Schreiner of New York: History and How to Recognize It

Schreiner of New York produced some of the most inventive American costume jewelry of the twentieth century. The firm was founded by Henry Schreiner, a Bavarian-born jeweler, and later continued by his daughter Terry and her husband Ambrose Albert. Its pieces supplied couture designers before the company sold under its own name.

Carole Tanenbaum co-wrote, with Eve Townsend, Schreiner: Masters of Twentieth-Century Costume Jewelry, the definitive book on the house.

How to recognize Schreiner

• Inverted stones: stones set point-up, so the faceted back faces the viewer and catches light differently.
• Unusual cuts: keystone, navette, baguette and domed stones combined in one piece.
• Unexpected color: rich, sometimes daring combinations, with unfoiled glass that glows.
• Solid construction: layered, dimensional settings, often with a dark or japanned finish on the back.

Signed or unsigned?

Many Schreiner pieces were never signed, so construction and style are the main clues. Where a piece carries a signature, it usually reads "Schreiner New York". Our listings say clearly whether a piece is signed.

Schreiner in the collection

Browse the Schreiner collection, from the crystal collar and black and crystal collar to the pink snowflake brooch and sunburst brooch.