Juliana Butterflies - Part II

Butterfly #1

Our thanks again Paula Knutson for taking on this butterfly training.  Here is part II. 

For this second D and E Butterfly Blog,  we’ll cover many of the Butterflies with Rhinestone Chain Outlining the Wings.

Butterfly #2

Butterfly #1: The largest of these is also the one most commonly reproduced.  The ONLY one manufactured by DeLizza and Elster is this one with this exact Back construction.  ALL closed back stones, Figure 8’s in the body, a support wire for the wings, a diagonally set pin back and Rhinestone Tipped Antenna. It came in many color combinations.

Butterfly #3

Butterfly #2:  The next big guy with more rounded shaped wings also has the same type of back construction – ALL closed back stones, Figure 8’s at the tail, support wire, diagonally set pin back and Turned Up Wire Antenna. Several color combinations were available.

Butterfly #4

Butterfly #3:  A Rhinestone Chain Winged Butterfly with a Cast body has Open Backed settings for the high domed cabochons, a support wire, and Rhinestone Tipped Antenna.

Butterfly #5

Butterfly #4: This one with baguettes and pears has all closed back stones, and the triple Figure 8’s serve to support the wings, and we see Rhinestone Tipped Antenna.


Butterfly #5: Another Baguette butterfly with stiff wire Rhinestone Tipped Antenna was first shared by Mr. DeLizza from his personal collection. 

Butterfly #6

Butterfly #6: Here we see ALL closed back chatons with a single navette for the body. The chatons filling the wings are multi-pronged.  Notice this one has eyes.  Most Juliana insects do not.

Butterfly #7: This smaller Butterfly is out there in many variations. The D and E version has all closed back stones except for the body navette and Scroll Curled Antenna.

Butterfly #7

On all of these butterflies it is important that the open and closed back stones be the same on the butterfly you are looking at.  One back open that should be closed can be the difference between being D and E and NOT D and E.


More Juliana Butterflies

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Juliana Butterflies - Part I

We are so lucky for the next few weeks Paula Knutson will be helping us in understanding the Juliana (D and E) butterflies.  Butterflies are one of the hardest things to identify in Juliana Jewelry. I like to call Paula the butterfly queen as she has more knowledge about identifying butterflies than anyone I know.

This is Part I of her blog.

Butterfly #1

Mr. DeLizza states that D and E made at least a hundred different butterflies. Dividing them up into like construction features is an easy way to learn about and become familiar with theirs. The BACK of a Butterfly brooch is more important than the front for identification. During the heydays of rhinestone jewelry a lot of copying and design pirating occurred, especially if your products were not marked and/or copyrighted.

Butterfly #2

We’ll start with the Wire Framed Wings. Everyone knows Butterflies have 4 wings.

Butterfly #3

#1 – All closed back stones - Filigree Antenna.  It is important to note on this design there are many variations on it, most of which are not Juliana.  If your butterfly of this design does not have this EXACT combination of stones in ALL closed back settings your butterfly is not Juliana.  It must also have these exact antenna.

#2 – All open back wing stones - Turned Up Wire Antenna - Figure 8’s at the tail.  This design is also found with other shapes of center stones.  The ones with the oval bodies don't have a figure 8 on the tail as they only have one rhinestone for a tail.

Butterfly #4

#3 – Cast wire wings and body – all closed back stones – Turned Up Wire Antenna.  The support wire is holding on the rhinestone squares.

#4 – All open wire wings – closed back stones – Turned Up Wire Antenna

Butterfly #5

#5 – Square wire wings – closed back stones – Turned Up Wire Antenna – Back Support Wire – Metal Accent Findings

#6 – Twisted wire wings – closed back stones – Rhinestone Tipped Antenna – Figure 8’s Lower Body

Butterfly #6

Another thing you will notice when looking at Juliana Butterflies is that the small ones do not have a built in pin back.  They have a one piece pin back.  This sort of pin back is NOT commonly used in Juliana except in the small figurals.  You will also find that the one piece pin back design will vary slightly even on the same butterfly.  I am sure this is due to using whatever one piece pin back they had in stock at the time.

Next week Paula will continue on with our exploration of butterflies.

Juliana Butterflies

Juliana Enamel Back Designs - Part I

Pink Enamel Design Back

Brown Enamel Design Back

This week I will start our focus on the pieces that Juliana (D and E) did with enamel backings.  By this I do not mean pieces that just are gun metal or japanned on the back.  I mean pieces that the back is a color that accents the stones on the front.

Blue Enamel Design Back

The one we will do this week is a design that is similar in stone construction to the neon geometric sets we talked about last week.  The design is also a mostly cast design with many stone shapes including baguettes, navettes and chatons.  It is always interesting when Juliana used baguettes as they were not a common design element for them.  This design is often called a deco set but of course is not from the art deco period.

Pink Enamel Design Front

This design was found in three colors: pink, blue and brown.  All of the pieces are found in all of the colors and I will try to show at least one example of each piece but probably not in all the colors.

Brown Enamel Design Front

Blue Enamel Design Front

I will first show the back of each design and then show what they look like from the front.

Looking at the back of the designs you can see that the cast part of the design is what has been enameled.  The part that is solder work is plated.

I assume it was done this way so that from the front the enamel would add an extra accent to the design.

Next week I will finish up these enamel backed designs.

Juliana Enamel Designs

Juliana Neon Geometric Designs

Orange Neon Design missing only the square brooch

This design which was found in three colors is one of my favorites as it is such an unusual design.  It is most often called the neon geometric design but also is sometimes called art deco.  Of course it does not date from the art deco period but it does have a little bit of the feeling of designs of that time but in a much more colorful way.  They are first found in the design books in 1968.

The design was found in three colors.  The blue, the orange and the red.  These are kind of simple names for the riot of color that these designs have but it does  help to tell them apart when talking about them. 

There are a number of unusual things about these designs from a Juliana (D and E) design perspective.  The most noticeable is that the

Blue Neon Design all the pieces shown in the orange
are also found in the blue

stones are glue set in the top layer of stones due to the cast design.  Another uncommon thing is the large amount of baguettes used in the design.  Yes D and E did use baguettes in designs but it was not their go to stone, the long thin navette is probably more associated with them.  The third slightly unusual thing is the darkened gun metal colored backing.  Again yes D and E used it but it was not extensively used.

Some of you are probably saying what is a cast design.  A cast design is one that the setting is done from a mold and not as individual settings soldered together.  Cast designs always have glued in stones as their are no real prongs.  Some have little stubs as faux prongs but there are not prongs holding in the stones.

Red Neon Design all the pieces
found in the orange are also
found in the red but are extremely
hard to find

In the orange design I have shown what I think are all the different pieces available for neon geometric except for the square brooch.  In the blue I have shown just a few and in the red design which is by far the hardest to find I have shown only one brooch as that is the only one I have ever had.

Back showing the center of the brooch
is a cast design with figure 8's frame

I hope this week has opened some of your eyes to some different things D and E has done design wise.  Next week I will talk about another design that has some similarities with this design as it also has cast components but it is unusual in the use of enamel painted backs.

Juliana Neon Geometric Jewelry

Be My Valentine - Juliana Heart Jewelry - Part II

Heart Belt Buckle

Heart Scroll Work Pink

This weeks post is about the heart scroll work that Juliana did.  The first piece I will show is a great transition piece as it has the heart shaped rhinestones that I talked about last week and heart scroll work.  I have also seen this belt buckle design done as a full belt and it was a WOW.

Heart Scroll linked Bracelet

Heart Scroll Linked Belt

Citrine Heart Scroll Parure

The next is a gorgeous demi parure of necklace and extremely long dangle earrings done all in pink and faux pearls.  

I will continue on with this gorgeous bracelet that are heart scrolls linked together.  This design actually has a full parure designed like it including a HUGE belt.  Such an incredible design.

After those two it is hard to find anything to top them.  So how about this huge parure of two necklaces, bracelet, belt and earrings.  All done with heart scrolls and citrine rhinestones.

NOT Juliana Heart Scrolls Design

These are just a few of the fabulous designs Juliana did with heart scroll work.  I could show piece after piece.  HOWEVER Juliana is not the only company to use heart scroll work.  It must have been very popular because most of the pieces you find with it are NOT Juliana.  So you really need to look for other Juliana traits to identify a heart scroll design as Juliana.  Here is one example of a piece that has heart scroll work and is often called Juliana and is not.

For more examples of heart scrollwork you can visit the IsItJulianaJewelry Database select under metal accents - Heart or S scrolls.

More Juliana Hearts

Next week I will be talking about the Neon Geometic designs done by Juliana (D and E).

Be My Valentine - Juliana Heart Jewelry - Part I

Margarita Heart Demi Paure 

The topic of the day is the heart jewelry that Juliana (D and E) made.  By heart jewelry I mean both jewelry that is designed to look like a heart and jewelry that has heart shaped rhinestones.  I will not be showing the jewelry that has the metalwork that is shaped like hearts.  I will save that for next week.

Puffy Bead Heart Brooch

My first design is one that is not commonly found but is one of my favorites.  It features gorgeous pink margarita rhinestones and metal leaves.

The next one is a frame of rhinestone with puffy beads set over the top making it hard to tell that it actually is a heart.  I have also seen this design done in other colors.

Abstract Heart Brooch

Also found are some other designs that have a more abstract heart look and are also found in different colors.

Ball Chain Heart Necklace

This next design is done in ball chain with the center of the necklace shaped like a heart.  It is also not often found.

Heart Shaped Earrings

The next one is a heart shaped design that was used in different ways.  It was used as a charm on a necklace, as earrings and as a brooch.  I am showing the earrings.  This is also the first of our designs that use a heart shaped rhinestone.

Heart Shaped Flower Demi Parure

The final design is one that you see in many different colors.  It uses a heart shaped rhinestone as the center of a flower design.

There are also a few designs that use a heart shaped stone in with other stones.  I have not shown those here but they can be found in the IsItJulianaJewelry.com database by selecting heart shaped in the stone shapes drop down menu.

Next week we will talk about the metal scrollwork that looks like hearts.

More Juliana Heart Jewelry

Juliana (D and E) Geode Jewelry

Pink Geode Set

I am not sure if all of you love the Juliana jewelry with the stones often called geodes as much as I do.  These stones are some of my favorites.  They are so dimensional and the color combinations are wonderful.  Mr DeLizza talks about the geode designs on page 117 of his book and I quote: "a new rock crystal group in colors."  This chapter is 1971-1973 so I would date that as the start of these designs.

Blue Geode Brooch

My favorite is the pink, which will come as no surprise to all that know me as pink is my favorite color.  I have also said that if I ever find the geode bib in pink no one will be able to pry it out my hands.

Black AB Geode Set

First I will show the design in pink with pink AB rhinestone accents.  You will also find this same geode stone but with pink rhinestone accents.

Topaz Geode Parure

Now we will move on to my next favorite of the colors these geode designs came in, the blue.  I have shown this photo at an angle so you can see how dimensional these stones are. You will see this one has blue AB rhinestone accents.  I have also seen this design with blue rhinestone accents.

Peach Geode Parure

Now we will show one that is really a gorgeous color.  It is sort of a black AB.  Very very striking design.  Notice on this one a different earring design compared to the pink.  I suspect all the different designs were done in all the colors but I am not 100% positive about that.  This one has again the AB accenting rhinestones.  Can you imagine how fabulous this stone would look in a bib.  WOW.

Clear AB Geode Parure

Since I have been talking about the bibs that these geodes came in maybe I should show one of them to you.  These bibs are very hard to find.  I have only ever had two of them.   So everyone here is your mission after reading this, find some geode bibs.


The  next color is very similar to the topaz geode but is a little lighter in color.  More of a peach tone.

The next color is probably the color you will find most often.  The clear AB.  It is found with many different accenting colors including clear AB, green AB, pastel, and maybe more.

Clear AB Geode Dog Collar

My final designs will be some that use the geodes in different ways than we have seen before.  The first is using the same clear AB geode but using in a dog collar design.

Purple Geode with Hard Wired Beads

The next is a very unusual design.  It uses a different color of geode in a totally different design.  I suspect this was a special order for some customer.  Notice not only does it have different colored geodes, it also has hard wired on beads which Juliana (D and E) did do, but it was not common and most designs with hard wired on beads are not Juliana.

NOT Juliana Geode Earrings

My final photo for the day will show that not all geode designs are Juliana.  These earrings are NOT Juliana even though they use the geode stone.

This finishes off the geode designs I have to show you today.  Next week we will talk about some of the heart designs since Valentines Day will be coming up.

More Juliana Geode Designs

Let's Fly Away - The Juliana Figural Bird Pendant Necklaces

Watch Owl Pendant

White Washed Owl Pendant

Today we will continue on with the bird pendant necklaces.  Most of  these are what is often called Last Generation pieces and most are owls.  Many can be found in my book Juliana Jewelry - The Last Generation.  The first one we will talk about is an unusual one. It is an owl pendant with a watch in the center of it.  You will see that it is a variation on a regular pendant owl.

The 2nd one is a variation on the owl watch.  You will also see that the metal has had a white wash done to it.  In Mr DeLizza's book on page 113 he talks about how the white wash treatment was done.  They first did it on the elephant and donkey pendants they made and then later when they made the owls they used the same treatment.  Not all of the owls are white washed.  They are also gold or silver toned.

Period Reproduction
NOT a Juliana Owl

Close up of incorrect tail linkage (green)
and correct tail linkage (red)

One extremely important thing to know when identifying these owl designs is that the connector for the tail must be a fold over piece of flat metal and not just a metal loop.  The ones with a metal loop are period copies, not Juliana (D and E) originals.

Large Looped Owl

Small Looped Owl

Our next owls will be the looped owls.  They are made with metal loops with rhinestone accents.  There are small and large ones of this design.  They date to the early 1970's and are shown in Mr DeLizza's book on page 105.  These owls have folded over flat metal holding the loops together and tassels for a tail.  Found in other color combinations.

The next owl is a large cast design with a large cabochon body.  Again it has the same fold over metal holding on the tail.

Rhinestone Body Owl

Heat Formed Plastic Owl

Wood and Heat Formed
Plastic Owl

The next owl is one that would fit well in the blog I did about heat formed plastic Juliana (D and E) jewelry  Juliana Heat Formed Plastic Jewelry Blog Post.  It uses heat formed plastic instead of rhinestones. The final owl is one I have shown before in the blog I did about the Juliana wood jewelry. Juliana Wooden Jewelry - Blog Post.

So as you can see owl pendants were very popular in Juliana designs but other birds not so much.  The only non owl pendant I know of is the thunderbird pendant which has a cabochon center and metal with heart scrollwork.  Next week we will take a little break from figurals and talk about the geode jewelry that Juliana (D and E) did.

Thunderbird Pendant