The mysteries of LN Jewelry - Courtesy of Jenny Stephens at Aurora Bijoux
For the longest time I wondered whether LN signed jewelry was the
work of one company, one company that was subsequently sold
to another, or perhaps the collaboration of more than one company.
One thing is clear: the jewelry transcended two world wars and at
least as far into the second half of the 20th century to have had
access to and utilize oversized modern plastic faceted stones as
evidenced in the "LN 50" pieces.
Historically, per Rainwater, no fewer than three companies employed
the name "Little Nemo."
American Jewelry Manufacturers, a Schiffer book written by Dorothy
Rainwater, incorporates references from industry specific
publications as contributing reference sources to her research and,
as they relate to "Little Nemo" documentation, the following:
JC=Jewelers' Circular
JC-K=Jewelers' Circular-Keystone
K=The Keystone
Rainwater documents three companies to have used the "Little Nemo"
moniker:
Brier Manufacturing: in business at least 56 years with bankruptcy
filed in March of 1978
Little Nemo Manufacturing Company: K 1922 and 1931
Samuel M. Magid: JC 1915
If the Little Nemo assumption were correct, only the Samuel M. Magid
company could possibly have produced the pre and WWI (1914-1918) era
jewelry.
Recently, I learned my assumption of collaboration is, in part, true.
The Little Nemo Manufacturing Company was founded in 1913 by Benjamin
Brier, Charles Brier, and Samuel Magid to manufacture 'imitation
diamond jewelry.' It's said that the company "imported stones from
all parts of the world and cut, polished, and in some cases set the
stones by machine, producing more than 33,000 pieces of jewelry
yearly." That's pieces, not styles. The company had its own building
located at 222 Richmond St. in Providence, RI and operated through
the late 1970s.
While still awaiting additional details that may shed light on some
of this company's mysteries, it would appear that Brier and Magid
created the Little Nemo Company although the LN signature, and its
many variations, remain unexplained.
Some with the slash, some without. Some in a diamond, some not. The
earliest of pieces appear to have been signed "L N " (the space
between the letters is intended) and the most recently produced
reflecting "LN 50" (with the space but without the slash). What was
it about the LN line that precluded it from being manufactured under
the company's Little Nemo name and signature?
Regardless of how you wish to perceive the intricacies of the LN
signatures, and because both "Little Nemo" and "Nemo" appear on
carded and figural pieces, it's important not to commingle these
three distinctly different marks or, with regard to the carded
variety, lack thereof.
Just as collectors and dealers refer to "JJ" signed pieces as "JJ"
and not the Jonette Jewelry Company, or "Coro" as "Coro" and not Cohn
& Rosenberger or Richton Jewelry Company, perhaps LN should be called
LN if for no other reason than to avoid confusion? The company
clearly wished to distinguish the LN pieces from their "Little Nemo"
line by signing them differently.
One thing we can all agree upon is that the jewelry is swell. I hope
you enjoy looking at the many photos that document the creativity,
quality and variety the signature LN represents.
View the LN collection here:
LN Jewelry