Eugene Joseff began designing and producing costume jewelry for
Hollywood films in 1935. He retained ownership of these pieces, leasing
them only for the duration of shooting, then reclaiming them for use in
other productions. Joseff's jewelry is known for its characteristic
opaque or burnished finishes in both gold and silver colors. This
finish was non-reflective to avoid glare under the bright lights used in
filming. In 1938 Joseff began producing pieces for retail sales in
department stores and boutiques. Some of these pieces were based on
designs he had done for the movies and others were original designs for
the retail market. Soon after starting this new venture, Joseff hired
Joan Castle to organize his office and manage the business. They
married 4 years later, in 1942. During World War II Joseff's production
facilities were primarily dedicated to airplane parts production. Joseff
died in a plane crash in 1948, leaving his wife in possession of the
large inventory of movie jewelry and his retail designs. She continues
to produce Joseff jewelry to this day. The earliest Joseff marks were
JOSEFF OR JOSEFF HOLLYWOOD in block letters. It is not clear when the
change to the script Joseff mark was made. It could have been as early
as 1942, but might have been as late as 1947.
