Undated
Mark image
Distinctive swirl pattern on the backs of otherwise unmarked 1928 jewelry; 1928 is the company name, not a date assigned to this piece.
Designer marks
1928 jewelry mark
1928 jewelry mark examples include a name stamp with © and a distinctive swirl pattern on otherwise unmarked backs. The digits name the brand.
- Active years
- From 1968
- Country
- United States
- City / region
- Burbank, California
- Products
- costume jewellery, necklaces, earrings, brooches, bracelets, hair accessories
- Marks
- 2
Founded in 1968; 1928 is the brand name, not its founding year.
What to look for
- Look for a small 1928 © tag and for the repeating raised scroll pattern on the back of unsigned pieces. These are the two signature forms illustrated in the specialist mark catalogue.
- 1928 is a brand name. The company began in 1968, so the number does not make an object a 1920s antique.
- Read 2028 and Vatican Library labels as separate collections from the same company rather than treating them as date variants of the 1928 tag.
Marks & lettering
2 marks
Undated
1928 ©
The source also records unmarked examples; 1928 is the brand inscription, not a production date.
About 1928 Jewelry Co.
The 1928 Jewelry Company was founded by Mel Bernie in California in 1968 and became associated with Burbank. Bernie had sold accessories before developing a costume-jewellery business with his cousin Richard Wallen. Their early idea was to create new jewellery inspired by older pieces rather than simply resell merchandise from wholesalers.
The company’s main collection draws on Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco designs. Ornamental metalwork, coloured stones, imitation pearls and floral details give contemporary pieces the appearance of jewellery from earlier periods. The name 1928 evokes that earlier decorative world; it does not date the manufacture of a necklace, brooch or pair of earrings.
Over time the business developed several collections and licensed lines alongside the original 1928 range. These include 2028 and the Vatican Library Collection, each with its own identity. The company continued to sell through department stores, independent retailers and its own shops and website. For identification, the recurring raised scroll pattern on many backs and the small numbered brand tag are more useful than an antique-looking front alone.
Also known as: Mel Bernie Company · 1928 · The 1928 Jewelry Company / Mel Bernie and Company, Inc.
Look-alikes & how to tell them apart
Victorian or Edwardian antique jewellery →
1928 deliberately revives older forms. A 1928 tag or its characteristic moulded scroll back points to the modern brand rather than the period suggested by the front.
2028
The nearly identical number names a separate collection. Read all four digits on a tag.