double Bird Pins
Courtesy Linda Kent

Back

No markings

Harry Iskin Triette
Courtesy Carolyn Davis

Earrings and pinback brooch

Mystery Interchangeable Clips    --    Click on pictures for larger image.

First 4 images
Courtesty IDpenuk

Similar to pin frame on bird clips above

All pieces marked with either # 205???4 or Pat. Pend.


See similarities to bird clip above

This is not a Clip-mate, but has the Pat. 2050804 clearly marked on one of the combs

Pin Frame
Top # may be 205???4
Bottom # 2066969(Farnham clasp for pins)

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Jewelry From The Past