Queen Elizabeth wore the Courtland Thomson Shell brooch for her Christmas broadcast for 2020. You can see that brooch in close up on The Court Jeweler Blog. The beautiful shell brooch belonged to The Queen Mother.
In the 1940s, there was tremendous admiration for the Royal Family as symbols of resistance to the Nazis. In this spirit American jewelry companies made jewels inspired by those designs. Trifari, which had a franchise to sell jewelry at the Norman Norrell Boutique in London made many pieces inspired by crown jewels. One such fur clip is the Trifari shell brooch shown here. It is an Alfred Philippe design patent number 148,145, dated December 23, 1947. In Trifari's design the shell was turned 180 degrees. and there are no dangling ribbons of stones as in the magnificent royal jewel. Still, there is a large faux pearl in the center and the style certainly harkens to the Courtland Thomson design.
A smaller version of the design was patented for the earrings, That was patent number 148,156, dated January 13th, 1948. The earrings are marked sterling on the back and Trifari on the clips.
What a lovely set to wear for Christmas dinner or holiday zoom! Best to you for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
